(Review by Russell).
The City of Sunderland Youth Jazz Orchestra (Cozyjo, with
a ‘z’) made a return visit to Washington Arts Centre on a cold winter’s night
and couldn’t be happier upon seeing a capacity audience in the auditorium.
Family, friends, supporters, they were out in force.
A one set performance of forty
five minutes rattled along with more than one Christmas tune given a swing
treatment. Chattanooga Choo Choo, C Jam
Blues, Hark the Herald Trumpets Swing, Tuxedo Junction, the band did a
grand job. Four altos, a tenor/clarinet player, a tenor/baritone player, four
trumpets, a lone trombone, two guitars, piano, bass and drums, all acquitted
themselves well. Beth on tenor was responsible for the dreadful Christmas
jumpers on display (it was her suggestion!); Santas, sleighs, trees, holly and,
shamelessly, out front, ‘Sir’ (aka Mr John ‘Redemption Jazz’ Hall) sporting a
reindeer strewn number!
Slade and Wizard were heard
(every day, in every shop they are heard, think of the mega royalties!), as
were American Patrol, String of Pearls
and the top tune of the night – Sing,
Sing, Sing (excellent ensemble work, Beth on clarinet doing BG proud). White Christmas (with audience
sing-along) closed the show. It would be great to see Cozyjo at next year’s
Great North Big Band Jazz Festival (
The jazz done, the kids weren’t
done yet. A quick change around and Under
the Radar, a five piece rock band hit the stage. The Arctic Monkeys, the
Fab Four, the Kings of Leon, Oasis, tight bass and drums, riffing guitars and a
diminutive vocalist. They were good. A hard act to follow but Supersonic weren’t deterred. The White
Stripes, Feeder, more from the Monkeys and Oasis, another cracking five piece
with a slightly less diminutive singer. The finale featured a band, as yet,
without a name. Whoever, they were Sunderland Soul Bros and Sisters, all eleven
of them. Five singers, two altos, tenor, guitar, bass and drums belting out
soul classics; Knock on Wood,
Superstition, super tunes, the highlight being a soulful Valerie. Cozyjo intend doing it all
again in the summer of 2015. Stay tuned – the first news of it will be right
here at Bebop Spoken Here.
Russell.
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