The Bold Big Band @ The Black Swan, Newcastle - May 11

Other than this year's Great North Big Band Jazz Festival, December 2019 was the last time the Bold Big Band gave a full concert performance. From past experience we knew what to expect, not for nothing is the Newcastle based ensemble called the Bold Big Band! MD Danny Wilson presided over affairs, the band kicking off in style with a typically rip-roaring Caravan. The audience, comprised almost exclusively of Newcastle University undergraduates, liked what was on offer and applause would ring out solo after solo for the remainder of the evening.

The Bold Big Band is made up of Newcastle University undergraduates and alumni. It was noted just how settled the line-up is, no mean feat considering the pandemic and graduating students moving on. Indeed, for the first two of three sets, guitarist James Cuxson sat in the rhythm section sight-reading the charts having earlier in the day travelled up from Leeds. The usual names - composers and arrangers - featured throughout the evening: Gordon Goodwin, Tom Kubis, Erik Morales, Sammy Nestico et al. 

Tom Alcorn (a final year student?) played some blistering trumpet and flugelhorn, alto saxophonist Jacob Lightfoot stepped up as principal soloist in the reeds, Bertie Marks and Alex Utting prominent among the trombones, and southpaw guitarist James Cuxson contributed some fine work (his journey north well worthwhile). The drummers, yes, two of them, fine big band drummers both, rotated on the drum stool: medic Dan Arenstein and Caleb (is it Caleb Durant?).      

            

Pianist Harry Knott had plenty of dots to read, as did the rest of the band. We rarely, if ever, see Knott, and some of the others, at jam sessions. More's the pity. Recent graduate Ifedi Osiyemi is still around and this evening he played his usual dual role of bassist and vocalist. On the vocal numbers (The Lady is a Tramp and L-O-V-E.) Osiyemi came down front, first Cuxson taking over on bass (as a left-hander playing the instrument upside down!), then, third set, fellow guitarist Ben Davies* (orthodox right-hander) similarly played bass as Osiyemi sang. The Bold Big Band is an entertaining, not to mention accomplished, outfit. The band went out where it came in - blowing the roof off - on Gordon Goodwin's Count Bubba.    

* Ben Davies late arrival was down to the fact he had a gig earlier in the evening, MD Wilson saying the guitarist's services are in great demand.  Russell     

Tom Alcorn, Danny Wilson, Thomas ?, Oli Presland (trumpets); Jacob Lightfoot (alto sax, clarinet), Emma ? (alto sax, clarinet), Cristina ? (tenor sax, clarinet), ? (tenor sax), Brian Wicks (baritone sax); ? (trombone), Bertie Marks (trombone), Alex Utting (trombone), ? (trombone); James Cuxson (guitar, bass guitar); Harry Knott (piano); Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar, vocals); Caleb ? (drums), Dan Arenstein (drums) + Ben Davies (guitar, bass guitar)