International Jazz Day @ The Globe Jazz Bar April 30 (continued)

(Review by Ann Alex)

I was that ’presence’, which makes me sound like a ghost, but there was nothing ghostly about the Blue Jazz Sextet and singers. I was chatting (this was a very sociable do) when I became aware of that band playing  Some Day My Prince Will Come with their usual aplomb:-  George Anyfantis (keys); Keith Barrett (guitar); Karen Rann (sop sax); Jeff Smith (ten sax); Dave Parker (electric bass); Michael Howard (drums). Then they were joined by the first of the singers from Indigo Jazz Voices, Jen Errington, who was in fine voice on Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered and one of her favourite songs, East Of The Sun. After the band played Wave, up steps Jenny Lingham with spirited versions of No Moon At All and At Last. Miriam McCormick gave us what many would consider the song of the night: a wonderful gutsy version of Mean, Mean Woman, with fitting comments from guitar and saxes. 
We then heard the news that the pianist was leaving the band as he was moving to Liverpool, so they finished with his choice, The Shadow Of Your Smile, in which he played his last solo.

Budtet were the final band of the night: Stu Finden (ten sax); Fiona Finden (sop sax); Jude Murphy (alto sax); Dave Weisser (cornet); Lin Lee Wong (keys); Rue Porritt (bass);  Eric Stutt (drums).

They began in fine form with a bebop tune which I should have recognised but didn’t. Dave then sang Take t

he A Train, slipping into the song unfussily, before blowing cornet, solos all round. Then came more sad news, Lin Lee Wong was leaving to work in Exeter (not in music), so another goodbye to a pianist whom I know from experience is a joy to have at jam sessions, very helpful to singers. Route 66 was playing as I left for the Metro, route  South Shields, not as glamorous but home, feeling very happy after another good party night at the Globe.

Ann Alex