Jazz Café Jam Session - November 1

Pete Gilligan (pno); Paul Grainger (bs); Rob Walker (dms) + Matt Mackellar (dms); Dom Lodge (alt); Paul Ruddick (alt); Thomas Dixon (alt); Don Forbes (tpt); John Pope (bs); Inês Gonçalves (vcl); Flossie Taylor (vcl); and others who's names I didn't catch - apologies.

(Review by Lance).

An expanding student presence - has Mike Tilley been handing out leaflets at the Haymarket? - coupled with a hardcore of regulars made for a good atmosphere as the Gilligan Trio, this week with Rob Walker on drums, gangbanged Sam Rivers' Beatrice. The music students probably learned more from this one number than they did in a whole term. Not least, the art of communication without words or eye contact!

A couple of more numbers and the benchmark is set.

Time to stand up and be counted!

A 12-bar followed by Blue Bossa by a guitarist whose name I didn't get but whom I'm sure will be back.

Flossie Taylor sang Sunny, another girl took over for Dream a Little Dream of me accompanied by a guitarist on a cutaway nylon stringed acoustic and a drummer. Again names escaped me and later, they'd escaped before I could ask them.

Singer and guitarist did a duo version of Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You.

Gilligan and Grainger went back into the fray - this time with that cool looking dude Mackellar. Shirt collar buttoned, he took the sartorial honours as the trio hit the ground running on My Romance.

Dom Lodge graduated from Newcastle uni this year and, had he graduated in America, his alto playing would have been rated as Summa Cum Laude. Gilligan gave a rubato-like introduction to Someday my Prince Will Come before Lodge took flight without the safety net of an iPad.  Even without Paul Gowland, who's usually waiting in the wings, I sensed this was going to be an alto evening.

When Caravan came up Paul Ruddick didn't need to be asked twice. As one of the Baghdaddies, this was like inviting him into a jazz harem. He de-bagged his alto and went into overdrive.

Ruddick scores first, but then again, so did Barcelona! Enter Man City or, to be more precise, Dom Lodge. Less fiery but cooler and more laid back he brought his own finesse into the proceedings. With Gilligan, Pope and Mackellar aiding and abetting the two horns slugged it out in true jam session tradition. We applauded them both as they shook hands - the jury is still out.

A mellower note from a cantora Inês Gonçalves who made her Jazz Café debut last week and returned to sing Dindi and Isn't She Lovely?

However, all wasn't done on the alto front. Now was the time for Thomas Dixon to play Now's the Time. More great playing. Ruddick returned for All the Things You Are then, just as you thought it was safe to go to the loo in comes Don Forbes.

Tenderly played (relatively) tenderly; Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (trumpet with just bass and drums) and There Will Never be Another You (lots of fire all round and some discreet shaking of her egg maracas by Ann Alex!)

Time to catch the 27 bus...

Lance.

Photos.