Michael McQuaid (clarinet, trumpet); David Horniblow (clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax); Alistair Allan (trombone); Martin Litton (piano); Julian Bury (double bass, drums); Richard Pite (drums, double bass)
It was in the early hours when the Cable Theft Gang struck. Somewhere in the Retford area a section of East Coast main line cable went missing...Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Round up the usual suspects.Trains cancelled, trains delayed, best laid plans 'n' all that ...
The proposed non-stop service from Newcastle to King's Cross wasn't going anywhere, period. All aboard the next available train. Aboard the next available train it was standing room only, a much desired scenario at a jazz gig but not on a train. The best part of one hour late arriving in London, it was touch and go as to whether or not your correspondent would make it in time for the down beat at the Spice of Life.
Arriving at Cambridge Circus with seconds to spare, just time to order a pint of Guinness, Martin Litton's Uptown Hall Gang made a start with Mel Powell's My Guy's Come Back.
The troops on parade were familiar faces, veterans of the Classic Jazz Party up on North Tyneside: Michael McQuaid (clarinet and trumpet); David Horniblow (reeds); Alistair Allan playing mellifluous trombone; Richard Pite (Spice of Life MC, drummer and, on one number this afternoon, string bass) and, of course, pianist Martin Litton. The one new face, new to BSH, was bassist Julian Bury. Litton's men, much like members of Glenn Miller's Army Airforce Band, were making a quiet buck on this Uptown Hall Gang gig.
Litton's informative and witty commentary evoked time (early '40s) and place (WW II Paris), small group sessions (minus Miller), working with Django Reinhardt, all very romantic. Mel Powell originals (Triple), standards (Rosetta, Lady Be Good), whatever the material Litton's men read their parts like the pros they are. Where or When, a dangerously modern Night in Tunisia, I'll Remember April, the Uptown Hall Gang's tight ensemble playing and frequent hot solos entertained the Spice of Life's Monday lunchtime regulars and the occasional out of town visitor. Russell
1 comment :
Ah! The Uptown Hall Gang. Bernie Priven, Peanuts Hucko, Carmen Mastren. Ray McKinley and Mel Powell - one of the most underrated jazz pianists of all-time. I think I'll go and play my Esquire album of the band who had that nice easy swing of the pre-bop bands.
Shame about the cable theft that delayed your arrival but at least you weren't flying across The Channel in a light aircraft in bad weather and you did at least get there.
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