Dave Jones
(vocals), Peter Drake (sax/vocals), Simon Stephenson (guitar), Andy Booth
(percussion), Jonny Drake (electric d.bass)
(Review by Kath Jobes).
Five Men No Dog were
billed as playing a mix of original and classic songs that draws on jazz,
blues, folk and swing and ‘sister’ we were not disappointed!
The first set
commenced with St Celie’s Blues from
the film, The Colour Purple and then
we swiftly took the A Train down to
Sugar Hill with pleasant solos from the sax and guitar. Ain’t
Misbehavin’ set away with a mellow saxophone and led onto a bright version
of All
of Me.
We had just settled down into ‘Jazz Lounge music mode’ when out of
the hat came a Peter Drake original - You
Shot Me Down and suddenly I felt that the band had got into their stride… Confidence
growing Dave Jones went on to Fly Me to
the Moon with enthusiastic solos from Sax and Guitar before a segue into a
vivacious I Will Survive. The tone was then knocked back as Simon
Stephenson played a colla voce My Funny
Valentine… beautifully executed by Dave Jones.
The Latin beat of
the percussionist Andy Booth inspired the gentle groove of another Peter Drake
Original, Don’t Give up that Dream
and then moved into a vamp with the young Jonny Drake on bass to introduce the
‘seasonally inappropriate’ Summertime.
Apparently Jonny did so well in his recent GCSE’s that his dad bought him an
electric double bass… methinks there was method in his madness as he needed a
bass player… so his present was dual purpose…. In the six months he has been
playing bass Jonny seems to have really got a good grasp of this instrument and
can only get better… I have to say that an electric double bass appears to be a
walk in the park compared with the vigorous workout it seems to be on an
acoustic bass… but I digress… back to the set…
The next tune - Happiness, was written by Crispin
Holland and certainly brought a happy feel to the place… moving on to a song
clearly rooted in folk music, Van Diemen’s Land
- another Peter Drake original. The Tracks of My Tears moved me - with
sensitive percussion from Booth, and the set came to an end with an inspired Love is Like a Foreign Land.
We came Zorbing into the second set and I have
to say I was a little distracted by the table conversation during I Want You. However, my attention was soon brought back to the band during the
lively original - Love Says Hello
with an animated section of rhythmic clapping
by the bass and sax player to accompany the percussionist.
The mood then
switched back to folk roots as we bobbed down the River of Salt
Kath J.
Post Script: Comments from friends were: - they thought
this group of musicians were nicely balanced, the percussion complemented their
style, a full drum kit would have disturbed their equilibrium, and the band
really came into their own when they were performing original numbers… I agree
and I would certainly recommend that if you get the opportunity to see Five Men No Dog perform that you make an
effort to do so… nice one fellas!
2 comments :
Ms Jobes, you do go on!!!
In depth reporting!
Post a Comment