(Review by Lance).
Want to make a fast buck? Sure you do. My advice is to get down to the bookies and back (each-way) the Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra in the 2019 Sunderland Big Band Festival. I make this forecast despite never having heard the current edition of the band but, going by the quality of those that sat in at last night's jam session, if the others are as good then a top 3 placing is, at the very least, almost guaranteed.
Remember you heard it here first.
The session had been chugging along nicely, the house trio excelling on Long Ago and Far Away; Emily and Doxy (was Johnny Mandel's Emily, Sonny Rollins' doxy or were they just friends?)
Kay Usher fiddled her way through Don't Get Around Much Anymore; Blue Bossa and Nuages. Graham Hardy blew with fire in his belly on In Walked Bud and romance in his heart with Body and Soul.
John Rowland suggested that It's Only a Paper Moon Blowing in his intense, stolid manner, he booted it home. The late Chris Yates might have described John as a "Tough, Texas, Tenor, Titan". If John had come from Texas that is. On drums, Squadron Leader Morgan dropped enough bombs to flatten Byker and half of Walkergate and cause any drummers in the audience to go AWOL.
It was round about this time that the NUJO contingent arrived. Atkinson and Green joined up with Rowland for All Blues. Cool and laid back, muted Milesian trumpet and post-bop alto took the session up a notch.
One of the current alto wiz's, Alfonso, along with the returning Hardy and guitarist Cuxson played a spirited version of Nardis. Cuxson, last spotted at a Jazz Café jam, appears to have traded in his Les Paul for a Strat and he impressed, staying on board for the rest of the set.
McDonald and Alcorn had a workout on Blue Trane. The latter's plastered nose didn't seem to hamper his blowing.
More sliding with McDonald and Kate Garnett on Mr. PC - J & K live!
Kate, formerly of Sage Gateshead's youth jazz ensemble Jambone, hung around and Alcorn joined her for My Funny Valentine which wasn't funny at all - that tune never is without the words.
St. Thomas was the closer with McDonald, Alfonso and Hardy driven along by Morgan, Grainger, Edis and Cuxson.
It goes almost without saying, that Edis was his usual swinging self and no doubt an inspiration to all the younger players present.
Lance.
Paul Grainger (bass); Paul Edis (piano); Russ Morgan (drums) + Kay Usher (violin); Graham Hardy (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor); Oscar Atkinson, Tom Alcorn (trumpets); Matthew Green, Jordan Alfonso (altos); Tom McDonald, Kate Garnett (trombones).
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