Bradley Johnston @ The Fire Station, Sunderland - Feb 25

Bradley Johnston (guitar)

(Review by Russell)

Arriving in good time for Bradley Johnston’s early evening jazz guitar residency it was immediately apparent that the Fire Station was busy, more so than on previous visits to Sunderland’s latest and most welcome café bar eaterie. With tables occupied, high bar stools claimed and the few coveted, oh-so-comfortable Engine Room sofas accommodating Wearside’s early birds, it was good fortune that your correspondent and his companion for the evening bagged two fireside chairs adjacent to Brad’s performance space.

Wave, Night and Day, Stella by Starlight, just three early highlights of Brad’s seamless opening set. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, Stormy Weather, Billie’s Bounce (thanks to Brad for being the BSH fact-checker…of course it was Billie’s Bounce!). A heartening development to report…the first applause came not from your BSH correspondent and his companion, rather a party of four at a nearby table showing its appreciation of Brad’s consummate guitar playing. Furthermore, later in the evening, a listener, sitting at a table on the far side of the room, took time to approach Brad and engage our guitarist in conversation, a conversation ending in a firm handshake. A new residency can take time to build an audience and these two instances suggest things are moving in the right direction.

Brad’s acoustic guitar section included Ferry Across the Mersey. A nice enough tune, but on a jazz gig? During one of two intervals, Brad explained that guitar hero Pat Metheny recorded the number. That explains it! Returning to the GASbook; A Foggy Day, How High the Moon?, All the Things You Are, one could listen to this all night but it’s a nine o’clock finish for Brad, time though for Lush Life, Body and Soul, a fleeting reference to Misty then Skylark and Oleo. Job done, Brad came over for a chat, the Fire Station doing good business, a best guess is that the venue’s management is likely to continue with the residency. To help ensure it does, do get along, Sundays at six.          

Russell