Hoochie was sold out - it usually is when Jason brings his band into town - the audience loves him, and what's not to love? Sinatra, Dean, Elvis you name it he covers it and, with a 9 piece band behind him it's just fantastic.
She gets too hungry for dinner at eight. Rodgers and Hart in a Sunday afternoon disco bar! What's more, it was as if two of the most prolific songwriters of the pre-crap era had never been away. Lady is a Tramp. Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown put the boot in and we were dancing, shaking, doing things that they don't do on Broadway. Let There be Love, J boy reminded us it was Nat Cole's centenary making reference to the original Shearing recording, reminding the Toon Army that Shearing and Shearer were two different artists.
She gets too hungry for dinner at eight. Rodgers and Hart in a Sunday afternoon disco bar! What's more, it was as if two of the most prolific songwriters of the pre-crap era had never been away. Lady is a Tramp. Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown put the boot in and we were dancing, shaking, doing things that they don't do on Broadway. Let There be Love, J boy reminded us it was Nat Cole's centenary making reference to the original Shearing recording, reminding the Toon Army that Shearing and Shearer were two different artists.
One was blind who never failed to score (Lullaby of Birdland etc.) The other wasn't blind and sometimes did fail to score...
On the Street Where You Live then, That's Life. This was, indeed, life. We threw our arms in the air, sang/shouted the responses. Jason may have been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate A poet, a pawn and a king but, tonight he was definitely the latter.
You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves you; Come Fly With Me; Mr. Bojangles; King of the Road; Beyond the Sea; Minnie the Moocher and, wait for it, American Trilogy. Now, in previous gigs I have indicated that this was maybe not my favourite number so, what does Jason do? He gives the crowd a plug for Bebop Spoken Here! - now, I almost like American Trilogy! I'm Trumped on that one.
Mack the Knife brought the first set to a close. Glasses were re-charged, dancing shoes at the ready and we were back into Ocean's Eleven for Ain't That a Kick in the Head; Cheek to Cheek and Sway.
At this point in the show, the jazzier element gives way to the rockier, poppier side of Jason's repertoire but, not without his regular tenor duel with Lewis Watson on You're Indestructible on which Jason invariably acknowledges defeat although he's no mean saxman himself. For the return match, to make it a level playing field, perhaps Lew could sing...
It was a fantastic early evening gig in a great club. Thanks to 'Slim' Warren for putting on such a great singer/band - and they are great. Within their ranks are some of the area's finest jazz guys - even the deps are first-call so maybe, an occasional solo wouldn't have gone amiss.
Lance.
PHOTOS
Jason Isaacs (vocal/tenor sax); Lewis Watson, Niall Armstrong (reeds); David Gray (trombone); Mark Webb, Darren Irwin (trumpets); Dean Stockdale (piano); Neil Harland (bass guitar); Simon Ferry (drums).
PHOTOS
Jason Isaacs (vocal/tenor sax); Lewis Watson, Niall Armstrong (reeds); David Gray (trombone); Mark Webb, Darren Irwin (trumpets); Dean Stockdale (piano); Neil Harland (bass guitar); Simon Ferry (drums).
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