CD Review: Colin Aitchison & The China Coast Jazzmen - The Party Never Ends

Colin Aitchison (tmb/vcl); Peping Ciriaco (tpt/flg); Franco Valussi (clt/ten/sop); Aquilino Espirutu (bjo/gtr/pno/sousa); Joselito Garcia (bs); Robert Flores (dms) + Bert Amparado (tpt); Red Pellini (ten); Tom Cord (dms); Neville Sarony pno/vcl).

(Review by Lance).

Go easy on us, said Colin - our Man in Hong Kong and Numero Uno supporter of BSH East of Suez - bit like asking your son to write his own school report!

Those of us who have known Colin over the years and admired his progress since becoming a pro trumpet/trombone player - not least on his annual visits back to the north east - will know what to expect here.

It's Xmas Party time at Ned Kelly's and the disc conveys the atmosphere as good as any video could.

It's Goodtime Jazz! Think of Turk Murphy at Earthquake  McGoon's in Frisco, Peewee Hunt playing Twelfth St. Rag, Ball, Bilk, Spike Jones and, wait for it, Goodman, Bechet, Armstrong and Sinatra!

What a mix! Red Pellini's gutsy tenor brings to mind Hawkins, Ike Quebec - anybody but Lester! Valussi shows the same flare that he did on Tyneside last week and Colin blows like Satchmo although he perhaps overdoes the Louis vocal cloning. Still the audience at Ned's loved it and, if like me, you ain't been there this is as close as you'll get to Jazz Party HQ! 

What an audience! Joining in the sing-a-longs in a way I haven't heard since the Sunday morning Newcastle Big Band Sessions at the University Playhouse (Colin was in that band too where Hey Jude was given a drunken choral accompaniment!) gives one the Blues to be There.

Ask Roy Willis, or Bob Wilber, Dan Barrett and many more who've passed through.

Then, just when you think you've heard it all - up jumps Neville Sarony with an encapsulated history of Ned Kelly's in words and music, relating the story from Larry Allen to the China Coast Jazzmen.

You know what? I might just go out and book my flight for this Xmas (dream on Lance).

Lance.