(Report/Review by Russell and Tony).
Audience numbers in Darlington continue to hold up. At Darlington Jazz Club’s recent gig at the Quakerhouse (Darlington's CAMRA Pub of the Year), there was another full house to welcome a returning local hero. Pianist Rick Laughlin, having recently left London to return to his roots, put together a quartet to play a few standards.
Tony Eales reports Laughlin coaxed a variety of sounds from his keyboard. The gig saw Alan Thompson showing off his shiny new saxophone and Anth Ord (bass) travelled up the A1 from his Yorkshire base to work alongside drummer Ian Halford. The varied pad (Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon, Grover Washington) made for an entertaining early evening set. Darlington Jazz Club’s next concert at the Quakerhouse features pianist Paul Edis on Sunday, March 13. Jonny Dunn (trumpet and flugel) will be one of the several guests. Arrive in good time for the six o’clock start. Recommended.
Russell.