Jazz Café Jam - February 3.

Peter Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Bradley Johnston (gtr); Paul Wight (dms)  Paul Gowland (alt); Alexis Cairns, Joe Reeve (ten); Mark Williams, Simon Stephenson, Tom Lapworth (gtr); Tom Chapman (bs gtr); Matthew MacKellar, Rob Bates, Ian Forbes (dms).

(Review by Lance).

This was quite a session with a mix of regulars, occasionals and first-timers on the stand all adding their own individuality to the night.

Gilligan sat at the keyboard and complained of the cold - two numbers later he had his coat off and all four were perspiring profusely thanks to a blast on Bird's Blues For Alice!

Prelude to a Kiss in 3/4 was served at room temperature before Wave saw Bradley put skid marks on his Ibanez fretboard.

Gowland, on Conn Underslung, this week, - the first of the comings and goings - took Body and Soul around the block then paint-stripped the ceiling on 500 Miles High helped along by Matthew MacKellar's simpatico drumming..

Alexis Cairns doesn't do paint-stripping instead she wove meaningful pastel shades on All the Things You Are and Someday my Prince Will Come. The prince duly did arrive in the form of first time bass guitarist Tom Chapman. Chapman was sound and his solo on the latter number as melodic as anything I've ever heard from a Fender Precision.

From here on in it all became a blur - literally musical chairs - as guitars came and went, drums were adjusted, amps plugged and unplugged, saxophones queued up, bottles of ale were quenched.

Simon Stephenson and Bradley duetted on Misty, Mark Williams and Bradley gave Stella a going over (By Starlight) another new face - Joe Reeve - tore it up on tenor with St. Thomas (who was still on bass guitar). Rob Bates impressed on drums before handing over to "Not quite my tempo" Ian Forbes.

Meanwhile, yet another guitarist - Tom Lapworth, from Hull, - had been quietly lurking in the undergrowth before seizing the moment to shine which he most certainly did.

There was so much more, not least Pete Gilligan who played almost non-stop and Paul Grainger and Paul Wight who unselfishly stepped aside to give others a chance but who, when they were on stage, didn't fumble the ball.
Photos

Lance.