(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.
Photos.
1 comment :
Thank you Lance - I wish I had known you were in the hall to say hello - we really enjoyed ourselves and looking forward to the next project with Jazzmeia Horn - are you coming up for it?
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