Alice Grace (vocals); Jordan Alfonso
(alto & tenor saxophones); Stu Collingwood (piano); Paul Grainger (double
bass); Russ Morgan (drums)
Winter, church, take a pew. Freezing
isn't the word! A bottle of Old Speckled Hen, a prompt start. A debut
performance by the Alice Grace-Jordan Alfonso Quintet attracted a sizeable
crowd. Many of those present hadn't heard Alfonso play, they were in for a
treat.
Chick Corea, Clifford Brown, Freddie
Hubbard, Pat Metheny, Victor Young...none of them could make it to St James'
and St Basil's Church but their collective songbook did. You're
Everything (comp Corea), Joy Spring (comp Brown,
lyrics Jon Hendricks) featuring Alice Grace's joyful vocals, a warming Black
Coffee, the Fenham Hall Drive audience liked what it was hearing.
Mr Alfonso is a familiar, welcome
face on the jam session scene and here at J's & B's, as the venue is known,
he stepped up as featured soloist alongside Ms Grace. Our alto and tenor
saxophonist confessed he doesn't get the chance to play many jazz gigs so this
engagement was something of an early Christmas present for him. Switching
between alto and tenor saxophones JA did all that was required without
grandstanding. Little Sunflower and A Night in Tunisia concluded
a good first set.
Pat Metheny's Bright Size
Life opened the second half. Alfonso's tenor suitably warmed up he
upped his game on Weaver of Dreams. Anything our reedsman could do
our vocalist Alice Grace could do too with a marvellous reading of Blame
it on My Youth. The rhythm section (suitably togged up to ward off the
cold) - Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger, Russ Morgan - had its moments,
particularly pianist Collingwood on On the Street Where You Live.
It's a keen jazz fan who is prepared to sit all evening in the cold, here in
Fenham a hardy bunch did just that.
Russell
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