BLT: Ben Lawrence (keys); Alex Shipsey (bass guitar); Dylan Thompson (drums).
(Review by Lance).
The Prohibition Bar was full, seats were at a premium as friends, family and a few passers-by admired the prowess of the next generation of jazz musicians (combined ages of the five players probably 90 or under!) Most, if not all, had paid their dues via the Jambone and Early Bird bands from the nearby Sage Gateshead and, not surprisingly, the lynchpin of Jambone, Paul Edis, was their looking on.
BLT, once known as the Ben Lawrence Trio, opened the scoring with Anthropology; Someday my Prince Will Come and There Will Never be Another You. Lawrence is fluent without being flamboyant, a harmonically sound player. The next three pieces were originals by the pianist the titles of which I didn't catch. Ethereal, abstract explorations that were, nevertheless, not without form.
Shipsey was sound in support and took the occasional impressive solo although a tad more volume wouldn't have gone amiss.
No such problems with young Dylan who cracked the whip in both bands. If Matt MacKellar is the next Buddy Rich then Dylan Thompson is the next Matt MacKellar!
In Other Words, the name comes from the original title of Fly me to the Moon, saw Dylan joined by brother Alex on Alto and Clarinet alongside Nathan Lawson on a rather splendid left-handed Gretsch semi-acoustic.
An impressive set list: Seven Steps to Heaven; Skating in Central Park; Misty; Oleo; Jelly Roll; Bare Necessities/I Wanna be Like You; Slow Boat to China; Lady Bird; Alice in Wonderland; Fly me to the Moon (natch!); a Phil Meadows composition; Nica's Dream; Black & Tan Fantasy; My Favourite Things; Goodbye Porkpie Hat and Meet the Flintstones.
Alex Thompson blew short but well-constructed solos and Lawson chorded tastefully, put in some bass lines and, on the rare occasions when he soloed he left us wanting to hear more.
Shipsey returned to augment the trio on Caravan which saw Dylan Thompson working out very effectively. It could be said he brought the house down!
Finally, the trio that became a quartet finished up as a quintet when Ben Lawrence joined them for Spain - Olay!
Lance.
I wish I had been able to be there. Definitely next time!
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