Budtet @ Prohibition Bar, Gateshead - December 11

Jude Murphy (vocals, alto sax, flute); Fiona Finden (vocals, soprano sax); Stu Finden (tenor sax); Lin Lee (piano); Jim Crinson (double bass); Eric Stutt (drums) Dave Weisser (cornet).

(Review by Lance).

My first visit to the Prohibition Bar - a converted railway arch within staggering distance of Sage Gateshead - saw the Jazz Messengers inspired Budtet preaching to the converted - work to be done there. Fortunately, those pilgrims who did take the road to Damascus or, to be more precise, Brandling St. certainly got The Message in the opening number. A fast bebop groove with solos all round and scintillating fours 'twixt tenor and drums. 

A relatively unchanged programme from their last gig - why change a winning team? - didn't in any way lessen the enjoyment. Being Christmas, the obligatory seasonal song was included which, tonight, was Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I doubt if you'll hear a better version than Jude Murphy's - in fact, you probably have to be called Jude or Judy to do the song justice. Jude did it justice. Apart from singing the words and the tune, her facial expressions add a third dimension to the delivery. Throw in some alto and flute (Corcovado) and you have the complete package.

Not that Jude was the only singer-saxophonist aboard. Fiona Finden of the curved soprano sang I Fall in Love Too Easily, Corcovado, All Blues, the challenging Ellington piece, Sound of Love and an original lyric based on Wes Montgomery's Four on Six.

Instrumentals included Moanin' and This I Dig of You. Jude also sang Teaneck, Walk Between the Raindrops and Days of Wine and Roses. I closed my eyes and I was hearing Anita O'Day.

Apart from Fiona and Jude, the Pretty Section, as Ellington used to say when he wasn't loving you madly, also included Lin Lee who once again stunned any chauvinists present with her piano playing. A star in the making.

The male half of the sextet, needless to say, weren't to be outdone with some fine Finden tenor, dynamic drumming from Eric and Jim Crinson ticking all the right boxes on double bass.

Then, just when we thought it was safe to leave, up jumps Dave Weisser armed with cornet and microphone.

Yardbird Suite and Take the A Train, the former had the horns performing as a vocal group and the latter a reminder that there were trains above us although I didn't notice them - this A Train was good enough for me.

Next Sunday, Dave and Jude are back at the Prohibition Bar with Big Muddy.

Photos.

Lance.

PS: As I awaited the arrival of the number 27 I heard a couple who'd also been at the gig talking. "People should have been queuing down the street to get in!" said the man. "Agreed" replied the woman, as they occasionally do.