The first of three non-stop days of jazz began with the now traditional Tribute to Mike and Awards Ceremony. Trumpeter Enrico Tomasso led the session paying tribute to Classic Jazz Party (formerly Whitley Bay Jazz Festival) founder, the late Mike Durham. An all-British outfit, augmented by the brilliant American drummer Josh Duffee, played a half hour set prior to the Village Hotel audience being introduced to the recipient of the 2022 Young Talent Award winner, Curtis Volp (see photo). The sellout crowd looked forward to hearing Curtis (guitar, banjo) at various junctures over the long weekend.
Making his CJP debut, Colin Good was accorded the honour of being Friday evening's piano 'professor'. The first of three CJP pianists awarded professorial status, Mr Good made a big impression.
Later in the evening another fine pianist, Martin Litton, presented a wonderful tribute to Teddy Wilson - Teddy Wilson Small Groups - focussing upon Wilson's small group sessions from 1935 - 1944. Don't Be That Way (comp. Benny Goodman & Edgar Sampson) introduced another CJP debutant, string bassist ('string bass', this is the Classic Jazz Party, you know!), Harry Evans. Take it as read, the man was a revelation. Hopefully he'll be invited to participate in future editions of the CJP. Flying Home had to be in Litton's set and it was. A cracking set, Litton's sidemen, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso (another debutant, most impressive), trombonist Christoph Hermann (yet another first timer, coming from Germany's classical music world), Jean François Bonnel, Lars Frank (a CJP favourite, a multi-talented, multi-reedsman), French rhythm king Félix Hunot (banjo, guitar) and Richard Pite (à la batterie, as our French friends might say) more than played their part.
The day's final concert in the main hall finished at 11:00pm but that didn't mean it was time for bed, far from it. A rip-roaring jam session was about to begin in the bar. A pint of Guinness, please! All seats taken, standing room at the bar, trumpet ace Malo Mazurié was to lead the session. And what a session it would be!
N'Awlins-based pianist David Boeddinghaus guaranteed a rollicking, paddle steamer, stride masterclass as one soloist after another stepped up to blow the roof off the place. The cast list would take an age to list, suffice to say, as the Guinness went down, pint after pint, the ever-changing rhythm section built up a head of steam and kept going into the night. Mazurié's fellow trumpeter,
Torstein Kubban is just the sort to have on a jam session, his blistering attack had the crowded bar whooping 'n' a hollerin'. It was silly o'clock in the early hours of Saturday morning when it all came to an end. It would soon be time for an early breakfast. Russell
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