Tom Harrison/Jamie Taylor Quartet @ The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. February 9

Tom Harrison (alto); Jamie Taylor (guitar); Conor Chaplin (bass); David Lyttle (drums).

(Review by Lance)

In a perfect world the Splinter session at the Bridge, last night, would have been chockablock with sax players jostling with guitarists, bassists and drummers for a front row seat.

In a perfect world.

As it turned out there were none of the aforementioned breed and very few other species either. You could in fact almost count the audience on Django's left hand.

Why was this? The nearest competing gig was 30 miles away. Still, for the elite few who bothered to turn out they can not be blamed for adopting an air of superiority over those who stayed at home. You can't win the Lottery if you don't buy a ticket and last night we hit the jackpot!

The prize was some of the best music heard at the Bridge in many a moon. Unfair to single out any of the four - they all contributed equally.
In the beginning there was Johnny Dankworth who begat Joe Harriot who begat Pete King who begat Alan Barnes who begat Tom Harrison - the latest in a long line of British alto saxophonists. Jamiie Taylor proved you don't need a tray of effects pedals to produce meaningful guitar jazz, David Lyttle, Ireland's number one kitman, can do more with his fingers than many drummers can with a pair of Vic Firth's finest whilst Conor Chaplin made us realise the rhythmic and the melodic potential of the double bass.

The material, tried and tested classics with ne'er a chart or Fake Book app in sight.

Like Someone in Love; My Little Suede Shoes; Skylark; Things Ain't What They Used to be: Conception; In a Mellow Tone; Body and Soul; Stolen Moments. 

Photos.

Lance.