(Review by Russell)
This was something of a treat. A day
trip to London to hear Paul Burch's cracking big band working with star
vocalist Jo Harrop. The Gene Krupa Story is the Denmark Street
Big Band's latest project and on a warm summer's day the orchestra assembled
for a lunchtime engagement at the Dean Street Pizza Express.
Soho bustled as it always does;
traders, tourists, locals, some looking cool, some trying to look cool, others
not so cool. The Pizza Express' basement venue offered some relief from the
on-street rising mercury. Members of the orchestra arrived in ones and twos as
Ms Harrop sound-checked alongside pianist Ben Croft.
Gene Krupa, Benny Goodman, the kings
of pre-war swing, this would be the fayre on offer alongside a mouthwatering
selection courtesy of the Pizza Express' hard-working, efficient team. The
on-stage team - Paul Burch's hand-picked ensemble - swung it from the off. Nick
Charles (aka Benny Goodman), sitting to Burch's left, featured on clarinet with
the lead tenor sax parts handled by the depping Alex Garnett. The Big
Noise from Winnetka with a band arrangement went down a storm as
did Starburst with Anita O'Day in the wings waiting her turn.
MD Burch welcomed O'Day (aka Jo
Harrop) to the stage to sing a few numbers beginning with a believable Ten
Cents a Dance. Harrop took us up to the interval with some choice
cuts; Georgia accompanied by Garnett's tenor sax, Boogie
Blues (Nick Charles blowing alto), Memories of You (Harrop
referencing the movie The Gene Krupa Story in which O'Day made
a cameo appearance opposite Sal Mineo's Krupa), Drummin' Man turned
the spotlight on the man behind the traps, Mr Gary O'Toole - Krupa himself
would have been impressed! - and, as Roy Eldridge (aka David Mian) joined the
band here at the Pizza Express, the roof came off with Thanks for the
Boogie Ride and again as Harrop closed a fine first set with 'Little
Jazz' Mian blowing on Let Me Off Uptown.
The reeds blowing on Bugle
Call Rag signalled the return to the stage of the Denmark Street
ensemble. A band arrangement of Flying Home met with the
approval of the Dean Street pizza-dining crowd as did Indiana. Thus
far the principal soloists had been Alex Garnett and Nick Charles. Time for a
trumpet feature on Hoagy's Rockin' Chair starring Andy Gibson
- at its end cue tumultuous applause!
And more applause as County Durham's
Jo Harrop (Londoners take note, Jo is merely on loan!) returned to conclude the
afternoon's set with a run of winning numbers. Tea for Two (recalling Jazz
on a Summer's Day), Bolero at the Savoy, a fabulous He's
Funny That Way followed by an instrumental band number (Opus One)
setting up a highlight of highlights as Ms Harrop, accompanied by pianist
Ben Croft, sang Skylark. If a pin had fallen the silence would have
been shattered...it didn't and it wasn't. Quite simply, a wonderful
moment.
The fabulous Ms Harrop concluded her
big band vocal masterclass with a double helping of George and Ira Gershwin.
First, 'S Wonderful brought in by Croft's leisurely piano
intro, then, with a snap of the fingers, the Denmark Street guys took it at
breakneck pace with Krupa, sorry, O'Toole, soloing and Harrop word perfect.
Phew! They Can't Take That Away from Me took it down and out.
Calls for an encore heeded, the Pizza Express' jazz-loving crowd got Sing,
Sing, Sing as the familiar drum pattern on the toms set the band off
on a rollercoaster ride. It had been quite an afternoon.
Russell
Denmark Street Big Band: Paul Burch
(MD, alto sax, clarinet); Nick Charles (clarinet, alto sax); Alex Garnett
(tenor sax); Mike Rubie (tenor sax); Frank White (baritone sax); David Mian,
Andy Gibson, Duncan Fraser, Sean Hollis (trumpets); Jeff Mason, Sam Sankey,
Marcus Reynolds, Alan Tomlinson (trombones); Curtis Volt (guitar); Ben Croft
(piano); Doug Grannell (double bass); Gary O'Toole (drums); Jo Harrop (vocals)
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