Jazz Café Jam Session - May 2.

(Review by Lance). 

Another killer! The calibre of players who turn up to jam at the Caff on  the first and third Tuesdays of the month just gets higher and higher. Some are regulars, some occasional visitors and some first timers. Some, even a throwback to the Sunday afternoon sessions of the Crombie Era!

In this latter category was Julija Jacenaite*, a lusty in your face, soulful scatwoman whom I remembered well from those heady afternoons. In the four or five years since I last heard this Lithuanian (or is it Roumanian?) lady the voice has matured and the stage presence with it.

Wave, an incredibly fast All of Me. A Night in Tunisia and Take the A Train left the audience breathless. If Crombie could have heard her now!

Not that Julija was the only nightingale singing in Pink Lane. Belinda Voshtina made a tantalisingly brief appearance to sing A Day in the Life of a Fool backed only by Alan Law and John Pope. We wanted more but she couldn't stay.

Other newcomers included impressive guitarist Ath Alex and fiery trumpet player Joe Davies whilst semi-regulars Johnson, Dixon, Brown and Fairhurst also kept the flag flying.

As ever, Berklee bound MacKellar knocked everyone out in fact, after his solo on Airegin I couldn't help but think that Berklee should be coming to him!

Needless to say the house trio of Law, Pope and White were up for it. Not surprisingly, given Alan's predilection for things Hispanic, including an extended Cuban opus in their opening set.

Cigars all round.

Can't wait for the next one.

Photos.

Lance.
Alan Law (piano); John Pope (bass); Sid White (drums) + Joel Brown (piano); Matthew MacKellar (drums); Ray Johnson (trumpet/flugel); Ath Alex (guitar); Matthew Fairhurst (drums); Belinda Voshtina (vocal); Julija Jacenaite (vocal); Tom Dixon (tenor); Joe Davies (trumpet).

* Keep an eye out for Julija's Brave Wee Ant at a venue near you - soon.