Mark Williams (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); John Bradford (drums) + James Metcalf (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor sax); Graham Easthope (tenor sax); Francis Tulip (guitar)
(Review by Russell/Photos to follow)
A couple of old hands, a couple of student hotshots, otherwise it was a quiet night. This week's Black Swan jam session began quietly and, for the most part, continued that way. Piano-less house trios invariably result in restrained affairs and on International Jazz Day the booters, honkers and rip-it-up merchants stayed home.
Tyne and Wear's Metro system experienced yet more disruptions to service which perhaps accounted for the relatively low numbers in town as Messrs Williams, Grainger and Bradford opened with I Should Care. Guitarist Mark Williams exudes class and his early appreciation of 'new boy' John Bradford gladdened the heart. Lynchpin bassist Paul Grainger adopted his usual station in the middle of the action, periodically calling sitters-in to the stand.
How High the Moon then It's Almost Like Being in Love stirred James Metcalf. Our Nottingham-based student, home for a few days, blew fine trumpet...he's been in the woodshed, no question. Old hand John Rowland looked to inject some umph into proceedings with his bootin' Basie small group Kansas City style tenor which in turn encouraged fellow tenor horn Graham Easthope to join him on Just Friends.
We hadn't heard from Francis Tulip for a while due to a case of RSI. Now sufficiently recovered to play again - FT claimed he was short of practice...yeah, right! - the manager put him on up front in search of a winner and, sure enough, he came up trumps on There'll Never be Another You and again on Stella by Starlight.
Second set - PG had suggested they take five - Mark Williams gave a masterclass on Chick Corea's Windows and again on I'll be Seeing You. The sitters-in massed in the wings - the horns of Rowland and Easthope, young guns Metcalf and Tulip up for some more. Night in Tunisia suited all and all of a sudden it was almost time to go. And so they went, bebopping, the soloists sparking off one another. The next Black Swan jam is on Tuesday 14 May. If you can't wait that long then get along to the Dun Cow (Jesmond) tonight (May Day) to listen to the house trio (Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and Paul Wight) and any number of frisky May Day revellers, eight o'clock start.
Russell
1 comment :
A piano-less trio on Jazz Day seemed a perfect opportunity to sabotage the metro. Payed off too. Although I only made the last hour, I may be a bit more inclined to jam sessions if they were a bit more like this, though I get that the venues need healthy bar takings to be able to keep putting them on.
More like a gig by a loose sextet, with horns coming and going. Triffic stuff.
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