And the band played on… Jazz Café Jam Session – October 17

(Review by Russell)

The Jazz Café’s jam session is rapidly approaching legendary status. The Pink Lane venue across the road from Newcastle Central Station is the place to be at eight o’clock (earlier if you want to sit down as seats are at a premium) every first and third Tuesday in the month. The house band is an A-list affair and the many sitters-in invariably bring their A-game to the party.

This October 17 renewal attracted a dizzying list of participants. The house trio – James Harrison foregoing the Caff’s upright piano in favour of his own keyboard, Paul Grainger on double bass and drummer Russ Morgan – set off on the right track with Yardbird Suite. Harrison likes to keep things moving (ideal at a jam session) and Mambo Inn did just that featuring a Russ Morgan solo followed by Harrison’s accomplished intro to everyone’s favourite tune – Secret Love.

No time to waste, bring on Mr Nick Gould! The Edinburgh-based tenor saxophonist was making an all too infrequent visit to the Caff’s jam session. Full bodied, proper tenor playing , Out of Nowhere, You Don’t Know What Love Is with sensitive piano accompaniment, then, the tune with a million or so notes – One Note Samba – with Russ Morgan’s imperious hand-drumming. Let’s cancel the jam session, play it as a quartet gig. Sorry, it was just a thought! How could anyone entertain the idea? Stupid boy! Waiting in the wings, Mr Michael Lamb, trumpet, and Mr Alex Saxon, alto sax and flute. Fresh from Sunday’s triumphant Strictly Smokin’ Big Band concert with special guest Joe Stilgoe at Hoochie Coochie, Lamb opened with Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise. Joel Brown turned up, sat in, played Moondance…doesn’t the lad have any homework to do? Saxon’s flute was made for Van’s perennial. Strictly Smokin’ tenor saxophonist Jamie Toms turned up and sat in on Beautiful Love, a treat to hear him play such assured tenor. Lamb emerged from the bop school wood shed to play a tremendous solo, Russ Morgan grabbed another himself and the man at the back Mr Paul Grainger kept J Brown on the right track.

Excuse me! How much is admission? Admission? It’s free. You’re joking, this is amazing stuff! Get the beers in!

The magic roundabout stopped. JP, John Pope, jumped off, so too guitarist Matthew Downey. The pair sat in on Well, You Needn’t. They stayed on for a couple more including Dr Billy Taylor’s How I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free, Pope soloing and Downey adding a succinct solo of his own. All change! Where do they all come from? A new line up, including a Sage contingent, played Sunny with guitarist Jamie Mackay in a groove, Inês Gonçalves sang The Girl from Ipanema and a stupendous tenor solo from Tom Dixon on Bill Evans’ Interplay threatened to steal the show.

Who played what when became all the more difficult to document as the conveyor belt delivered a few more top notch names. Dan Garel – Hooray! Paul Gowland – Hooray! DG on alto, PG on alto, and Nick Gould, tenor, returned. Modal to bop they had a blast. Solos flashed across the room like tracer bullets, none flinched. The house lights went up. More! More! James Harrison set off again, Paul Grainger cookin’, Russ Morgan killing. Way past eleven, the (naughty) boys called it a day.

The Jazz Café’s jam session (every time, take your pick) is a serious contender for gig of the year.

Russell.

James Harrison (piano), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Nick Gould (tenor saxophone), Michael Lamb (trumpet), Alex Saxon (alto saxophone & flute), Joel Brown (piano), Jamie Toms (tenor saxophone), John Pope (double bass), Matthew Downey (guitar), Murray Wankling (piano), Jamie Mackay (guitar), ? (vocals), Inês Gonçalves (vocals), Tom Dixon (tenor saxophone), Dan Garel (alto saxophone) & Paul Gowland (alto saxophone)