Jazz Café Jam Session - May 17

Pete Gilligan (pno); Katy Trigger (bs gtr); Russ Morgan (dms) + Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis (ten); Charles Harrison (gtr).

(Review by Lance).

Sometimes, less can be more and such was the case tonight. For once the jammers weren't standing ten deep at the bar, jostling for position. Sticks twirled, reeds moistened, mouthpieces warmed the owners awaiting the signal from maestro Gilligan telling them that they were on next.

Instead, the trio played a longer first set with Katy Trigger on bass guitar standing in for Paul Grainger. The girl did good, her sound rich and undistorted; her solos meaningful.
Gilligan, on steam piano tonight, needless to say, was on form with a particularly outstanding solo on Chucho Valdes' Mambo Influenciado. Truth is, all three hit paydirt on this one with Russ Morgan in his element. Other delights included Sam Rivers' Beatrice, Autumn in New York and Alice in Wonderland. This latter tune an object lesson in how to swing in 3/4.

'Blue Hat' augmented the trio after the intermission blowing some gutsy tenor on Georgia, Cheesecake and the well-known Billy Taylor classic, I Wish I Knew etc.
Blue Hat rested whilst the trio played Polkadots and Moonbeams and There Will Never be Another You (or No More Sheep quipped Gilligan.)
The evening's second stander-up, young guitarist, Charles Harrison played Caravan followed by a tasteful version of A Nightingale Sang in W1J 5BE. I'd like to have heard more but it was now time for the number 27 caravan to take me to NE31.
Photos.
Lance.