Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. Dec 31

Barry Soulsby (clarinet & vocals), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Lawrence McBriarty (trombone), Brian Bennett (banjo & vocals), Bill Colledge (double bass) & Fred Thompson (drums & vocals) + Teresa Armstrong (vocals), Derek Fleck (clarinet) & Paul Thompson (drums.)

(Review by Russell).

The Crescent Club, for once, wasn’t bursting at the seams. Tea and biscuits the popular order of the day (regulars no doubt saving themselves for a bit of first-footing), a pint of Northumberland Brewery’s Secret Kingdom the choice for some, Wednesday residents the Vieux Carré Jazzmen took to the stand and appeared to be sober…it was early days.

Fred Thompson sang All of Me. Moving on…’Just a minute!’ MC Brian Bennett wasn’t about to let it pass…it was FT’s birthday! A chord from BB and the room sang a mostly in tune Happy Birthday. Barry Soulsby, back on the scene following an enforced absence, sang Down Among the Sheltering Palms and birthday boy Mr Thompson sang another – Making Whoopee (solos from Paul Gowland, tenor and Lawrence McBriarty, trombone). Honeysuckle Rose, Exactly Like You and Thompson singing Black and Blue (more from Gowland and McBriarty), the Vieux Carré certainly know how to keep things moving.

Bourbon St Parade (murmurs of approval from the audience for a classic number) heard Soulsby singing again (and playing his usual fluent clarinet). A bottle of Pinot Grigio sat on our table. Songstress Teresa Armstrong won the raffle and had no hesitation in making it her selection from the prizes on offer! And so it was TA’s turn to sing; I Can’t Stop Loving That Man of Mine with first rate tenor from Gowland. McBriarty returned to the business of playing some serious jazz with a rousing Dark Town Strutters Ball (Soulsby vocals).

Mr Derek Fleck arrived, and with a glass of red in hand, joined the band to play The Love Nest (some made the connection with a hit US television show of yesteryear) highlighting the band’s ensemble work. Fleck stayed on as FT sang Alexander’s Ragtime Band. Mr T vacated the drum stool in favour of Mr T. Fred joined the frontline to sing ‘ S Wonderful as Paul Thompson (son of) showed he had been well schooled by Thompson Senior, the soloists across the horns impressing. The Vieux Carré Jazzmen guarantee a good session. Catch them next at the Red House Farm pub in Whitley Bay on Sunday (Jan 4). Graham Hardy will be on trumpet and Paul Gowland will be alongside. Eight o’clock start.

Talking of Graham Hardy…on returning to Newcastle late afternoon, a Winter Carnival crowd was gathering in big numbers at Monument. The pre-fireworks music began with the Northern Monkey Brass Band. GH’s band blazed a trail with familiar tunes and their ranks were peppered with familiar faces – David G, Brendan M, Alistair L, Nik A. Horns and drums bedecked with flashing lights, bowler hats with light bulbs attached, perfectly normal attire and attachments for such an occasion. The turn-around was quick – The Hardy Boys hadn’t quite left the stage as the Baghdaddies (Pauls S and S, et al) were ready to go. Fireworks at midnight, the Toon, Party City!                                     

Russell.