Strictly Smokin' Big Band @ the Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - April 28

The upper room of the Bridge Hotel was packed with wall to wall bodies. Social distancing a thing of the past. The SSBB were back with a bang!

Gordon Goodwin's Hunting Wabbits featuring Summers on curved soprano and Parnaby on 'bone got things moving. It's an odd number with some unusual twists and turns not unlike some of those George Handy arrangements for the great Boyd Raeburn Orchestra and there's no greater compliment than that for Goodwin and, ultimately, SSBB.

Ms Grace stepped up to sing Something's Gotta Give and Willow Weep For me. Alice was in good voice.

Buddy Rich's take on Norwegian Wood followed with more fine 'boning. Emotionless Funk and a number from the band's album Harlem '58 brought pianist Don to the fore. This had a Basie kick to it, Robinson excelled on alto and CKS was the featured slideman.

Clap Yo' Hands exhorted Alice and we duly did often with added vocal approval from the bleachers! Then, at last, came the moment I'd been waiting for; a number from their heavily plugged (and. I'm told, deservedly so) latest album Strictly Smokin' Big Band Sings Ella. The title suggested that the band had formed a glee club to sing songs associated with Ella Fitzgerald. Fortunately, this wasn't totally true as the only band person to do any chanting was, of course, Alice who drew rapturous applause for I Said no. I would have liked more from the album but, as it contained a gaggle of orchestral strings, a French horn, an oboe, a harp and a conductor alongside the big band the audience would have had to sit on the railway track outside with potentially dangerous consequences (see photo).

Matt Forster's baritone was heard to advantage on My One and Only Love whilst North Shore Evening raised some debate between the more knowledgeable of us as to the time signature which, further investigation revealed, was a potpourri of 3/4, 4/4 and 7/8 - not your average meter - eat your heart out Jimmy Lally!

More 'Man of the Match' playing from Graham Don on Bob Mintzer's Mr Funk before Alice wrapped things up with All the Things You Are and Almost Like Being in Love.

A great night for lovers of big band music and there's more to come tonight!

Tonight, down in Shields South (as opposed to Shields North), another of Tyneside's big bands - the Customs House Big Band - are at the Customs House along with another fine singer, Ruth Lambert. Two great bands, two great singers = two great nights. Oh and further afield, down in deepest Darlington, as part of that metropolis' jazz festival there's the Durham Alumni Big Band and the Durham Music Service Big Band in concert at the Central Hall! 

And International Jazz Day is still a day away - Lance

Michael Lamb (MD), Pete Tanton, Gordon Marshall, Dick Stacey (trumpets); Jamie Toms, Alan Marshall, Keith Robinson, Steve Summers, Matt Forster (reeds); Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby, Chris Kurgi-Smith, John Flood (trombones); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Graham Don (piano, keyboards); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Guy Swinton (drums); Alice Grace (vocals).