Jam session @ The Jazz Café - Feb 6

(Review by Russell)

Lots of new faces at the Jazz Café’s bi-monthly jam session and one or two first time sitters-in. The Pink Lane venue was as busy as ever as pianist James Harrison got things underway with A Train ably abetted by mainstay bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Russ Morgan. Harrison likes to enjoy himself as he plays and his infectious enthusiasm energised musicians and listeners alike ensuring the evening flew by. I’ll Remember April then the floor was open to all-comers.

Drummer Hazem ‘Mo’ Mohammad couldn’t wait to get started and he was joined by George Sykes on tenor to play Blue Monk, a swift Beautiful Love, and a quote-laden There Will Never be Another You. Flautist Josie Bennington – ‘That’s Josie from Haltwhistle’ said JB – joined the party on I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free and it wasn’t long before Alan Law stepped up, thus allowing house pianist Harrison to take a breather. 

Blue Bossa was right up Law’s street as Joe Shaw gave fellow drummer Mo a break. The jam session’s rotating cast of sitters-in included Paul Gowland on tenor for a change and as space was at a premium he took a seat in the stalls to play sitting down – standing or sedentary, it made no difference, the end result was the same, ie some terrific tenor playing from PG.

Guitarist Keith Barrett impressed on How High the Moon? as John Pope put in an appearance. Ah,  a chance for Paul Grainger to be freed from bass duties and he made a bee-line for the bar! Black Orpheus featured Pope, and, before long, newcomer Nifemi Osiyemi sang Ain’t Misbehavin’ and a rousing Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby? reminiscent of Julija Jacenaite. Speaking of JJ… in she walked. Well, what would she have for us this evening? All of Me and Julija gave it everything. The new faces in the audience loved it as Julija rang the very last drop from her now-familiar theatrical performance.

With the house rhythm section restored, Paul Gowland booted, Buddy Tate-style, Tangerine from pillar to post. Who’d want to would follow that? The Bold Big Band’s Jimmy Jefford wasn’t deterred as he joined an insane take on Caravan – all ten minutes of it as the clock approached eleven. So, another Jazz Café jam session, another full house, next one Tuesday 20 February, eight o’clock.

(Russell)

James Harrison (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Hazem ‘Mo’ Mohammad (drums); George Sykes (tenor saxophone); Josie Bennington (flute); Paul Gowland (tenor saxophone); Alan Law (piano); Joe Shaw (drums); Keith Barrett (guitar); Nifemi Osiyemi (vocals); Julija Jacenaite (vocals); John Pope (double bass); Jimmy Jefford (tenor saxophone)