Dave
Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Ray Johnson (trumpet & flugelhorn), Don
Forbes (trumpet), Helen Walker (trumpet), Rachel Richman (alto saxophone),
Bridget Enever (soprano saxophone), Barry Ascroft (keyboards), Mike Clarke
(electric bass), Norman Redhead (drums), Matthew MacKellar (drums) & Ian
Forbes (drums)
(Review by Russell).
Another Wednesday night at the
Chilli. Not quite. Much to the surprise and delight of workshop leader Dave
Weisser a mini orchestra assembled before his very eyes. The regular
participants were in attendance, one or two old hands showed up and two new
sitters-in walked in.
And What if I Don’t? (Herbie Hancock). Solos all. In walked Matthew
MacKellar, the ever-obliging Norman Redhead stepped aside. Round Midnight (potentially a tired old warhorse) sparkled;
multi-coloured horns, MacKellar’s brushes, Ray Johnson’s flugel and Weisser’s
classy vocals. Dinji heard Weisser
singing once again and the first of the newcomers, Bridget Enever (soprano saxophone),
announced her arrival in no uncertain terms. Don Forbes sat in and out, much of
the time content to listen to his fellow brass players.
Boplicity (a nice number for brass and reeds) featured Johnson,
Enever and a first solo of the night from bassist Mike Clarke. Miles’ Four (a Take it to the Bridge staple)
heard not one, not two, not three, but four trumpets – Ray Johnson leading off,
then the lyricism of Don Forbes, then the sight-reading Helen Walker and, of
course Dave Weisser – and an off-the-cuff Weisser vocal fours with the
sharp-eared MacKellar (rat-a-tat-tat rimshots for good measure!).
Trumpets (Forbes and Johnson, the
muted Weisser), Rachel Richman’s alto, a piano trio work-out and MacKellar
dispatching fours to the boundary dealt with Nardis. MacKellar gave way to Forbes I. Mr Ian Forbes got his mojo
(hi hat) workin’ on Nostagia in Times
Square and Nica’s Dream. Time was
getting on. Weisser to Clarke: ‘Is that your pint?’ Clarke to Weisser: ‘No.’
Weisser: ‘Good! It must be mine.’ Israel
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