Alan Barnes with the Dean Stockdale Trio @ Bishop Auckland Town Hall - Feb. 10

Alan Barnes (alto sax, baritone sax, clarinet); Dean Stockdale (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) 

Two concert performances in the day by Alan Barnes, the first a lunchtime engagement at Bishop Auckland Town Hall, then, later in the day, his annual appearance at Opus 4 Jazz Club in Darlington. It was to be a long, but rewarding day. On his frequent visits to the region our busiest of busy jazz musicians works with the best of rhythm sections and this double header would be no different. As the full house took its seats in the Laurel Cafe (for a while Bishop Auckland was home to the great Stan Laurel), Barnes took to the floor ('stage' would be too grand a term for the intimate cafe set up) alongside pianist Dean Stockdale, bassist and promoter of the gig, Mick Shoulder, and drummer Abbie Finn.

The set list was more 'back of a beer mat' than planned concert performance. It's one of the wonders of jazz that a musician of Barnes' calibre can meet up, renew acquaintance, and, within minutes, all four are ready to go. On this occasion Barnes' arsenal comprised clarinet, alto sax and, the big beast, baritone sax. Unless you're an aficionado of Barnes the title of the first number could have eluded you. It was his own composition Tavares (for Horace Silver). Whether playing alto, baritone or clarinet, the facility is the same, that is, exceptional. Alto, then baritone, Barnes moved from one side of the room to the other, in search of a preferred acoustic. 

Stockdale, Shoulder and Finn are 'go-to' types for this sort of gig. Whichever number Barnes called they were more than up to the task: clarinet on You Don't Know What Love is (Stockdale soloing), baritone on A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, alto on You Stepped Out of a Dream. The capacity audience hung on every note, Barnes clearly relaxed, opting to play on some fifteen minutes after the scheduled close. Top class, now onto the Traveller's Rest. Russell