David Gray (trombone, vocals); Richard Herdman (guitar); Alan Law (piano); Jude Murphy (double bass, vocals)
Conversation led to the idea that they should play some 'pop jazz'. Prohibition Bar offered a platform and here we were on a Sunday evening on Pink Lane. The assembled quartet - David Gray, trombone, pedal board (!) and vocals, Richard Herdman, guitar, Alan Law, piano, Jude Murphy, double bass and vocals - pieced together a set list, not exactly last minute, nevertheless, as Jude confided, they would be 'flying by the seat of their pants'.
Pop, pop and more pop, but first, Someday My Prince Will Come. David and Jude prominent (make that loud, louder than their band mates), Alan, as ever, soulful and swinging, Richard the ideal accompanist and on-the-money soloist. Lazy Sunday Afternoon, The Sound of Silence, Brass in Pocket, all firmly established in popular culture, Showtime (that's David Gray) and Jude shared the vocals, occasionally harmonising, the audience liked what it was hearing. Pachelbel (yes, it was an eclectic set list!) with Showtime quoting Streets of London, falsetto vocals on Sylvester's You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real), 'pop jazz' it was.
Second set, the room filling up (two or three musicians taking a front row seat), The Last Train to Clarkesville, a too easy 'guess the tune' - Wichita Lineman with 'bone and guitar unison lines, an ambitious stab at Stairway to Heaven and Adele's Make You Feel My Love, it had been an entertaining, if not unusual, evening. Highlights? Bowie's Let's Dance with Showtime's impassioned vocals and supercharged, effect-laden trombone playing and, bringing it on home, Jude,à la, Sting, singing Roxanne. Russell
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