December in the Rain - The "Coasters", Dec. 30

(Weather Report by Russell)

The Magnesia Bank’s house beer Maggie Bank (Cullercoats Brewery) looked the pick. Walked in with trumpeter Miles Watson, hopeful of a turnout to exceed the quintet on the stand. Quintet outnumbered (just), September (December!) in the Rain seemed apt. Don’t Get Around Much Any More (some don’t), then This Can’t Be Love. This is the kind of session the casual visitor would enjoy, sitting with a pint, listening to a relaxed group of friends playing a few tunes. Miles sang, Laurie played tenor, Roy, keyboards (and bass pedals), Robin, tasteful guitar, and the man who can walk on water, Peter on drums.*

The quintet – the Jazz Esquires – can be heard every Wednesday on Camden Street at around one o’clock. It’s free admission, there is a raffle and the beers are Cullercoats’ finest. The lure of Cullercoats itself proved too strong, and on departing the boys were reminiscing on I Remember April.

Jazz Esquires: Miles Watson (trumpet & vocals), Laurie Brown (tenor saxophone), Roy Gibson (keyboards), Robin Douthwaite (guitar) & Peter Ninnim (drums).    

* Peter’s Tyne Valley home has been flooded more than once in recent weeks. He said there was every chance that when he returned home after the gig the place would under water again. Now there’s a man who’s got his priorities right – jazz comes first, second and third!

North Shields to Cullercoats. The North Sea Ferry was being blown into port at a rate of knots. At Cullercoats Crescent Club the Cullercoats Brewery beers had been supped at a rate of knots that the pump clips were being turned round. The one decent brew left was Theakston’s Christmas Ale. You just can’t avoid it, can you? Christmas, that is. The pub with a DON’T MENTION THE WAR…SORRY, XMAS policy would do a bah humbug of a roaring trade. Oh, yes, the jazz. The Vieux Carré Jazzmen were just about to get their second set under way. A good crowd in (as usual), the first of two guests joined the band. John Broddle sang Rose of Picardy, then, by popular request, stayed on to sing Out of Nowhere. Jim McBriarty sang Angry, although he looked anything but, and not to be left out, Fred Thompson crooned East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Lawrence and Paul, the regular horn players did their stuff and ex weather man Mr Derek Fleck joined them on clarinet. “None of my doing, this weather, I’ve retired!”

I’ve Got the World on a String, so said McBriarty J. Honeysuckle Rose followed, this the band with four vocalists. Four? Yes, Brian Bennett, by tradition, bade us farewell – Goin’ Home (to New Orleans, to Newcastle or wherever the heart is).

Vieux Carré Jazzmen: Brian Bennett (banjo & vocals), Jim McBriarty (clarinet & vocals), Lawrence McBriarty (trombone), Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone), Bill Colledge (bass) & Fred Thompson (drums) + John Broddle (vocals) & Derek Fleck (clarinet),

Russell.