Debra Milne Ensemble @ The Empty Shop, Durham. April 3

Debra Milne (vocals), Steve Glendinning (guitar), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Tim Johnston (drums)

(Review by Russell).

The Pink Lane Jazz Co-op’s promotional activities extend beyond Newcastle upon Tyne. Once a month an empty shop on Framwellgate Bridge in Durham transforms itself into a twenty first century speakeasy. You know where it is, you’re in, you don’t, you’re not. A disused building, floorboards, a lack of central heating, paint-splattered plastic stackable chairs. Candle lit, streetlights helped illuminate the sheet music.

Debra Milne sang Don’t Come Around Here Anymore. Guitarist Steve Glendinning took a solo, so too bassist Paul Grainger. Killer Joe with the addition of Milne’s lyrics – Relax – hit on a blues vein. Milne sang again, this time Chick Corea’s Spain, Glendinning the soloist. Betty Carter, Horace Silver, Tom Waits, composers drawn from an eclectic pad, an interesting arrangement of Stella by Starlight. Drummer Tim Johnston closed the first set on Caravan.

A bottle of the Alloa Brewery’s Birds and Bees served by an amiable Durham Uni type. The room filled up, the windows steamed up. Milne and Glendinning opened the second set as a duo with their composition  Show Me the Man. Another original – Blame Game – followed. The evening’s highlight, as the north bound mainline express approached Durham – Billie’s Bounce – heard Milne at her best singing Eddie Jefferson’s lyrics augmented by her own extra verse! Glendinning threw in a top solo, Grainger shone and Johnston handled the fours.

The next gig – Safe Sextet – is on Thursday May 1 on Framwellgate Bridge. The door number…35c, upstairs. You’re in.       

Russell