Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Globe Jazz Bar, Newcastle - June 28

Peter Wright (tpt); Lawrence McBriarty (tmb); Paul Gowland (ten); Brian Bennett (bjo/vcl); Dave Percy (bs gtr); Fred Thompson (dms/vcl).

(Review by Lance).

A bass guitar with the Vieux Carré Jazzmen?! Shock horror! - Peter Duker (AKA Deuchar), Gassy and Ronnie Robinson must be turning in their graves! However, in the 60 years that have elapsed since the VCJ first introduced New Orleans to Newcastle attitudes have changed. Washboards are out, drums are in. Likewise, the idea of the VCJ with tenor sax as opposed to a clarinet in the front-line would also have been unthinkable to the band's purist founders.

Tempus fugit and the current line-up is probably as good as any of its previous incarnations, not least because of Gowland's tenor.

Modernist Paul easily adapts to the idiom giving the band a more mainstream sound. Wright and McBriarty add their own distinctive voices atop of the pulsating banjo driven rhythm and the end result is about as good as it gets this side of 1940s Condon.

Leader Bennett banjoed, compered and sung although most of the vocal chores were handled by drummer Thompson.

Numbers included Cielito Lindo (AKA You, Me and Us); James P. Johnson's If I Could be With You; Am I Blue; Hiawatha; Milenberg Joys; Honeysuckle Rose; Bye Bye Blues and a host more. 

An entertaining evening that was made even sweeter by winning a bottle of Chardonnay in the raffle. 

Although some expected faces were missing from the audience it was encouraging to see some new faces.

And if you've yet to visit the home of the Jazz Coop, don't take the A train, choose the number 22 bus (18/38/58 minutes past) from Central Station.

Lance.
Photos.