Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Crescent Club Cullercoats - August 3

(Review by Russell/photo of Teresa from BSH archives)

Wednesday at the Crescent Club, your regular date with the Vieux Carré Jazzmen. An indisposed Paul Gowland called for a suitable dep and old hand Derek Fleck answered the call to share frontline duties with the redoubtable Lawrence McBriarty. The rhythm section rarely changes (no changes on this gig) so we heard bandleader Brian Bennett, Bill Colledge and Fred Thompson. Good weather at Cullercoats, good time jazz in the Crescent Club, your regular midweek date with the VCJ.

First things first; Brian Bennett began the session by praising Paul Gowland’s culinary skills…a home-made chicken curry Mr G’s signature dish, apparently. My Gal Sal got things underway musically speaking, Mandy, Make Up Your Mind followed and a Big Butter and Egg Man heard Fred Thompson singing. MC Bennett invited Miles Watson onto the stand to have a blow and sing a couple of numbers. Watson suggested he was Undecided. The Cullercoats Songstress Teresa Armstrong made up her mind, choosing Pennies from Heaven as her opening number. A false start and a sore throat could have put-off lesser performers, not Armstrong! She’ll be back next week fighting fit.

One-liners make a gig. As Armstrong vacated the stage, the Cullercoats Songstress was heard joking: This band makes me nervous! The interval raffle prizes went elsewhere. A Fats Waller number to restart, then drummer Thompson sang Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave to Me. Not to be outdone, trumpeter Watson hit the heights on Carolina Moon with a cameo of a solo from bar stool bassist Bill Colledge. Friends in jazz Messrs Thompson and Watson were in perfect vocal harmony on Bourbon Street Parade. Derek Fleck has a ‘been-there-done-that’ look about him and this gig with the Vieux Carré Jazzmen held no fears. An accomplished player, be it clarinet or alto sax, Fleck breezed through it all. To end another Wednesday at the Crescent Club the band played Honeysuckle Rose (Watson vocals), Hindustan (the dulcet Thompson) and, all together now, Bye Bye Blackbird.            
Russell.
Derek Fleck (clarinet & alto saxophone), Lawrence McBriarty (trombone), Brian Bennett (banjo), Bill Colledge (bass) & Fred Thompson (drums & vocals) + Miles Watson (trumpet & vocals) + Teresa Armstrong (vocals)