Following some fifteen months enforced inactivity, Newcastle's Lit & Phil lunchtime jazz concert series resumed in July. Understandably, the venue's management imposed severe restrictions on audience numbers resulting in the first two events of the year in July and August making a loss. What to do? How to save the series? Ask two of the region's best if they'd perform at a fundraising concert, that's what!
Lindsay Hannon and Bradley Johnston are Hand to Mouth, and, without hesitation, they readily agreed to help out Jazz at the Lit & Phil (JATLP). A large attendance - including two or three new faces - helped matters no end. Lindsay and Bradley continue to explore the wonderful collaboration between Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass. The legendary duo recorded four studio albums for Pablo Records plus a couple of live albums and it is these recordings which form the basis of Hand to Mouth's set.
Lindsay, battling a heavy cold (our vocalist reassuring her audience it wasn't the virus, she'd taken a test!) and Bradley, now B. Johnston MMus (to add to his BMus), played a one hour set to a 'pin-drop' attentive audience. How she does it we'll never know, but Lindsay didn't require a lyric sheet, a quite remarkable recall of a lyric! Bradley? Joe Pass lives!
Take Love Easy, Dindi, 'Tis Autumn, our duo conjuring wonderful interpretations of timeless material, the audience loving every minute of it. I Ain't Got Nothing but the Blues sang Lindsay, blowing away JATLP's blues. Ray Noble's The Very Thought of You, Nature Boy (a new one in the set), Ellington's (In My) Solitude, it had be a magical hour.
JATLP owes a debt of gratitude to Lindsay and Bradley, and indeed the audience, for so generously supporting today's fundraising concert. Thanks to all concerned the series will be able continue, and hopefully thrive, long into the future. Next week's concert (Friday 16), features the brilliant Leeds based guitarist Nic Svarc with his A-list trio. One o'clock start. Russell
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