(Photo courtesy of Kay Tilley)
In those distant days when every other Tuesday night meant a trip into town for the jam session at the Black Swan the closer was, inevitably, Straight No Chaser and tonight's jam stream was no exception.
With the exception of Alice, who left after her opening set, all of the above put up. Zoë handled the the lyrics to Monk's bebop anthem (who wrote the lyrics?) with ease and scatted in her unique style. Earlier, Zoë and David Gray had given a Jobim Wave to the virtual audience.
David, like Abbie on drums, sported a Christmas - once a year - jumper. David also wore a scarf which, should it have became entangled with his slide could have proved fatal to both player and instrument! His feature on White Christmas reminded me that, without the maudlin sentimentality of the words, it is actually a jolly good tune. How could it not be - Irving Berlin composed it and said goodbye to poverty forever - (now, where did I store away that manuscript paper ...?)
Socially distanced from his fellow frontliner, Harry Keeble wasn't taking any prisoners. He ran the gauntlet of the tenor's range and, had there been other tenor players in the house that gauntlet would have been thrown down. Harry also blew some Wayne Shorter and a tasty Invitation.
This was where I misinterpreted tonight's stream. I'd thought that maybe some of the other saxslingers would be zooming in from Gateshead, Jesmond and beyond but, perhaps the technology hasn't quite got that far.
The evening had opened up with Alice (in midi), introduced by Zoë (in mini), singing a duo set with Mark on this year's favourite - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, followed by My Romance; I Thought About You; Georgia on my Mind and I've Got my Love to Keep me Warm.
It was good, but not quite as good as the real thing!
Lance
No comments :
Post a Comment