Looking forward to playing in front of a live audience, Adrian Cox on Facebook exclaimed: Whoop! Whoop! As Toulouse Lautrec is operating at half capacity until at least June 21, it came as no surprise to learn that this evening's gig was a sellout. In addition, an online, paying audience boosted the coffers. A choice set list, beginning with Ellington's Do Nothing till You Hear from Me, found charismatic frontman Cox in fine form. In equally good form were Kansas Smitty's regulars Will Barry, piano, Dave Archer, guitar and bassist Will Sach. At the conclusion of a swifter than swift Runnin' Wild Cox joked: Er, we're gonna pick up the tempo now!
Ellington, yes, now for Jelly Roll...Black Bottom Stomp, Archer the rhythm machine and soloist par excellence, Barry making a good fist of it as Morton. At its conclusion...Ah! Crikey! said our man. Yes, this was back to work, on stage performing alongside fellow musicians, an expectant audience, none of this solo live stream lark. The quartet closed out a swinging first set with a swinging Four or Five Times, Cox's wailin' vocals, Cox's wailin' clarinet, excellent.
'Deed I Do resumed matters. Yet more excellence. Cox decided to change the set list calling Sonny Boy's Born Blind, in the key of C, said our man. A blues vocal to die for, Archer telling it how it is, Will Sach grabbing a solo. One more time, Born Blind said Cox, superb! I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over featured pianist Barry, Cox sitting to one side shouting encouragement. Without announcement, accompanied by Barry at the piano, Cox sang Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen. Acknowledging the applause, Yeah, said our man. Tune of the night. That said, Oh, Lady be Good ran it a close second, Cox blowing for all he was worth, urged on by Will Sach: Yeah! Go on! Huge applause!
Russell
First set list: Do Nothing till You Hear from Me; ?; You Turned the Tables on Me; Runnin' Wild; Upper Street Serenade; Black Bottom Stomp; Four or Five Times.
Second set list: 'Deed I Do; Born Blind; I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over; Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen; Not That One; Oh, Lady be Good; ?
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