Magnus Pickering (cornet, vocals); Joe Pickering (reeds); Daniel Pickering (trombone); Harrison Dolphin (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass); Robbie Ellison (drums)
Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club always pulls a crowd. If it's a Saturday lunchtime at St Augustine's on Larchfield Street then there's every chance of hearing the sounds of jazz from 'way down yonder'. Today's offering came from the Deep South alright, 'way down yonder in London town'. Yes, the Windy City Weatherbirds, on their first trip 'up north' were about to play a third and final concert on their north of Watford Gap mini tour. Yesterday the Weatherbirds played to a full house lunchtime audience at the Lit and Phil in Newcastle followed by a marvellous evening session in Hexham. Today it was the turn of Darlington's jazz fans to hear what the Weatherbirds were all about.
First of all, the lads - Magnus, Joe, Daniel, Harrison and Robbie plus one Mr P Grainger - proved to be 'no bother' types, just the sort you hope to encounter at a gig. St Augustine's filled up, the Weatherbirds, almost entirely unamplified (what a rarity!) took to the stage, and for the next couple of hours they set about entertaining all present. The programme familiar (Newcastle, then Hexham, now Darlington), and all the better for that, band leader Magnus Pickering wasn't accustomed to singing without a mic but what a great job he made of it, his voice projecting to the far reaches of the room. The front-line Pickering brothers took the bulk of the solos, guitarist Harrison Dolphin, with minimal amplification, gabbed one or two for himself, the audience as attentive as an audience could be, letting the young man know they liked what they were hearing.
The rhythm section - guitarist Harrison, drummer Robbie Ellison and the one dep on the tour, bassist Paul Grainger - purred like a well-oiled machine. All the more remarkable given that a little more than twenty four hours earlier Paul met up with the Weatherbirds for the first time!
The set list mirrored - and expanded upon - those in Newcastle and Hexham...I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, If I Had You, At the Jazz Band Ball, Magnus, Joe to his right, Daniel to his left, soloed with ease, almost with abandon, their fluidity more than impressive.
The Windy City Weatherbirds have acquired many new fans 'up north'. Introducing the band one more time, Magnus referred to their dep bassist as 'the magnificent Paul Grainger'. Say no more! The consensus at all three gigs - Newcastle, Hexham and Darlington- was that the band should make a return visit, one wag suggesting 'next week'! They'll be back, you can bet on it. Russell
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