Paper Moon Trio @ Prohibition Bar - September 14

Bernie Ranson (tenor sax); Dan Stanley (guitar); Jude Murphy (bass guitar, vocals)

(Review by Russell)

The Paper Moon Trio...with a name like that the trio couldn't start with anything other than It's Only a Paper Moon. Prohibition Bar's bijou stage accommodated our trio as Harold Arlen's much-loved, much-covered tune suggested this Saturday evening gig would be comprised of standards and so it proved.

Multi-instrumentalist Jude Murphy perched on a high stool to play oh-so-subtle bass guitar accompaniment to her always winning vocals. To her left, Bernie Ranson blowing relaxed, breathy tenor sax and, to his left, impressive guitarist Dan Stanley playing every jazz chord imaginable. Three friends, seemingly comfortable in one another's company, played to a select, attentive crowd which ebbed and flowed with 'Saturday night out' types dropping by for a drink then moving on to the next watering hole.

Guess the set list...Yardbird Suite, Just Squeeze Me, I Didn't Know What Time it Was, Black Orpheus,  Night and Day. All played with sensitivity, that was the first of three sets.

Upstairs on Pink Lane an evening of magic - card tricks and the like? entertained a sizeable crowd, downstairs Jude Murphy's magical vocals entertained a jazz-plus-others crowd. The Paper Moon Trio opened the second set with a request - All of Me with JM scatting. An occasional instrumental gave JM's larynx a rest, bringing Ranson's laid back tenor sax to the fore, notably on Too Young to Go Steady and Sam Rivers' Beatrice. JM is able to turn her hand to anything and Karrin Allyson's lyrics to Wayne Shorter's Footprints proved to be one of the highlights of the evening. A Take it to the Bridge staple - All Blues - with JM's vocals took it down and out. Mention of TITTB...the Main Man, Dave Weisser sat front row nodding his approval. Good to see DW out and about.

A late night third set maIntained the standard -  Corcovado, Everything Happens to Me (more of Stanley's impressive guitar playing), a down and dirty Black Coffee and to close, it's where we came in...It's Only a Paper Moon. 

Russell