Adrian Cox Quintet: The New Orleans Clarinet @ Ronnie Scott's - August 22

Adrian Cox (clarinet, vocals); Joe Webb (piano); Denny Ilett (guitar); Simon Read (double bass); Luke Tomlinson (drums)

A long-awaited concert at Ronnie Scott's played to a full house. Adrian Cox called upon his regular quartet sidemen Joe Webb and Simon Read to join guitarist Denny Ilett and drummer Luke Tomlinson to form a five piece outfit to play the music of some of Adrian's favourite clarinet players, specifically that of the master musicians from New Orleans. 

Adrian himself is a masterful musician and it is his engaging personality - on and off stage - which gives him the edge in the popularity stakes. From Cole Porter to Duke Ellington and a whole lot more in between, Adrian's boundless enthusiasm for his subject, allied to an imperious technique, met the jazz heads' expectations and won over the less committed members of the audience. Perhaps some in the latter category have since boned up on the likes of Johnny Dodds, George Lewis, Albert Nicholas and Adrian's main man, Edmond Hall. 

Adrian's solos take some beating, although pianist Joe Webb bows to no one in that department. Take Charlie the Chulo for instance, first Adrian laying down a 'beat that' solo, Joe replying with a stonking solo of his own, resulting in not one ear-shattering round of applause but two, one after the other. Guitarist Denny Illet, bassist Simon Read and drummer Luke Tomlinson, they too had their moments in the spotlight.   

The rhythm section momentarily retired to the bar, leaving the stage to clarinetist and pianist. A Lull at Dawn rendered the room silent, our duo's mastery of Ellingtonia proving it isn't all about the dazzling, helter skelter side of the business. To close a marvellous couple of hours or so, Adrian returned to the source with Burgundy Street Blues. Russell    

Set list included: Night and Day; Perdido Street Blues; Weary Blues; I'm Confessin'; Blame it on the Blues; Clouds in My Heart; Charlie the Chulo; Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams; A Lull at Dawn; Egyptian  Fantasy; Buddy Bolden Stomp; Burgundy Street Blues.