Michael Lamb (leader/tpt); Pete Tanton. Gordon Marshall, Bill Watson (tpts); Mark Ferris, Don Fairley, Mr John Flood, Robert Perry (tmbs); Steve Summers, Nadiah Killick (alt); Paul Gowland, Jamie Toms (ten); Laurie Rangecroft (bar). Marc Jolliffe (pno); Pavel Jedrzejewski (gtr); Michael Whent (bs); Guy Swinton (dms); Lindsay Hannon, James Hedley (vcls).
(Review by Lance).
A good crowd and a great band! Caravan kicked things off with some delightful dissonance reminiscent of Kenton's Peanut Vendor followed by One Note at a Time. The sax section in this latter number were an absolute delight - four men and a girl playing as one.
Lindsay Hannon revived the old Ella classic A Tisket a Tasket then, after a Buddy Rich number, returned to give us Alright, Ok, you Win, Too Darn Hot and a sensitive Angel Eyes which included a moving solo by Gowland on tenor. Lindsay left after this - she had other fish to fry today as we will discover later.
James Hedley gave out with Almost Like Being in Love - this band is fortunate to have two such brilliant singers - not to mention the fine array of instrumentalists as was demonstrated in Woody's immortal classic Four Brothers.
Five Foot Two Eyes of Blue demonstrated the band's diversity as did Bag's Groove which had a rhythm section intro that can only be described as atonal.
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea was a swinger as was Blues Off the Wall - a Neal Hefti/Basie style arrangement although probably by Sammy Nestico (I've since found out it's by Gordon Goodwin - well I knew it had to be one or the other!) A rare Larry Rangecroft baritone solo on this one! Norwegian Wood a la Buddy Rich, James Hedley returned for Fly Me To the Moon before the day's big showstopper - Oye Como Va.
This Latin based number was salsaing along nicely - then all hell broke loose as Gowland and Summers slugged it out over 15 musical rounds. This was a Pier Six brawl of the highest quality as alto and tenor matched choruses trading blow for blow - 16's 8's 4's - this is the stuff that jazz is made of. Combativity and musical respect. I remember back in the days of the Newcastle Big Band similar situations with Charlie Carmichael and Nigel Stanger.
Magic! Perhaps next month a trumpet battle?
James returned for The Way You Look Tonight - a great song sung well - my favourite line "Keep that breathless charm". Bublé's I'm Feelin' Good and Sinatra's Bad Bad Leroy Brown rounded off a super Sunday afternoon 'cept it wasn't over yet!
In the best big band tradition we had a "Band within a band" which had the rhythm section and Gowland, Toms, Summers, Tanton and Lamb blowing on Blue Bossa and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. Excellent.
A good evening all round with my apologies for not mentioning all the soloists. Pav on guitar, Tanton and Lamb on trumpets Marc on piano and of course Fairley on trombone as well as Jamie Toms and Nadiah on tenor and alto.
Carve their names with pride!
Now it was time to head to the Bridge and more Lindsay...
Photos.
Lance.
2 comments :
Dear Lance
I read your very kind review of the band but had to write to you.
So astonished flattered and tickled to think that Paul & myself duelling on oye como va would put you in mind of Carmichael/Stanger back in the days.
That's because those gigs back in the mid 70s were for me simply the best heart & jazz combined - I used to go every sunday from about age 14 with my dad to the playhouse bar -thats about 1974/5 onwards and it was those experiences that very first opened my ears up to jazz at what I think was its wholesome best. And all possible within our small city.
Stanger tantalisingly refusing to finally make a sound as he pretended to start a solo on Hey Jude because the "Byker Orpheus Choir" was still not bellowing loud enough - keys held together by lacky bands, Carmichael looking shy but blowing like a demon - Loane looking cool and being cool too - most of the brass taking the piss - and to suck the audience into the certainty that this was what Sundays were made for and it didn't matter about the weather outside.
I don't think we've got anywhere near Hudson's lot but if a small tinge was to be conjured up then that's a lovely thing so thanks.
Thanks Steve but, Charlie Carmichael shy? Differences? SSBB is the modern Basie Band tight and precise. We (NBB) were the old Basie Band (Looser more shambolic in a nice sort of way!)
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