Jazz In The Afternoon; Tynemouth Metro Station : Thursday August 28

As I [Ann Alex] write this, I’m not sure if I’m a restaurant critic, jazz reviewer or diarist, as this event had all these elements mixed up together. My long-standing friend Mary and I were meeting to eat at Davanti's, an Italian  restaurant next to Porters Coffee House on Tynemouth Metro Station (I hadn't realised they had porters on metro stations, I certainly didn't see any - perhaps they were all drinking coffee.)
Delicious: I had vegetable lasagne, followed by tiramisu, Mary treated herself to chicken risotto, then cheesecake. (I sound like Lance on Mondays at the Cherry Tree.)  We next looked at photos of Mary’s grandchildren, aged 2 and 5 (aaah) and of myself singing on a Tyne ferry trip in 2012 (best not to ask!).

 Then Mary mentioned the jazz, so we proceeded outside to listen.  Every seat was occupied and I’d seen all the musicians before in various formations, but sorry, can’t remember many names. Keyboard (Brian Chester); tenor sax, bass guitar and drums. The drummer was singing I Want A Little Girl which included the immortal lines ‘If she cooks chicken, she’d suit me to a tee’.  Very entertaining and the crowd loved it.  Next came a skilled rendering of Autumn Leaves. Various people were invited up from the audience, so John ? sang Lazy River. ( Mary said she loved his voice).  Then he sang Toot Toot Tootsie with the verse – it was good to hear a song which isn’t often done these days.  Then came a slow, slinky blues, The Tynemouth Station Blues, written by John. Up stepped Roy who took over on keyboards and Theresa Armstrong on vocals, who treated us to The More I See You and I’m Confessin’ That I Love You.  By this time I noticed that Brian Chester was playing trombone and John was doing his bit on alto sax.  A very lively, reminiscent rock n’ roll medley followed, great fun, See You Later Alligator etc. The set concluded on a high with Margie, sung by John, complete with trombone and a tin whistle solo. Just the sort of jazz to interest the general public and perhaps persuade people to visit their local jazz outlet.

We couldn’t stay for the 2^nd set which went on until 4pm as the Tynemouth shops were calling out to us, but I’m sure it was good.

Ann Alex.