Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe - January 4

(Review by Steve T)

According to the website, main man Dave Weisser likes to think of this as more of a workshop than a jam session. He sat at the front of a sparse audience like a Mingus character directing operations, chipping in trumpet, muted and singing as the mood took him, his own non-commissioned Dolphy, impressive on alto, flute and vocals, taking a lead on the shop floor.

My Funny Valentine as we arrived and there was also another lady alto player, 'bone, guitar, piano, bass and drums.

Dolphy switched to flute for Little Sunflower and, half way through, Mingus flicked a switch from 68 to 79 and the vocal version featuring Al Jarreau and some sterling piano from Chick Corea, so no pressure. The bass, in tune with the times, turned it up and funked it up with some slapping among the piano solo.

Sugar by Stanley Turrentine took it to the break, the new Knepper getting the strangest sounds from his muted bone at the intro, which I've no doubt Mingus would have loved and I'm sure his surrogate did tonight. The assembled horns, a tad uncomfortable at times, were splendid here, almost knocking you over.

It couldn't be a Mingus style workshop without a Dannie Richmond and there was Whiplash Mackellar sat in the middle like a Trojan Horse. On sneaked FDT and Dan Lawrence on guitar and bass respectively for three pieces during the break: I'll Remember April, On Green Dolphin Street and Blue Bossa. The Matthew Mackellar Trio became the Band with no Name but I think fate has intervened to name them and maybe the former should stick, even if it becomes something like MMT.

Great to see guitar and drums bouncing off each other, spurring each other on to bigger and better things, Dan solid as a rock between them, high in the mix, happy to let the other two take the leads and the bulk of the solos, though contributing a belter of his own near the end of the short set.

I've said before I always end up chatting music at the Globe and tonight I nailed the main man. He briefly named MMT the Best Band You've Never Heard and I wondered out loud whether he knew the Zappa reference - he did. Then we discussed Eddie Henderson and he hadn't realised he was a Cooker and played the Sage in November and this led to our shared love of the Crusaders.

The main band returned for Jobin’s Wave, Dolphy/Jude (I think) with a great natural voice reminding me of Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister, one of my favourite pop groups, with a strong soul, jazz and easy-listening influence.

A Big Up for the guitarist who contended with the precocious teenage punk with the conservatoire scholarship and the dancing young fingers. He was solid with a great sound - his own - and put together some subtle, inventive and well-constructed solos; some stuff Francis has wrestled with.

It may be a while before I get back to the Globe for a jam session/ workshop but hopefully I'll keep my date with Budtet on the twenty first of this month and maybe I'll feel brave enough to pick up a few of the names of the regulars to go with the instruments. 

Steve T.