(Screenshots by Ken Drew)
As on the Blue Note album, Backstage Sally got the ball rolling (I wonder what became of Sally?) with the horns kicking ass from the off. Barry likewise and Cleasby adding a touch of Blakey's percussive power.
Not surprisingly, Wayne Shorter's ballad Contemplation featured Alec Harper who was in his usual fine form. Amazing how, over the course of these live streams, he's so comfortably stepped into the shoes of, among others, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and, tonight, Wayne Shorter.
Bu's Delight was a showcase for Cleasby and he did "Bu" proud albeit not before the others had had their say. This was turning into a cracking session and it was only at the midway point! If this had been a live live gig the audience would still be clapping come Monday morning.
Shaky Jake. The band agreed that this was their favourite track so, needless to say, it had everyone going for gold and maybe trombonist Higham just shaded this one...
Moon River seemed, on paper, to be a strange choice to close. It wasn't - it was an uptempo blast that saw Copus blowing like as though he'd just had supper and breakfast with Audrey Hepburn at Tiffany's and Cleasby once more stopping the show. Interestingly, unless I'd fallen asleep - as if! - I can't recall any bass solos. Nevertheless, that didn't detract from Ferg Ireland's contribution to the band he was rock solid.
Blakey Lives!
Lance
3 comments :
If this live stream had been a live gig at Newcastle's Corner House - 'just like the old days, when I was a lad' - the grizzled, 'heard it all before'crowd would have been cheering these lads to the rafters. And, Lance, I think you must have gone to the kitchen to open another bottle of Abbot when Ferg took a great bass solo!
As I'm only indulging in a demi-tasse of Chardonnay tonight it was more likely to have been whilst I was trying to re-establish intergalactic relations with YouTube. My apologies to Ferg.
Lance! Chardonnay? Quel horreur - you should’ve been on the Pinot!
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