Peter
Gilligan (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass), Jeff Armstrong (drums) &
Michael Lamb (trumpet & flugelhorn)
(Review by Russell).
Is there music on tonight? Aye, came the reply. Oh, my Gawd! the despairing response. So said one club regular to
another. Things looked promising then! This being D Day, a gig at the British
Legion could see an invasion of jazz fans. Alas, they were on the beaches.
The small, comfortable lounge
welcomed the Home Guard – a couple here, a solitary soul there, awaiting news
of the day’s action down on the beaches (Long Sands, Tynemouth ).
Pianist Peter Gilligan sat down
to play at nine o’clock with news yet to come through as to the ETA of
Tyneside’s jazz fans. Gilligan had one keen supporter behind him, right behind
him on the wall – a portrait of Her Maj looking down at him. Play some jezz young man! Gilligan jumped to it with old pals Paul
Grainger (double bass) and Jeff Armstrong (drums) standing to attention (in
Armstrong’s case he was allowed to remain seated). Regal trumpeter Michael Lamb
joined Gilligan and friends for the evening and it was one of those ‘let’s
play’ sessions with listeners thin on the ground. Muted trumpet on the Van
Heusen/Mercer classic I Thought About You
said it all – this was going to be good. And it was! The material ranged from Caravan to bop classics to West Coast
and beyond. Brubeck’s Blue Rondo a la
Turk featured the dazzling Gilligan with stop-start swing time
interjections. Armstrong counted them in on Blues
March, a triumphant blast of a tune on D Day.It was late, time to return to the Nissen huts. Gilligan pondered, what to play? Grainger hit on All Blues. On hearing it Gilligan said Yeah, let’s do it. A cracking session. Get along next week to hear the Empress of the Blues Mo Scott. Arrive before 8:30 pm and you get in for free (£5.00. after 8:30 pm). Leave the car at home, jump on the Metro, the Legion is right next to West Jesmond Metro Station. Support the efforts of Jeff Armstrong & co to get something going at the Jesmond Legion.
Russell.
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