Ex Extreme @ The Jazz Café – January 17.

Pete Tanton (Trumpet/Flugelhorn)/ Stuart Collingwood (Piano); Steve Walls (Drums); Stuart Davies (Electric Bass).

(Review by Kath Jobes)

This evening was to be one of fabulous original music interspersed with the odd standard for good measure.  Pete Tanton started the evening on flugelhorn, before moving to Trumpet for a few numbers.  Stuart Collingwood… well what can I say… fabulous fingers and you wouldn’t expect anything less with over 30 years at the keys!   Bassist Stuart Davies exhibited skill and there was a lovely communication between band members, with the steady and at times stupendous drumming of Steve Walls.

The first set commenced with a Collingwood original – Bananas; vivacious and bouncy,  followed by Pete Tanton’s Spanish tinged Barbados.  Next up, Stuart Davies’ Double Bubble, written down by the pianist as ‘Double Bublé’… ‘There’s a joke in there somewhere’, he said!  Another Tanton original in the form of The Cat’s Reply, although I’m still not sure what the question was?  A recognisable Four ensued and bud we were sure set straight by the last number of the set, Straight No Chaser.

Set two sailed away with a couple more originals Nautical, with a fab drum solo and fours from the band and  Petals - a beautiful ballad.  We were then treated to a Mark Williams original Booze Blues, (Mark was missing from the usual line up due to the limited space for bands at the Café, and their trio/quartet requirements for bands).  To Heaven Tonight, another Pete Tanton original was followed on by a request from the pianist, for Sunny  - a bit of sunshine in the night before the final number of the night another Stuart Collingwood composition – The Tank.  Great night guys!

Kath J.