Nick Pride and the Pimptones @ Hoochie Coochie - May 15.

Nick Pride (gtr); Keith Nicholson (tpt/flug/triangle); Al Saxon (alt/fl); James Brown (bs gtr); Oz Cassidy (dms); Beth Macari (vcl).

(Review by Lance).

And I thought Hoochie was loud on Thursday - brother you ain't heard nuthin' yet! In truth, I doubt if I'll ever hear anything again!

I jest, yes it was loud, but not, after a couple of London Prides, unbearable. In fact it was brilliant - London Pride works well in these situations. I'm told Pinot Grigot also does the business!

A mix of soul, funk, ska, reggae, rock, blues and jazz - yes jazz! I read, somewhere  or other, that the Pimptones' jazz content was minimal but - take it from me - when these guys blow they are blowing jazz irrespective of the surface genre.

That they put a whole lot of showmanship into the act doesn't detract at all from the fact that they are doing what musicians have been doing for time immemorial - entertaining their public. When music ceases to be entertaining - as well as meaningful (is there a difference?) - then maybe I'll just die of boredom.

No chance of that tonight. Hoochie was crowded, the band were groovin', New singer Beth looked good in the tightest fitting LBD I've seen in many a long year spent looking at tight fitting LBDs. Complemented by hair whose colour was as fiery as her strident voice, Beth strutted her stuff with attitude. You've heard of Howlin' Wolf? Well this was Howlin' She-Wolf - bring it on!

Not that this was a one person show - this was a jamboree where everyone pimped. Leader Pride, no relation to the aforementioned London Pride, played a whole lotta guitar with some occasional country creeping into his jazz/rock licks. The two horns, Saxon on flute and alto, Nicholson on trumpet and flugel, blew for England although the latter sounded more like his roots were in New Orleans rather than Hebburn whilst the former was surely conceived on 52nd Street.

Cassidy on kit provided the drive - Formula One drumming - and dep bass James Brown (how appropriately named) didn't get many solos but, when he did, he was right on the money.

From the opening Come and Get It to the "final" Nothin' But the Good Times we came and got it and had nothin' but good times!

In between, the horns did the Soul Food Strut, blowing a path through the crowded floor, Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy had Beth in top gear and one number, I forget which, had Nicholson standing on a bar stool blowing for gold. Man, that guy doesn't need a stool to hit top C!

There was so much more happening but already my typing finger is getting tired.

So, catch them on a gig (which could be anywhere in Europe) or check out their CDs.

Lance.

PS:Nice to meet up again with Helen who isn't called Val!