Peter Wright (trumpet); Liz Bacon (clarinet); Lawrence McBriarty (trombone); Dave Rae (banjo, guitar, vocals); Bill Colledge (string bass*); Paul Bacon (drums) + John Broddle (vocals)
(Review by Russell)
It was a story of Dave and the Duchess. Those 'in the know' rubbed shoulders with jazz royalty (Dave Rae and co.), others went 'up north' to meet up with some country bumpkins. The Vieux Carré's garden party engagement in Alnwick presented Springwell's finest with an opportunity to play a gig on the coast. The Crescent Club's Wednesday crowd turned out as usual although on this occasion the banjoist wasn't B Bennett, rather D Rae.
All I do is dream...the combo comprising part Levee Ramblers, part VCJ, was up and running. A pint of the Old Potting Shed's Wild Horses (4.1%), a toastie, the sun shining, all was well with the world. Liz Bacon handled Clarinet Marmalade without the help of a fellow liquorice sticker, then - did Dave Rae say a tune from 1787?! - Sweet Fields. The All Stars took a leap of faith to play something dangerously modern - Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet (1909, with a Dave Rae vocal), a tune George Lewis used to play. Enough risk-taking, Listen to the Mockingbird from 1855 would restore sanity!
Bandleader Rae took another vocal on Exactly Like You leading up to the interval with a number popularised by Kid Ory - Don't Go Away Nobody. Nobody was going anywhere. The raffle came and went, with it a rather nice prize of a Rae Brothers' CD featuring Clem Avery, and before long the second set was underway.
Don't Give Up the Ship kept us on course (imagine trumpeter Peter Wright as Kid Howard), the band's sole guest, John Broddle, sang Crazy (JB doesn't look or sound like Patsy Cline) and stayed on to sing Out of Nowhere accompanied by Lawrence McBriarty's fine trombone playing backed by Rae on guitar.
Over in the Glory Land sang Rae, one of the timeless spirituals - a highlight of the afternoon here on Cullercoats Bay. As the big hand approached three Apex Blues upped the tempo (Liz Bacon impressing on clarinet) with the ensemble taking it home, first on St Louis Blues, then a rousing Bill Bailey. Next week, if B Bennett's mob can find its way back from the Wilds of Wanney, normal service will be resumed.
* New Orleanians prefer 'string bass' rather than 'double bass'!
Russell
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