Jam session @ The Jazz Café - November 21

(Review by Russell)

This was a good one, then some! A fortnight earlier the session didn’t quite take off, not so tonight. That’s the nature of the beast, jam sessions aren’t supposed to be this good. The house band, led by master musician, guitarist Mark Williams, shouldn’t be this good, but it was, and is. Newcastle’s jazz community should count itself fortunate to have these guys around – that’s Williams, mainstay bassist Paul Grainger, and the impossibly brilliant Russ Morgan, drums. Who would throw their hat into the ring tonight?

The trio opened in typically downbeat fashion. If the man wasn’t prompted, Irishman Williams more than likely wouldn’t say a word. A man of few words but a guitarist of many notes, every chord, and a few more that others can only contemplate, and it’s all done by sleight-of-hand, he ain’t in a hurry yet he leaves others trailing in his wake. An acquaintance said: Let’s listen to the trio all night, don’t bother with sitters-in. A good idea, a tempting prospect, but, those sitters-in were at the bar, ready and waiting. Three tunes from the trio – a standard, a blues (Ornette Coleman’s Turnaround) and a number Bill Frisell recorded with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones titled Strange Meeting. And if Dave Holland walked in to the Jazz Café looking to sit-in he would have to wait his turn.

It’s been a while since Stuart Findon dropped by. Stu plays inventive, sometimes bootin’, tenor, just what Dr Jazz ordered for any self-respecting jam session. 1960s Ronnie Scott’s booked most if not all the saxophone greats – Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims. It’s a fair bet that Stu, had he been around at the time, would have been first in the queue on Frith Street. Out of Nowhere played with sensitivity and invention, first solo Stu, then Mark. That’ll do.         

Ray Johnson turned up with his flugelhorn and newcomer Simon Probyn, relocating to the region a matter of two or three weeks ago, arrived with tenor saxophone in hand. RJ played with his familiar warm tone and Probyn, standing alongside, revealed a similar old-school style approach. A vocalist was in the house…Simon Probyn! Don’t Get Around Much Anymore sang our newcomer. A singer, demonstrably male, Ann Alex (see Sinne Eeg post, November 6) will be pleased!

’Round about this time the next generation made its presence felt. Hazem Mohammad sat patiently waiting for the nod, he got it, with Russ Morgan making his way to the bar. The Durham boys were in town, oh yes! Alto saxophonist Dan Garel, in his final year at Durham University, brought along a first-year mathematics student, tenor player David Goldberg. An old hand, pianist Martin Waugh, put aside a bottle of Grainger Ale to join the party. Having made a 240 miles round trip from Edinburgh, Waugh couldn’t have picked a better time to acquaint himself with the Pink Lane upright with Garel in absolutely blistering form. Fresher Goldberg made an opening statement, brief, to the point, then Garel. Wow! Hang on to yer hats! DG would return for the finale.

Veteran drummer Ian Forbes got in on the action, hanging around long enough to share the stand with Garel. The modernist that Forbes is, he couldn’t be other than impressed with what was going down. Almost time to go – Now’s the Time – with the house rhythm section back in action together with Dan Garel blowing the roof off the place. The cheering and whistles from all quarters had to be heard to be believed. This alone was worth the price of admission. Admission? Can you believe it – all of this was for free? Garel a sensation, Williams brilliant, Grainger never better, and Morgan just superb. If you are yet to get along to the Jazz Café’s jam session you really don’t know what you’re missing. Next one Tuesday December 5, eight o’clock start.

Russell           

Mark Williams (guitar), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Stuart Findon (tenor saxophone), Ray Johnson (flugelhorn), Simon Probyn (tenor saxophone & vocals), Dan Garel (alto saxophone), David Goldberg (tenor saxophone), Hazem Mohammad (drums), Martin Waugh (piano), Ian Forbes (drums)