Alan Barnes (alto sax); Richard Exall
(tenor sax); Jamie Brownfield (trumpet); Ian Bateman (trombone); Brian Kellock
(piano); Bruce Rollo (double bass); Tom Gordon (drums)
Johnny Hodges, small group, early
fifties, full house...not quite. The word was that some of Keswick Jazz and
Blues Festival's patrons thought it dangerously modern and went off looking for
a banjo. So, Southey St Church was busy but not bursting at the seams. The
ubiquitous Alan Barnes led an all-star line-up in what would prove to be a wonderful celebration of Ellington's alto saxophonist affectionately known as
'Jeep' or 'Rabbit'.
Those early fifties' years found
Hodges doing what he did with Duke - playing blues and ballads, only during
this period it was in a swinging small group scenario. Globetrotter for
openers and for the next couple of hours Barnes and co played brilliantly with
the band leader's inimitable, hilarious introductions and asides threading the
whole thing together.
Frisky - a cue for
Barnes: Do you remember feeling like that? - featured Ian
Bateman's classy trombone playing and Richard Exall's commanding tenor sax.
Barnes introduced the rhythm section: A marvellous swinging drummer -
Tom Gordon...and, playing fine walking lines - Bruce Rollo, and at the piano -
the world class Brian Kellock. To AB's left, Jamie Brownfield. What a great
trumpet player and, what's more, he's of the new generation. Barnes himself
featured on Passion Flower, Exall featured with the rhythm section
on In a Sentimental Mood (superb) and two hours later the
Hodges' tribute went out cookin' on The Jeep is Jumpin' and Shady
Side of the Street with not a banjo in sight.
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