Ray Harley (trumpet); Jim McBriarty
(clarinet, soprano sax, vocals); Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals);
Colin Haikney (piano); Tom Darbyshire (double bass); Ian Hetherington (drums)
(Review by Russell)
Bandleader Herbie Hudson continues to
fly the Dixieland flag across the Borough of Gateshead. Moving from one venue
to another, the Maine Street Jazzmen finally settled on Sunniside Social Club
where a loyal audience turns up week in week out. The fact that polling station
staff commandeered the band's usual performance space for some election or
other didn't act as a deterrent.
The MSJ set up on the floor of the
concert room (next week they'll be back in the lounge) and shortly after half-past eight Hudson set about making the case for casting our vote in favour of
JAZZ. The MSJ's manifesto included a promise to play some well-known numbers,
share vocals between Hudson and Jim McBriarty and guarantee a good time for
all! Rotting tomatoes, eggs and a milkshake or two were at hand...just in case.
It Don't Mean a Thing (vote
SWING!), I'll be a Friend with Pleasure (currying favour, eh?
Where's that tomato?) and a swift Stevedore Stomp established
an early lead for the MSJ. If I Had a Talking Picture of You, Ole
Miss Rag and that old warhorse My Blue Heaven entertained
a good number of folk up to the interval closer Jazz Me Blues.
Proceeds from the raffle were deemed
legitimate election expenses (none of the MSJ claimed for the cleaning of a
moat) and as the second set began shortly after ten o'clock polling station
staff with sealed boxes in their care sped-off into the night. Frontman Herbie
Hudson acceded to a punter's request to play some Horace Silver. The
Preacher seemed apposite on such a night as this!
In between a flurry of frontline
solos - Bad Penny Blues, Someday Sweetheart -
the MSJ's pianist briefly had the floor to himself. As Hudson led the boys
to the bar Colin Haikney reminded the Sunniside crowd of just how fine a piano
player he is by playing Here's That Rainy Day. Another bottle of
Atlantic Pale Ale, the MSJ made the calculation that the votes were in the bag
and a couple of tunes later said their goodbyes parading down Bourbon
St.
Russell
No comments :
Post a Comment