Jazz in the Afternoon @ Cullercoats Crescent Club - May 21

Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals); Brian Chester (keyboards, trombone); John Carstairs Hallam (double bass); Fred Thompson (drums) + Roy Gibson (keyboards); Teresa Armstrong (vocals); John Broddle (vocals)

(Review by Russell). 

Blue skies at the coast! Folk paddling in Cullercoats Bay, some exploring Smuggler’s Cave others out at Crab Hill, a rare warm afternoon down at the coast. Meanwhile at Cullercoats Crescent Club if it’s a Monday it has to be Jazz in the Afternoon. JITA isn’t exactly JATP but its longevity has put the once thriving fishing village of Cullercoats on the jazz map. One o’clock in the bar, a choice of toasties, chips, a pint courtesy of one of the many local micro-breweries – on this occasion Queen of the Nile from the High Spen-based Olde Potting Shed Brewery.

Herbie Hudson, Brian Chester, John Carstairs Hallam and the depping Fred Thompson got things underway with Hudson – trombone, harmonica and vocals, not quite all at once – leading the way on Shine then Ain’t Misbehavin’ with the veteran frontman, if not misbehaving, then fooling around, the man is an entertainer. The depping Fred Thompson sang Sad and Lonely (he didn’t look sad, he didn’t look lonely), the JITA quartet dusted off Spencer Williams’ I Ain’t Got Nobody and before we knew it the first of the afternoon’s guests joined the band. John Broddle got in a couple of tunes prior to the interval – Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (what a good idea!), and, to Herbie Hudson’s harmonica accompaniment, It Had to be You.

The Crescent Club interval – think of it as the middle set – featured the Cullercoats Songstress, the one and only Teresa Armstrong. If it’s a Monday at the Crescent Club Teresa is there. Long may it continue that way. Accompanied at the keyboard by the one-off that is Roy Gibson, Teresa chose three numbers – Pretend, Two Loves Have I as a rumba with Hudson playing harmonica, and the Gershwins’ timeless ’S Wonderful. With a twinkle in her eye Teresa thanked the boys in the band, taking her seat once again in time to check her raffle tickets (see photo of the three prizes on offer).

Second set proper…two trombones. Yes, with Roy Gibson handling the piano parts, the trombone pairing of Herbie Hudson and Brian Chester stole the show! Tight Like That was just how we like it, HH upping his game alongside BC. One observer noted Chester wore his boater at a rakish angle (see photo – is it a boater or simply a silly hat?). Ice Cream or I Scream, You Scream. On this oh-so-warm day definitely Ice Cream. The ’bones weren’t going anywhere, trading behind J. Broddle, back on the stand to sing If I Had You and a roaring After You’ve Gone. At just around three o’clock HH called It Don’t Mean a Thing. There’s a jam session awaiting these boys…

Russell