Anth Purdy's Swing & Jazz Guitar @ Dormans Jazz Festival, Middlesbrough - April 18

(Review by Ron H)

The festival at Dormans took a different turn to the norm in that we had Anth Purdy with his Solo Swing Jazz Guitar Show, which was well received by the audience who clearly enjoyed his style of playing.

After talking about the multi-track recording technique he uses, Anth played Surfing in Tacoma followed by a tribute to Les Paul with a nice arrangement of Mockingbird Swing.

Anth showed considerable knowledge of the history of swing guitar and talked about his influences which included Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Merle Travis, and Hank Garland among many others.

This resulted in his desire to play jazz, western swing and rockabilly - relevant forms of music from the 1920s to the present day. 

The evening's programme included such numbers as Blue Moon/Sleepwalk, Paris1939, the Merle Travis number Cannonball Rag, Rooster's Rocking the Barnyard, Guitar Rag, Night of the Cobra, Machine Gun Kelly,  the big band style of Back in New York Again, showing the different styles of Anth's playing. The night was finished off with the lively Jitterbug Stomp and Atomic V.

Anth with his fine guitar playing, showed great enthusiasm in keeping this type of music alive. 

Thanks, as always, go to Dormans Club for their help and support.

Ron H