(Review by Russell).
On the first day of two at this year's Mouth of the Tyne Festival, the sun shone on the jazz stage. From noon 'til six with not a cloud in the sky, a large crowd of sun worshippers sat baking, frequently quenching a thirst.
Arriving late afternoon hot foot from Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club the fourth and final band of the day was in the process of holding punters spellbound. House of the Black Gardenia is a rare treat, gigs are few and far between and when the eight-piece takes to the stage it pays to be there.
Bobbi Charleston and her boys were on the Graveyard Shift - that being the title of the tune greeting late arrivals not a reference to the afternoon's running order! King Bees' Michael Littlefield is an integral part of HotBG too, and on this summer's day down at the coast, the guitarist sat up straight to exclaim Ain't it Hard with vocals and guitar spot on. HotBG inhabits the twilight world of the viper jazz scene - think bootleg liquor and the consumption of other exotic, illicit substances...a Weed Smoker's Dream you might say.
Bobbi Charleston and her boys were on the Graveyard Shift - that being the title of the tune greeting late arrivals not a reference to the afternoon's running order! King Bees' Michael Littlefield is an integral part of HotBG too, and on this summer's day down at the coast, the guitarist sat up straight to exclaim Ain't it Hard with vocals and guitar spot on. HotBG inhabits the twilight world of the viper jazz scene - think bootleg liquor and the consumption of other exotic, illicit substances...a Weed Smoker's Dream you might say.
A Dead Man's Calypso lightened the mood with the HotBG's horns dancing to the rhythm, well, 'bone man David Gray was enjoying himself, Michael Lamb, trumpet, and reedsman Keith Robinson preferring to adopt the muso's detached, concentrated look. The partially obscured rhythm boys at the back of the truck (mobile stage) held it all together with pianist Ben Imrye taking a vocal on Skirts before Madam Viper herself, the fabulous washboard playing frontwoman Bobbi Charleston, took it home on Big, Big Man.
And that was that, or rather the sound engineer thought so, quick to double up as DJ for the weekend. The crowd wanted more, the DJ relented, and back came the House of the Black Gardenia to give us Bobbi C pleading Baby Don't You Tear My Clothes.
Russell
Bobbi Charleston (washboard, vocals); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Keith Robinson (tenor, clarinet, flute); David Gray (trombone); Michael Littlefield (guitar, vocals); Ben Imrye (piano); Neil Hopper (bass, sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums)
Bobbi Charleston (washboard, vocals); Michael Lamb (trumpet); Keith Robinson (tenor, clarinet, flute); David Gray (trombone); Michael Littlefield (guitar, vocals); Ben Imrye (piano); Neil Hopper (bass, sousaphone); Kit Haigh (drums)
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