 |
| (© Jeff Pritchard) |
Dean always sounds great but tonight he excelled himself and if I were asked to pick out any highlights if would a hard task as I liked all of the ten numbers he played. He always draws a good crowd and even before a note had been heard the music room was overflowing with eager jazz fans. The rhythm section was a particularly strong one being driven along by drummer Gaz Hughes who recently played here on April 2 with the Dean Stockdale Quartet. I thought this was the ideal group of musicians to interpret Dean’s music and right from the opening number On Green Dolphin Street they were operating at a level of high intensity.
Dean pointed out that if Dexter Gordon was still alive he would be over 100 years old and that was a cue for a fast tempo rendition in the second set of Fried Bananas. People often forget that as well as being a fantastic tenor player, Dexter wrote many wonderful and interesting tunes such as Cheesecake and Soy Califa. When I chat with Dean, Dexter’s name is often mentioned but Dean is also a big fan of Sonny Rollins and the closing number of the first set was Jerome Kern’s I’ve Told Every Little Star which is a tune Rollins recorded. Dean’s version followed the Rollins arrangement and I liked the way he inserted a short burst of Bud Powell’s Parisian Thoroughfare into his solo. This was certainly the place to be for anyone wanting to hear some exciting modern jazz and my message to Dean is come back soon.
The next jazz night at the Railway is on Tuesday April 11 with the Paul Hartley Quartet with Bryan Pendleton playing the music of George Gershwin. 9-11pm. Mike Farmer
On Green Dolphin Street; Well Read; Back Chat;In a Sentimental Mood; I've Told Every Little Star; Just a Splash; Stirling Work; Fried Bananas; Whisper Not; Billie’s Bounce.
No comments :
Post a Comment