Paper Moon Duo @ Prohibition Bar - Oct. 24

John Wilson (guitar); Jude Murphy (bass guitar, flute, vocals) + Dave Weisser (vocals)

And then there were three. The advertised Paper Moon Trio turned out to be the duo of multi-instrumentalist Jude Murphy and the venerable John Wilson. Later, our duo would be joined on one number only by a very special guest. Prohibition Bar was, as usual, on top of the social distancing thing. Mitch and co continue to lead the way...

'S Wonderful, Satin Doll (John's inventive, extended solo an early highlight), yes, it was going to be a GASbook evening. Jude temporarily rested her double bass to play flute and take a first vocal on Autumn Leaves. Jude and John would play two sets, the first some fifty minutes, the second a mere half hour. More GASbook plus a number by Madeleine Peyroux and one from Norah Jones. 

Jude didn't care for Tin Tin Deo's lyrics, partially rewriting them for today, the tune itself a classic. Misty took us into ballad territory, Sunny  Side of the Street lifted our spirits and then...on a rare night out, up stepped Mr Dave Weisser. Hearing Dave's American drawl: Okay, Cannonball's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy signalled an all-too-brief vocal masterclass from one of the region's very best singers. And so, Dave, singing the tune Joe Zawinul wrote for Cannonball Adderley, held the room spellbound. An 'I was there' moment. 

Jude and John picked up where they left off...Kenny Dorham's Blue Bossa, Jude singing Corcovado in Portuguese, yet more choice material but, alas, the ten o'clock curfew was fast approaching. All aboard for a trip along Route 66. 

Russell