Sue Ferris Quartet livestream from The Black Swan - April 13

(Collage by Lance)

Sue Ferris (flute/alto/tenor/baritone saxes); Stu Collingwood (keys); Neil Harland (bass); Rob Walker (drums); Zoë Gilby (host).

Musically this was faultless. Sue blew tenor, flute, baritone and alto  on a choice selection of tunes most of which I recognised. Gutsy tenor and baritone, dreamy alto and spiky flute. Ably supported by Collingwood, Harland and Walker it was a swinging mainstream to modern set that saw all four players doing justice to the music.

On tenor, Sue played Just Squeeze Me; Well You Needn't and, I think, a Roy Hargrove number to finish. 

On flute, a lovely jazz waltz the title of which didn't come to me until after the curtain came down. Freddie Hubbard's Up Jumped Spring. Likewise, I still don't know the Latin number that followed. The problem being that Sue's announcements weren't being picked up by the mic. Now, had this been on YT or FB there would have been comments updating the powers that be on the state of play but, unfortunately, there were no such facilities available. Not that this affected the music which came over loud and clear but I'd have thought someone in the control tower would have noticed.

On baritone, My Heart Belongs to Daddy was given a good workout and, switching to alto, an Ellington/Strayhorn number also sounded good.

Stu and Neil were well featured solowise although Rob was relatively subdued apart from one number where he impressed with an extended solo.

Zoë book-ended the show, her final announcement reminding us that the next livestream from the Black Swan is on April 27 and features Matt MacKellar, Andy Champion and Ben Lawrence which should be another good session providing ... Lance