For this concert Greg had the use of a Selmer tenor sax which had been provided by local musician Dave Luckhurst and he decided to feature it on the first set - apart from Footprints on which he used his Emerson flute. The alto sax he would save for the second set.
He chose as his opening number that popular Dexter Gordon composition Cheesecake and Greg gave it a spirited reading his facility on the borrowed horn being quite remarkable. He used his own metal Otto Link mouthpiece which gave him the hard edged sound that I like.
The second tune was one that gets played a lot at this time of year, Autumn Leaves, and Greg gave it a relaxed version that was well received by the attentive audience. Paul Hartley played well on this number and his trio were no doubt familiar with the tunes Greg called. One thing that Greg does not like to do is rehearse. He prefers to just turn up to the gig, have a quick chat to the backing musicians, and blow.
A tune that I thought went down well and that everyone handled to perfection was the John Lewis composition Afternoon In Paris. Another highspot for me was Greg's rendition of When Sunny Gets Blue. A tune that you don’t hear much these days but used to be popular at sessions in the seventies. Greg showed us his sensitive side with his version of this great ballad.
The final number of the evening was Voyage which was featured on Greg's latest double CD release Magic Dance and Greg really went to town on this. It was a fitting finale to another fantastic night at the Railway.
Next jazz night at the Railway is on Tuesday Nov. 16 with the Jim Wallace Quartet - Mike Farmer
Cheesecake; Autumn Leaves; Body and Soul; Footprints; Afternoon in Paris; Milestones; Invitation; Recorda-me; When Sunny Gets Blue; Voyage..
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