Take it to the Bridge @ The Chillingham. April 1

Dave Weisser (trumpet & vocals), Ray Johnson (trumpet & flugelhorn), Roy Stephenson (guitar), Tom Lapworth (guitar), Fardin Esfandiari (guitar), Steve Whitfield (keyboards & vocals), Barrie Ascroft (bass) & Norman Redhead (drums) + second set Don Forbes (trumpet)

(Review by Russell)

The Chilli was never better named. A freezing cold night with the upstairs room heating system broken. The heating engineer wouldn’t come out until the next day – perhaps the cold weather was a deterrent! To make matters worse an air vent steadfastly remained in an open position. Curtains drawn, winter coats on, Dave Weisser and co started on time.

Two full sets. Stolen Moments (Steve Whitfield solo), Line for Lyons (Whitfield scatting, a Barrie Ascroft bass solo with excellent comping from guitarist Tom Lapworth). Fardin Esfandiari (guitar) said he’d been in the woodshed. He played Ladybird. He did just fine as Ray Johnson weighed in with a good trumpet solo and drummer Norman Redhead did the necessary with brushes in hand. Esfandiari stayed on to play Cantaloupe Island, lead by Ray Johnson’s assured trumpet.

Blues March heard Whitfield in Jimmy McGriff mode, Don Forbes (trumpet) contributed and Lapworth laid down a great solo. The weekly Chilli comedy interlude is worth the £1 admission. Veteran piano man Barrie Ascroft spent the afternoon writing out a guitar part for Green Bossa (as you do). Lapworth decided to count it in: A one, two, a one.. Ascroft: How do you know the tempo? Johnson: No authority! They played it. Lapworth shone as he read the part looking over bassist Ascroft’s shoulder (Ascroft’s afternoon labours were for nought as the guitar part couldn’t be found!). A further comic escapade heard Ascroft the Irascible declare: It [the tune] wasn’t fine at all. It was crap!

Esfandiari returned to play The Preacher. Johnson lead, the ‘After You Claude’ guitarists FE and Roy Stephenson were reluctant to follow, so it was down to Don Forbes (trumpet) to grab a solo and maintain momentum. Workshop leader Dave Weisser kept an eye on things, dipping in and out throughout the evening. A bold Love for Sale settled down with a Johnson flugelhorn solo abetted by Redhead’s ‘just so’ brushes. Time was getting on – a Weisser vocal on On Green Dolphin Street wrapped things up and it was time to head out onto the freezing street called Chillingham Road. Another good night at the (freezing) Chilli.       

Russell.