(Review by Russell)
MD Peter Morgan assembles his
troops first Tuesday in the month at the New Crown Hotel down on South Shields seafront. The hotel’s function room
resembles the Village Vanguard or the Iridium on a typical Monday night, a
musician’s night. Alright, the hotel doesn’t resemble any of the New York nite spots. One
can but dream! A pint of Marston’s
Pedigree (medicinal purposes, ‘man flu’), a front row seat, the audience
outnumbered by the band by a ratio of at least 3:1.
Sitting close up it is possible
to observe the inner workings of a big band. A section, saxophones on this
occasion, dismantled, diagnosed, repaired, like Humpty Dumpty, put together
again. To the casual observer the trombones and trumpets weren’t paying
attention – chatter, a joke, minds elsewhere. But wait: Let’s take it from bar 38 (or some such point) and all are ready
under the baton of Mr Morgan. Hold it,
hold it! Morgan has spotted an errant semi-quaver. Such is the attention to
detail.
The band is fast approaching its
next concert date – March 21, Customs House, South Shields
– and vocalist Ruth Lambert arrived keen to run through two or three numbers. The Lady is a Tramp, Somewhere Over the
Rainbow (how do singers remember the lyrics?), Come Fly with Me (a Desert
Island tune, for sure)
were just three of the pieces worked on. It’ll be alright on the night, that’s
for certain. Make a date – the Customs House, March 21 and first Tuesday in the
month at the New Crown Hotel on Mowbray
Road, South Shields . Keep checking Bebop Spoken Here for news of the Customs House Big Band’s
forthcoming concert dates.
Russell.
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