Ed Kainyek Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Oct. 4

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Ed Kainyek (alto sax); Andrzej Baranek (keys); Gavin Barras (bass); Tim Franks (drums)

This was supposed to be the Steve Oakes Band who have a residency here on the first Tuesday but the jazz gremlins were up to their tricks again and although the band were all here, there was no sign of Steve Oakes. 

However, the show must go on as the saying goes and Ed Kainyek stepped into the breech and took on the role of bandleader selecting most of the tunes and doing all the announcements. He knows many tunes and the ones that he called tonight were an interesting mixture of standards, some well known but also some not very often heard in jazz clubs such as Billy Joel’s Just the Way You Are. Ed certainly has an ear for a good tune.

As the evening wore on, I wondered what had caused the non-appearance of Steve Oakes and I did hear that it was car-related but the details remain a mystery.

I liked all the tunes played but if pressed to select a favourite, I would pick Off the Wagon, a tune that I heard recently played by Simon Spillett during his quartet gig at the Swanage Jazz Festival. Ed’s version was on alto but he reminded me of a CD that I’ve not played for ages which Tubby Hayes made in New York with Clark Terry and on which this catchy tune was featured. 

Also tonight, Andrzej Baranek had a trio feature on Bud Powell’s Crazeology in which he got to show his up-tempo bebop chops and if you need a musician to handle those tricky bop tunes he is the guy to get. Tim Franks and Gavin Barras did excellent work as usual on bass and drums.

The next jazz night at the Railway is on Sunday Oct. 9  with tenor saxist Dean Masser. Mike Farmer

 

Days of Wine and Roses; How Deep is the Ocean?; Off the Wagon; Poor Butterfly; Crazeology; On the Street Where You Live; Just the Way You Are; Stay Loose With Bruce; It Could Happen to You; That’s All; Alone Together.