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| (Photo by Russell) |
Herbie Hudson (trombone, harmonica, vocals); Ray Harley (trumpet); Jim McBriarty (alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, vocals); Jimmy Cassidy (piano); John Hedley (bass); Ian Hetherington (drums)
Earlier in the day Jim McBriarty said: It's either feast or famine. A lunchtime gig with the Vieux Carré Jazzmen on North Tyneside, then, this evening, across the Tyne in a not-so-sunny Sunniside, a session with the Maine Street Jazzmen. In an all but gig-less year, McBriarty had the luxury of two sessions in a day. One question remained...would anyone turn up in not-so-sunny Sunniside?
By the half past eight start, turn up they did. The Maine Streets' regular supporters took their usual seats, the one difference being it was 'table service only'. We're fast approaching the day - June 21 - when things could be back to normal. Just imagine, you'll be able to go to the bar, stand at the bar, wander across the room to say 'hello' to friends and acquaintances. Well, that will be strange! For now, it was on with the show with bandleader Herbie Hudson to be found somewhere up the Swanee River.
Two-gigs-in-a-day McBriarty, playing for two-times-next-to-nowt, got in on the act singing Girl of My Dreams. The man in the middle, leading the frontline, Ray Harley, blew good trumpet from start to finish, not least on Royal Garden Blues. The 'been-round-the-block' rhythm section - Messrs Jimmy Cassidy, John Hedley and Ian Hetherington - provided solid support throughout.
Interval, raffle time, another pint of Abbot, salted peanuts, yes, we're beginning to return to something like normal. Second set, Hudson whipped it out...harmonica in hand, HH playing and singing All of Me. And so to the heart of the gig...Harley nailing an excellent solo on Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You (listen, can you hear Spoon singing a chorus?) to 'Deed I Do (that's Mr Five by Five, Jimmy Rushing singing with Buck Clayton's band).
That's Thursdays sorted for Tynesiders either side of the Tyne - the Vieux Carré at the Holystone pub (one o'clock), the Maine Street, just off Front Street, Sunniside, half past eight. Russell
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