
(Review by Russell/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).
Arriving early evening at the Jazz Café the place was
unusually busy. Not the usual lot, more like rugger types. Good for business!
Upstairs, the lads – the Early Birds – set up ready for their hour long
performance. Following a slight delay due to a malfunctioning amp, the set list
included Coltrane, Hancock, Kern and Rollins. A band of teenagers, an expanding
book of engagements, these guys are heading in the right direction.
Good to see tenor man Nick Caughey back on the stand,
impressing on Watermelon Man. Kern’s Yesterdays, a taxing tune for senior
players, challenged the young musicians. The quintet (plus one) persevered,
reading the dots and got there in the end. Blue
Bossa didn’t hold any fears for drummer Matthew Mackellar having played it
more than once at Dave Weisser’s Wednesday night workshop at the Chillingham.
Mackellar knew what he was doing and his bass drum work caught the ear.

Russell.
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