Blue Train at the Central Bar - Oct. 10

Jamie Toms (tenor sax); Pete Tanton (trumpet); Kieran Parnaby (trombone); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

Perhaps too few people know about the session. If people are aware of it, they're choosing not to go along on the second Monday in the month. Central Bar, located at the Gateshead end of the High Level Bridge, is home to one of the region's hidden jazz gems. A core quartet/quintet turns up on the night, runs through some of the numbers to be played, then take five at the bar before taking to the stand at half past seven to 'play through' an iconic album. A jam session follows. It's a simple idea and it works.

This evening John Coltrane's 1957 album (released in '58) Blue Train was the challenge. The regulars - Jamie, Alan, Mick and John - co-opted Pete Tanton (Pete as Lee Morgan!) and Kieran Parnaby (Kieran as Curtis Fuller!) and they hit the ground running with the Blue Note album's opening cut, Blue Train. Close your eyes...Jamie Toms as Trane. Yes and no. Jamie is his own man. Yes, respecting the tune, nevertheless putting his own stamp on it. Excellent! And that's what these guys do, they know the albums but play them their way. Imagine Alan Law as Kenny Drew. No way! Alan Law plays it his way and that's the law!

Trumpeter Pete Tanton's versatility gets him the gigs - the viper jazz of House of the Black Gardenia, as one of the horns in the Revolutionaires' r & b expanded band, a fixture in the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's ace trumpet section, his own 'Riviera' small group outings - and here he was, setting aside his ongoing Chet Baker project* to play some blistering hard bop. And to top it off, the Central Bar guys pushed the boat out, drafting in Kieran Parnaby to play the Curtis Fuller parts. 

Mick and John (that's M Shoulder and J Bradford) were, as ever, up to the job. As good a bass and drums pairing as you'll find. The beauty of the Central Bar sessions is the relaxed atmosphere, no one on the stand is looking to blow away band mates, it's a truly supportive setting. A jam session followed. Full marks to recent bass guitar music graduate Snaz for taking the plunge. He'll be back and he's been tipped-off about the Black Swan's jam session (next one, next week, Tuesday 18). The 'select' audience loved it, so much so there was a keen sense of anticipation about the next session. Next month it's Kenny Dorham's 'Round About Midnight at the Cafe Bohemia. Who'll be on trumpet and guitar? An educated guess suggests it'll be...Why not turn up and find out? Monday 14 November, 7:30pm. £5.00. at the door (jam session sitters-in are admitted free of charge).            

* Pete Tanton's marvellous 'Chet Baker' set can be heard three times before the month is out - Friday 14 at Bishop Auckland Town Hall (1:00pm), a week on Friday (October 21, 1:00pm) at the Lit & Phil, and on Sunday 30 (8:00pm) at the Globe on Railway Street, Newcastle. Russell

Set list: Blue Train; Moment's Notice; Locomotion; I'm Old Fashioned; Lazy Bird.