Dun Cow Jam Session - June 13.

(Review by Lance).

It had been reported in previous dispatches that Paul Edis had taken up singing and we discovered, in the very first number, that this was true when he delivered a vocal chorus on It's Only a Paper Moon that did no harm at all. Think Mel Tormé without the tricky bits and you've got the picture.

That was the only trio track as, no sooner had Paul's dulcet tones faded than first time visitor - all the way from Germany - Ingo Torbohm, armed with tenor sax, jumped into the arena.
It's always a daunting task for anyone to be first to show at a pub jam session. The audience, still sober, are more attentive to the performer than they are later when, in some cases, conversation takes preference.
Ingo made no attempt to dazzle with bravura runs and flourishes instead, keeping it relatively straight and confidently playing within his limitations. Beautiful Love and Misty were his choices - no doubt he will be back.
Getting the right balance volume-wise is invariably a problem at the Dun Cow and Kay Usher suffered in this respect. Despite the low volume, Lady Be Good swung but Embraceable You, I think, had some confusion over the key which meant it didn't flow as fluently as we'd come to expect from this swinging lady.
No volume problems with Kate O'Neill who held the room entranced with Don't Explain and an up-tempo How High the Moon.
This was followed by a game of musical chairs with Edis going on to drums, Walker picking up bass guitar and Paul Grainger lighting up with a Lucifer. Helen Walker threatened on French horn and one half of the group known as I-Sister took centre stage. Lead vocals were by Andrea Harrison, formerly known as Hannah Jones, with support by Lisa Delarny on guitar and backing vocals.
Bewitched was indeed bewitching and Andrea gave us the whole 9 yards as written by Larry Hart unlike most singers these days who make do with the abbreviated version thus missing out the best verses (check them out).
They rounded off their short set with Aretha's Don't Play That Song.
This was also a first for me inasmuch I'd never heard French horn, live, in a small group jazz session. I was impressed by Helen Walker- she'd return later.
The ever-present Matt sent Edis back to the keyboard and Jen Errington took over the vocal spot. Jen gave us a bouncy I Only Have Eyes for You and a melancholic When Sunny Gets Blue. She sounded good but, again, the mic. should have had an extra half a turn for her to be heard clearly.
Tenor player Sykes blew All the Things You Are - a number that seems to have become the national anthem of jam sessions - followed by A Night in Tunisia. Only the chaotic ending prevented this being the best number of the night but hey, that's jam sessions for you!
As the evening drew to a close, Mo(hammed) became the fourth incumbent of the drumkit and our French horn player joined George Sykes for My Funny Valentine. French horn and tenor? great potential for an arranger...
Kate returned to sing There is no Greater Love then Kay Usher and George finished things off with Wave. At last, we heard Kay at the right volume and it was worth waiting for.
Violin and tenor? great potential for an arranger...
Lance.
Photos.
Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Edis (piano/drums/vocal); Rob Walker (drums/bass guitar) + Ingo Torbohm (tenor); Kay Usher (violin); Kate O'Neill (vocals); Andrea Harrison (vocal); Lisa Delarny(guitar/vocals); Helen Walker (French horn); Matt MacKellar (drums); Jen Errington (vocals); George Sykes (tenor); Hazem Mohammed (drums).