Jam session @ The Jazz Café - July 18

(Review by Russell)

A jam session debut for Stuart Collingwood. Been there, done that, has Stuart, so this jam session held no fears. Ain’t Misbehavin’ (true, he wasn’t), A Foggy Day (anything but), Come Rain or Come Shine, proper piano playing, likewise bass and drums courtesy of Paul Grainger and Russ Morgan.   The evening’s ‘guests’ as Collingwood called them – the sitters-in – were rather thin on the ground, at least initially.

One such sitter-in who clocked-on early was Newton Aycliffe-based drummer Abbie Finn. On hearing the news that Ms Finn was in the house, one of the house rhythm section said: Oh, good! Finn played a few numbers, stood down, to return later. First Russ Morgan then Abbie Finn, a frighteningly high standard had been set. A glance around the room…Where had all this lot come from? Suddenly a thinly populated Jazz Café was now heaving. Why settle for two fabulous drummers when you can have four? The Matts had arrived.

First up M MacKellar. And, long time no see pianist Vince Webb gave Collingwood the chance to get to the bar as the ever-changing stand welcomed John Pope. A few tunes later – including But Not for Me – M MacKellar vacated the drum chair for M Fairhurst. A young man of (very) few words, Matt F is soon to depart for university. A mainstay of Dave Weisser and co at the Globe, he’ll be a big loss. On this session he got on board The A Train and knocked out a classy solo on The Sidewinder which, by this time, featured the one and only David Gray. A trombone player who plays with commitment and verve, Gray is made for a jam session*.

At some point – the timeline somewhat vague with the profusion of talent on show – our four young guns took over…James Metcalf, trumpet, Ben Lawrence, piano, Michael Dunlop, double bass, and Matt Mackellar, drums. Metcalf didn’t shirk, opting to take on Herbie Hancock’s Maiden Voyage. An impressive shot at a fiendishly difficult tune, Metcalf is getting there. Pianist Ben Lawrence, a sixth former, has all the makings, is he going to go to music school? Bassist Michael Dunlop is a year or two ahead of him, at the Guildhall, no less, and drummer Matt MacKellar’s immediate future (USA here he comes!) has been well documented. The median age of jam session participants seems to be getting lower and lower and it’s thanks to the likes of these lads.

JJ Johnson’s In Walked Horace shuffled the pack again. Collingwood returned, so too Abbie Finn, and, waiting in the wings (waiting at the bar, to be precise!), Ms Julija Jaicenaite. JJ wrung Cry Me a River dry, accompanied by Ms Faye MacCalman, tenor saxophone, and another Guildhall under graduate, the explosive trumpeter Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney. Julija (JJ) went for One Note Samba and Collingwood played lots of them. To close an over-running night (the best nights do) we set off on a dizzying Caravan.

* Another top trombone player (Mr BC) was in the house. If he brings his trombone on 1 August…                        

Note the date of the final jam session of the summer – Tuesday 1 August.      

Russell

Stuart Collingwood (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + more or less in order of appearance: Abbie Finn (drums), Matt MacKellar (drums), Vince Webb (piano), Matt Fairhurst (drums), John Pope (double bass), David Gray (trombone), Faye MacCalman (tenor saxophone), Ben Lawrence (piano), Michael Dunlop (double bass), James Metcalf (trumpet), Julija Jaicenaite (vocals) & Jack ‘Banjo’ Courtney (trumpet)