Jazz Café Jam Session - January 16

(Review by Lance).

Too much! Too much! 

To attempt to give a blow by blow account of last night's Jazz Café Jam Session would be futile. Words could only hint at the ambiance both on and off stage. From the moment the house trio hit the deck with East of the Sun, there was ne'er a dull moment. This was a night when there were no passengers, each and every one contributing the max. Not only that, this was one of those rare jam sessions where no one called for All the Things You are - I didn't feel cheated.

Graham Hardy waxed lyrical on flugelhorn, Paul Gowland blew some paint-stripping alto and Nick Gould put the boot in on tenor. Gould, one of three Edinburgh escapees - Waugh and Midas being the other two - is always a welcome visitor whilst the latter pair, apart from being fine musicians, added a touch of humour to the proceedings.

The Way You Look Tonight had it all. Gowland set the ball rolling with a blistering solo that had 'follow that!' written all over it. Paul Edis did just that with a two-fisted attack on the upright that seemed to incorporate just about every piano style from Bach to barrelhouse - I think the applause may just about have died down by now and it wasn't over! Gould came on like Hank Mobley and the two saxes took it out in contrapuntal fashion.

It will be a long time before I hear sax playing like that again (I thought).

Enter Dan Garel.

Garel, an alto player of relatively tender years, stepped up and threw his cap into the ring. With Matt MacKellar on drums, he too proved his worth in the Saxophone Stakes. Matt had taken over from Russ and now it was time for Pauls Edis and Grainger to be spelled by Bearpark and Pope for some bebop.

Midas played On the Sunny Side of the Street and almost decapitated Gowland with the neck of his guitar. Gould joined him (Midas? Gould? there's a joke in there somewhere!) for St Thomas. Waugh was on piano and later he sang Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You. Dave Weisser and Jude Murphy sang and played cornet and flute respectively and Mohammed took over on drums for a couple of tunes.

Dave sang Nature Boy and Jude hit us with Bye Bye Blackbird.

David Midas perhaps said it all when he played I'm Just a Lucky So and So. I think we all felt like that.

Lance.

Photos

Paul Edis (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Russ Morgan (drums) + Graham Hardy (flugel); Paul Gowland (alto); Nick Gould (tenor); Matt MacKellar (drums); Dan Garel (alto); Tom Bearpark (piano); John Pope (bass); David Midas (guitar); Martin Waugh (piano/vocal); Dave Weisser (cornet/vocal); Jude Murphy (flute/vocal); Hazem Mohammed (drums).

PS: Edis, Grainger and Morgan - what a rhythm section!

PPS: Good to meet up with Chris Finch again.