West Coast Octet @ the Railway, Stockport - May 9

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Eileen Guppy (piano); Paul Hartley (guitar); Ben Wilshire (bass); Andy Bold (drums); Gair Carson (tenor sax); Duncan Winfield (trombone); Neil Kershaw (flugel); Simon Reynolds (baritone sax).

Dave Pell (1925-2017) worked as a sideman in many well known big bands such as Shorty Rogers, Gene Krupa, and Les Brown. He also worked in the Hollywood film and recording studios and many famous jazz musicians including Art Pepper, Benny Carter and Pepper Adams passed through the ranks of his octet. As a saxophonist he was heavily influenced by Lester Young but as a bandleader his small groups had a distinct west coast sound.

This tribute band played twenty tunes tonight which has got to be a record for total numbers played at this venue. Paul Hartley did a great job handling the guitar parts but also introduced each tune and proved to be an entertaining and informative narrator.  Pell used the best arrangers for his octet and tonight we got to hear some interesting arrangements by Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers and Mel Tormé etc.

There were two young musicians that I had not seen before at the Railway and they had an important role in the proceedings. They were Simon Reynolds on baritone sax and Neil Kershaw on flugelhorn and I would like to hear more from both of them.

Everyone played their parts well and contributed solos but they were short ones due to the restrictions of the arrangements, most of which I liked. Highspots for me were Mountain Greenery. If I Had You, and Angel Eyes mainly because I just like those tunes! I once picked up a real bargain at a charity shop for  50p which was a CD titled Dave Pell Octet Live at Alphonse's and another bargain buy was from an antique shop in Geelong, Australia, last year which I haven’t got round to playing yet. This was Dave Pell Plays Today's Hits in Jazz some of which were featured in tonight's concert. 

It was pleasing to see a good Tuesday night turnout. The next jazz night at the Railway is on Sunday May 14 with the Dave Lynane Quartet. Mike Farmer

Walking my Baby Back Home; Isle of Capri; Angel Eyes; Working On The Railroad; Mountain Greenery; Cast Your Fate to the Wind; Java Junction; You Are Too Beautiful; Have You Met Miss Jones?; And a Piece of Pie; Tishomingo Blues; Forty Second Street; Six Two Five; If I Had You; Ballin’ the Jack; Shimmy Sha Wobble; By The River St Marie; Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered; One Note Samba; Like Someone in Love