Dean Stockdale/Mick Shoulder Duo @ Jazz Café June 27.

Dean Stockdale (pno); Mick Shoulder (bs).
(Review by Lance).

Travelling by Metro on a Friday night can be a culture shock. A carriage full of the young and not so young shouting incoherently into their mobiles creates the illusion that one has stepped back in time to the Tower of Babel (not the record company!) or maybe even the Harlem Air Shaft portrayed somewhat more eloquently by Duke Ellington back in 1941. 

I'd had a similar, albeit more satisfying experience, earlier at the Jazz Café and Ellington, or rather his confrère Billy Strayhorn, was involved there too along with Dean Stockdale on piano and Mick Shoulder on bass. The duo's version of Chelsea Bridge (inspired, we're told, by a painting of Battersea Bridge) was quite beautiful - not even the refugees from Babel standing at the bar could despoil this gem.

Chelsea was but one of many choice pieces played by the select pairing. Others included Mingus' Nostalgia in Times Square, Kelly's Blues (named after Oscar Peterson's fourth wife - no wonder he had the blues!), Summer in Central Park (Horace Silver), Skylark, I'm Old Fashioned and Night in Tunisia all played on an upright that at times, and not just tonight, sounds as if it had been Made in Tunisia. 

Nevertheless, noisy barflys and a piano that maybe fell off the back of a camel, couldn't spoil an evening of top quality music.

Lance.

Stop Press: More top class piano on August 1 with a return visit by the Alan Glen Trio as well as Peter Gilligan's Jam Session on July 1 and Paul Edis on July 18.