Gigs of the Year - Lance

(Lance): Well, seeing as no one else has got around to it - TV is so compelling this time of year - here are my favourite moments of 2019.

Michael Bublé may not have ticked everyone's boxes - particularly those who didn't make it to The Utilita Arena - but it was an absolutely fab show. Catch him at Durham Cricket Club's Riverside next August and you might see where I'm coming from.

Staying on the vocal front, Claire Martin's gig with the Strictly Smokin' Big Band at Hoochie Coochie was one of those afternoons that will live beyond time in my memory.

It has been a great year for vocalists - Zoë Gilby's APPJAG award told the world that jazz doesn't begin and end in London whilst Jo Harrop's frequent appearances in her native northeast proved that she too ranks way up there. The guys also impressed. Jason Isaacs blew up his usual, albeit predictable, storm at Hoochie whilst the slightly more laid back Paul Skerritt and his far from laid back pianist James Harrison ignited venues across the northeast.

Just as kids look forward to Christmas, so do I look forward to the annual visit by saxist/flautist Greg Abate. As expected, he blew it apart at the Black Swan with the Paul Edis Trio. I can't think of any living alto player to compare with the amiable American. This was a 10 star gig.

Paul Edis was also on hand when Vasilis Xenopoulos and Simon Spillett showed at Ushaw - another two fantastic sessions. As Sinatra sang, It was a very good year. Alice Grace sang that very same tune with SSBB only she did it up tempo! I wonder what Frank would have thought? I loved it!

At grass roots level the Black Swan Jam Sessions bring out the best of the new kids on the block and, of special mention, Jordan Alfonso (alto sax); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Abbie Finn (drums); David Gray (trombone); Joel Brown (piano) and a host of new singers.

Down the road, at Middlesbrough Town Hall, Ros Rigby set up a monthly Sunday afternoon session that so far has seen top names such as Gwylim Simcock, Tommy Smith and the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, the Binker Golding Quartet with the fantastic Sarah Tandy on piano as well as some top local names - if Ros were to manage the local football team then 'Boro would be in the Champion's League.

The aforementioned jam sessions at the Black Swan are periodically enlivened by Nick Gould who, when the spirit takes him, drives down from Edinburgh for a jam.* 

Down south I heard a tremendous session with Leo Richardson at Pizza Express in Soho, caught Alan Barnes at Ronnie's and Matt Wates/Steve Fishwick at the Spice of Life.

These are just some of the gigs that have rung my bell this year - there are many more and I apologise for any omissions - now, let's have yours.

Lance

*On one occasion Nick gave Nicola Sturgeon a lift and he ran over an animal that had strayed into the road. Ms. Sturgeon said he must report it to the farmer. He came back, drunk as a laird, a couple of hours later. The Scottish leader asked him what had kept him? Nick replied that he'd told the farmer that he'd given Nicola Surgeon a lift and had ran over the cow to which the farmer patted him on the back and said "Sit down I'll crack open a bottle ..." (joke - I think!)