Jam session @ The Black Swan - April 2

(Review/Photos by Russell).

Two days into April mark this one down as gig of the month. A jam session shouldn't, by rights, win such an accolade, after all, they're blowing sessions, but when the stars fell on Newcastle Arts Centre's Black Swan basement venue this second day of April the bookies weren't taking any more bets.

The house trio set the ball rolling with Four followed by a typically bluesy, sensitive version of But Beautiful courtesy of the ever-amiable pianist Alan Law. Little did we know that there would be a battalion of sitters-in as the first of them - County Durham's Abbie Finn - threw her metaphorical hat into the ring joining Law and bassist John Pope on a sparkling Bud's Bubble. At this juncture little did Rob Walker know he would further vacate the drum stool for another couple of sticksmen keen to show what they could do.

This evening's lynchpin MC - John Pope - knocked-out a knock-out bass solo on Horace Silver's Song for my Father with tenor man Graham Easthope on board. Elliott Todd made a first foray although his moment in the spotlight would come later, much later. The Thompsons turned up - Faye home from York for Easter, Dylan, based in Gateshead, likewise chilling - and they too soon entered the fray. Faye's all-too-infrequent appearances at jam sessions (uni studies the priority) continue to be revelatory - this evening we heard a rapidly developing musician bossing it on Bye Bye Blackbird. York, take note, Faye is merely on loan, hands-off! 

A short interval - John Pope requested he take five - wrought further changes. Joel Shaw, sporting a hipster beard, kept Rob Walker at the bar as he sat-in on a terrific Night Train and then, and then...the Tenement Jazz Band's ace dep Lachlan Fotheringham silenced the room with a spellbinding version of Petite Fleur. The Newcastle based doctor, standing something like 6' 12", playing soprano sax, won tumultuous applause from Bechet up there in the Jazz Club in the Sky and all in the Black Swan. Wonderful, simply wonderful. 

As if one star performance wasn't enough, international recording star Andrea Harrison sang Lover Man accompanied by loyal sidekicks Lisa Delarny, guitar, and drummer Rob Walker (momentarily back on the stand) with pianist Law the ideal foil for Ms Harrison. Little did our soulful singer know that Nature Boy was right up the Irishman's street. Yet more resounding applause, it was turning out to be a canny night! 

A firework sat smouldering in one corner, Mr Jordan Alfonso the name. MC JP called JA to the stand with alto sax in hand. Light the blue touch paper and stand well back! Alfonso, nudged and nudged again by drummer Abbie Finn (RW retired once again to the bar!), this - Almost Like Being in Love - had been worth waiting for. Mr Neville Hartley belatedly joined the party to play Stars Fell on Alabama. Class playing from Hartley...we have come to expect nothing less. Trombonist Neville and saxophonist Jordan are generations apart yet their musical empathy and appreciation of one another's efforts summed up what these sessions are all about. 

More bop from Faye, Elliott and Showtime. Yes, David Gray had arrived from wherever and a feature for the all-action 'bone man with the trio - Lullaby of Birdland - went off at a tangent with a drum 'n' bass Love Supreme-like vibe before returning to Shearing's melody. 

Time was pressing. JP called all horn players to the stage...seven of them, no less. Lachlan led off on All Blues, all took a chorus ending at the other end of the line with Neville, the septet marshalled by Elliott Todd's killing trumpet playing. Yes, it had been a canny night.  

Russell

Alan Law (piano); John Pope (double bass); Rob Walker (drums) + Abbie Finn (drums); Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Elliott Todd (trumpet); Faye Thompson (alto sax); Dylan Thompson (drums); Lachlan Fotheringham (soprano sax); Joel Shaw (drums); Andrea Harrison (vocals); Lisa Delarny (guitar); Neville Hartley (trombone); Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); David Gray (trombone)