Jam session @ the Black Swan part one - Oct. 4

Dean Stockdale (piano); Paul Grainger (bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Richard Rutherford (bass guitar); John Pope  (bass); Abbie Finn, Kris Finney, Felix Parkin-Crispin (drums); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Haaruun Miller (alto sax); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Jan Spencelayh, Ian Drever, Kay De'Ath (vocals); Murray Wankling  (piano); Ray Burns (harmonica).

The lights were low, in fact some were nonexistent, was this the energy crisis kicking in? However, it did add to the jazz club aura - all that was missing was the smoke - and the opening set by the house trio maintained that Oscar Peterson at Birdland feeling by posing questions such as Have You Met Miss Jones? and How Deep is the Ocean? as well as a rather drawn out Body and Soul that seemed to incorporate a lot of the keyboard's black notes.

Paul Grainger, who rarely gets a break at these impromptu occasions got two tonight the first one being when Richard Rutherford took to the stand with a 5 string, long neck, 'lecky' bass.

He got a good groove going on Sissy Strut and Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - impressed!

Impressive too was the heir apparent tenor king Keeble. In a Mellotone was taken faster than Duke's original intent whilst the Autumn Leaves didn't just drift by my window they flew! Mrs Keeble to be also drummed up a storm. Needless to say Stockdale and the refreshed Grainger held their ground.

Time for some singing. Jan did Norah Jones proud with Don't Know Why and Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog would surely have had that lady's approval as I'm sure that cat Felix also would have - he gets better and better every session.

PG once again vacated the stand entrusting his db to JP, seemingly still in one piece after the weekend's improv festival.

Now many have debated as to whether Sinatra and (Tony) Bennett are or are not jazz singers. Ian Drever's rendering of Come Fly With me and The Good Life made a strong case for the no faction. 

That fine young guitarist Egglestone, Felix and, later, the inscrutable Kris Finney joined Dean and John for a couple of meandering numbers that, despite an excellent bass solo and and an extended drum workout by Kris never quite got off the ground.

The great, the good and their next door neighbours have all, for some unfathomable reason, had a go at Summertime. Equally surprising is how Ella Fitzgerald managed to make a hit out of that most mundane of Cole Porter's many songs Every Time we Say Goodbye. 

With Murray on piano Kay De'Ath, who, on her previous visit had impressed me with her version of Stormy Weather, elected to sing those two (in my opinion) also rans and, despite the presence of Haaruun on alto and some 'mouthie' from Ray Burns, did nothing to change that opinion.

It was at this point I had to leave - buses to be missed, trains to be caught, domestic issues to be attended to however, the saga will continue via Russell - Lance