Gerry Richardson's Big Idea @ Black Swan Arts Centre - A Dutch Treat!

(Review by Lance/Photos courtesy of Mike Tilley).

What's left to say about the Big Idea? We know the repertoire, we've heard it all before and yet...

...sometimes it's as if we're hearing it for the very first time! Years ago, the Ellington and Basie Bands created the same feeling and we never left those concerts disappointed and nor were we disappointed tonight.

Gerry, of course, is the key man, no pun intended, his arrangements, compositions and his smash and grab technique on the Hammond puts him right up there in the organ hierarchy. Perhaps he should change his name to Brother Gerry McRichardson!

He told me that the Big Idea's very first gig was at this same venue back in the late nineties and that several of the original musicians were in the band tonight - not David Gray though - he probably wasn't born then!

The solos were well spread out with Rod Sinclair to the fore adding his downtown Memphis cum Chicago licks as and when. The trumpets were shooting high - on a samba number I was reminded of Arturo Sandoval when Hignett hit lift off. Mark Webb too also soared. Gray didn't soar - he growled ferociously. This was Kid Ory meeting Roswell Rudd in a back alley!

Linsley floated on alto, Toms, playing hooky from a SSBB rehearsal to dep for Stuart Johnson, delivered the goods whilst Sue was simply brilliant on bari and fab on flute. She plays pretty good for a person!

On drums was Adam Sinclair - 'nuff said - they don't come any better. His solo on African Sunset a masterpiece of control, build-up and timing - what timing!

In case you are wondering about the Dutch Treat in the heading, a party from Holland were attending a conference nearby and were persuaded to go to the gig.

They seemed to enjoy it.

Maybe next stop  for Gerry and 'The Ideas' is the North Sea Jazz Festival - or indeed any festival - they'd blow it apart!
Photos.

Lance.
Gerry Richardson (Hammond/vcls); Rod Sinclair (gtr); Dave Hignett, Mark Webb (tpt/flug); David Gray (tmb); Garry Linsley (alt); Jamie Toms (ten); Sue Ferris (fl/ten/bar); Adam Sinclair (dms).