The Frosty the Snowman Black Swan jam session - Dec. 13

Murray Wankling (piano); John Pope (double bass, vocals); John Bradford (drums) + Ben Phillips (piano); David Gray (trombone, vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Elliott Todd (trumpet); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Aaron Jackman (vocals); Ian Drever (vocals)

It was cold, so very cold. A freezing Black Swan made it difficult to concentrate. Musicians were thin on the ground, likewise audience. The many students were absent, in part due to a Newcastle University Jazz Orchestra student ball engagement. The Main Man, P Grainger, was gigging out of town. Stepping into his big bass shoes, JP, that's John Pope. Murray Wankling played piano and, completing the house trio, drummer John Bradford.

Blue Monk survived the Arctic temperatures, the unlikely/seasonal choice of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel kind of worked, less so, a frantic Beautiful Love. After a while, Murray took five, enabling Ben Phillips (pictured above) to play some piano - and how! Backing Showtime, that's the irrepressible David Gray, Phillips impressed as Gray sang White Christmas with, wait for it, a whistled chorus! John Rowland hadn't been seen in a while, yet here he was on the coldest jam session night of the year. Tenor in hand, Rowland called Bright Mississippi, Phillips saying: Ah! And so we got Monk going into a swinging Basie-esque section with a nod to Sweet Georgia Brown. The only thing missing was a whistling Showtime!

All Blues featured Elliott Todd, he's another one we hadn't seen or heard for a while. Just as Pete Tanton did on Monday evening at Gateshead's Central Bar, Todd blew convincing Milesian trumpet. Things were hotting up - the music, not the radiators. Edgar Bell sat in, Ian Drever was in the house and whenever Ian gets up, you're in for a full-on wannabe Sinatra performance. This being the time of year, we heard (loud and clear) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. 

An element of surprise at a jam session is key. This evening a young man - in his teens? - got up to sing. His first choice, I Wan'na Be Like You, was kinda alright, but then, what do you know? The young man, Aaron Jackman his name, hit the bullseye with Black Pumas' Colors. The house trio didn't know the number, no matter, a quick search, mobiles providing the sheet music, they were ready to go. Great stuff! Let's hope Aaron makes a swift return.   

Earlier in the evening, in an aside, your correspondent suggested John Pope could sing a number. No way! was the reply, JP quickly adding: Maybe, later. And later in the evening that 'maybe' turned into a 'definitely' as he sang Mose Allison's Your Mind is on Vacation. Excellent! It was worth braving/enduring the Arctic conditions to hear Aaron and JP exercising their vocal chords. More please in 2023, and more horn players and more, more everything! Russell