Weekday lunchtime/afternoon sessions abound across Tyneside and County Durham. A recent trip to London presented an opportunity to see how they do things daytime in the capital city. Tucked away in an alley off Gray's Inn Road (more or less behind the site of the much-missed Mole Jazz Records), Jamboree is but two minutes' walk from King's Cross Railway Station. Three o'clock Wednesdays, TJ Johnson holds court. On this occasion, prior to playing the first of two sets, pianist and vocalist Johnson chatted amiably with the audience. Casual, relaxed, no intro, TJ sat at the house upright and began to play.
Old Fashioned Love with vocals, Pennies from Heaven with vocals, a simple format appreciated by an audience comprising regulars and out-of-towners. One Hundred Years from Today sang our man, Dr John's Your Average Kind of Guy, Joe Turner's big number Cherry Red, TJ knew 'em all. A short interval and TJ was back on the stand, this time in the company of tenor saxophonist Brian Everington. Seated with his sax almost touching the floor, Everington, like TJ, knew all of the numbers - On the Sunny Side of the Street , Down by the Riverside and more. The chances are TJ and Everington have worked together on countless occasions, hopefully there'll be many more such occasions. Russell
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