Sunday Jazz @ Middlesbrough Town Hall, evening session: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra - October 27

(Review by Lance)

Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fats Waller. Three iconic names whose music is still played in one form or another today and, I would suggest, rarely played better than by SNJO.

The first set began with the Ellington segment of the programme. Black and Tan Fantasy/Creole Love Call recreated the early days of Bubber and Tricky Sam plungered and growling via Tom MacNiven and Kevin Garrity.

Hall of the Mountain King from the Peer Gynt Suite swung along in typical Ellington fashion – Ellington’s brand of swing was totally different from anyone else’s.

Sunset and the Mocking Bird, like A Single Petal of a Rose which came later were both from Duke’s The Queen’s Suite. Dedicated to our current monarch it was a one copy recording done solely for Queen Elizabeth II and not released commercially until after Ellington’s death. Duke had forbidden this to happen but his son made it public anyway – family eh?

Daybreak Express was a flagwaver with the appropriately named high note man Alex Maynard hitting the notes beyond top c.

So much for Ellington, come in Fats.

MD Smith left Kellock in charge for four Waller tunes and Brian was in his element. Handful of Keys; Honeysuckle Rose; Zonky and The Joint is Jumpin’ – it was indeed jumpin’ although it was strange to hear this number without the ebullient vocal.

Time for food – “Would you like plain or salt ‘n’ vinegar sir?”

The second set was magic. This, with due respect to Duke and even Fats, was what we’d come for – the complete Atomic Mr. Basie. Forget Kind of Blue, this, to me is the album. As Tony Eales put it – “It always has pride of place in my ‘Jazz Alley’”.

No need to give you blow by blow, suffice to say the soloists did credit to their inspirations –Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Lockjaw, Frank Wess etc.

Tommy and Konrad on tenors, Martin and Paul on altos, MacNiven and Sean – is he really as young as he looks? – Kellock, naturally, Cosker did Sonny Payne without throwing his sticks in the air but names are immaterial everyone contributed.

The Count is dead – Long live The Count!

Lance

Kid From Red Bank; Duet; After Supper; Flight of the Foo Birds; Double O; Teddy the Toad; Whirly-bird; Midnite Blue; Splanky; Fantail; Lil’ Darlin’.

Tommy Smith (MD), Martin Kershaw, Paul Towndrow, Konrad Wiszniewski, Bill Fleming (reeds); Alex Maynard, Sean Gibbs, Tom MacNiven, Lorne Cowieson (trumpets); Chris Greive, Kevin Garrity, Liam Shortall, Michael Owers (trombones); Brian Kellock (piano); Calum Gourlay (bass); Kevin MacKenzie (guitar); Alyn Cosker (drums).

Photos.