Snake Davis @ Charts - January 13

Snake Davis (alto/tenor sax/flutes/vocal); Stu Collingwood (keys); Andy Champion (bass guitar); Paul Smith (drums).

(Review by Lance)

Charts was fuller than ever. It was as if the Tall Ships were moored outside! All 3 levels were occupied and food and drink were being downed as if it was going out of fashion. What wasn't going out of fashion was the music - no sir. 

Jazz never goes out of fashion, it just moves its borders in a multitude of directions - inside, outside, east coast, west coast, trad, modern, swing, bop, blues, new wave, olde style, smooth, fusion - confusion!

Snake Davis doesn't cover all of those genres but he tips his hat at a few - smooth being the one that has its nose in front. He's an excellent sax/flautist without being an out and out jazz man - him and Kenny G. Neither of them quite swing although, as sax players, they'd probably get the nod from Adolphe, who invented the damn thing - maybe more so than, say, Bird or Trane.

Snake doesn't float across the beat but tends to be a touch rigid and lacks the fluidity that signifies a great jazz musician. Having said that, he's a great player and, when he blows the blues, the growling earthy sound suggests that he's primed to burst from the commercial cage that he's trapped in - his bank manager no doubt will put  a stop to those primeval urges and he'll happily carry on down his merry way.

The support was superb Stu, Andy and Paul played to perfection. Andy doing things on bass guitar that were amazing, Paul reminded us that he is to drumming what his namesake is to socks whilst Stu was merely Stu which trumps a whole lot of jazz pianists.

I spoke to a couple of listeners - both hit the nail on the head.

"Say what you like, he puts bums on seats"

"As good a way as any to spend a Sunday afternoon."

Next week we're back to the normal jam session or, jazz social as they prefer - what's in a name? A jam is a conserve by any other name so don't conserve your talent but come and have a blow. 

Lance.

PS: The occasion was also to celebrate the "guvner's" mother's 90th birthday. She's been a fan of Snake since before he was born! We wish her the very best.