The Tyne Theatre and Opera House, known to cinema goers
back in the day as "The Stoll", proved the ideal setting for a livestream, socially distanced, concert by the Strictly Smokin' Big Band.
The building has certainly had an illustrious past but tonight was very much about the present as, let's face it, few of us can forecast the future. Not even Alfie Joey, the jovial compere
who seemed to have recovered from the loss of his night club and Rita Hayworth
- well he did get Kim Novak and a puppy in exchange - who gave the SSBB an
enthusiastic introduction before handing over to Alice Grace and the band for Route
66.
Great as these streams are, just as at a live gig there is more to it than what comes out of the bell end. Acoustics are important on a live gig, and there are also imponderables whilst listening at home. Music that sounds great when heard through a sooper dooper Bose sound system loses something when heard through a couple of lo-fi speakers attached to your computer that you picked up at a car boot sale. And, just as sporting events aren't the same without the roar of the crowd so it is at a jazz gig. Nothing is worse than sitting down after the greatest solo you've ever played only to be greeted with silence. Tonight, although I applauded the solos with the greatest of gusto I doubt if I was heard 8 miles up river.
Nevertheless, taking all this into consideration it was a cracking night!
Alice, despite being heavy with child, as the saying goes, was in good voice and, as well as Route 66, also delighted us with Get Happy, Puttin' on the Ritz (hence the aforementioned usage of the words "sooper dooper") and Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke - this too was sooper dooper!
Not to be outdone, the band sooper doopered on Tickle Toe, Whisper Not and the Billy Taylor tune with the long title.
Time for a break and a set by Beth Macari. The songs were unfamiliar to me but this girl is a great singer - more soul/pop/funk than jazz - and I enjoyed her set. Nice to see jazz refugee guitarist Stuart Davies in the band.
So far we've had social distancing, sooper dooper, Sir Duke and now Stuart Davies - strange.
The big band's second set got underway with Alice singing: Almost Like Being in Love, Willow Weep For Me, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Lost in a Memory of You and The Late Late Show.
Leader Lamb blew trumpet on, of all things, Satisfaction. A strange choice and, although he played it well, he probably wouldn't have pulled Bianca.
Alice and her "Pal Joey" finished off a most enjoyable evening with a duet on A Slow Boat to China.
Lance
PS: Apologies for not making more of the soloists but, needless to say, Jamie Toms and Steve Summers did most of the solo work apart from blasts by dep Forster and trombones Kieran and Chris - they were simply delightful!
Michael Lamb MD, Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones), Jamie Toms, Matt Forster, Sue Ferris, Steve Summers, Laurie Rangecroft (reeds); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals).
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Beth Macari (vocals); Jonny Winter (keys); Stuart Davies (guitar); Phil Bell (perc).
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Alfie Joey (compere/vocal).
2 comments :
I thought this was excellent thoroughly enjoyed SSBB you'd never think they'd been away. I thought the talented Beth Macari provided a really wonderful set in the interval and offered an intimate alternative to the boldness of the big band . Unfortunately this is how gigs will be for some time. It was strange for me and to be honest I clapped instinctively after each song , I cannot imagine how it was for the band and Beth to be met with silence when normally be applause and cheering however, it was just great to see live music again albeit in a screen . It was I suppose like going to a large outdoor event ,arriving late and having to stand so far back from the stage you can only see the band on the obligatory big screen like you see at Glastonbury .
The morning after the night before on BBC Newcastle's breakfast show presenter Alfie Joey described the SSBB's performance as 'absolutely sensational'and referred to the 'brilliant Beth Macari'. Well, Sinatra fan Joey should know, he was the on-stage compere.
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