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| (© Roly Veitch) |
Pete Tanton (trumpet, vocals); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)
1954/2023, a warm summer's evening, sitting on the terrace with a chilled beer, musicians chewing the fat. Familiar faces strolled in, nodding to other familiar faces, the recently refurbished Black Bull as welcoming as ever. Chet's/Pete's trumpet on its stand awaited the arrival of its audience. The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach is a million miles - metaphorically speaking - from Blaydon-on-Tyne but on a night like this the views from the terrace looking out across the Tyne take some beating. Chet/Pete and the boys sauntered in, the Chet Set was about to begin.
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| (© Russell) |
Chet Baker 'tribute acts' must be ten a dime, in the case of Pete Tanton's Chet Baker homage, our man has one up on many, he's from Alabama, USA! The accent does it, the trumpet playing too, if you're into West Coast cool, Pete's your man. The More I See You, I Fall in Love Too Easily, we were listening to mid-fifties' Chet Baker. Along for the ride (Chet's/Pete's Cadillac was parked up outside the Black Bull) were buddies Alan Law, Mick Shoulder and John Bradford. They ain't American but, being jazz cats, they too possess their share of 'cool'. A short, one verse take on I Get Along Without You Very Well then But Not for Me closed out a fine first set.
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| (© Roly Veitch) |
Let's Get Lost (Alan Law playing typically 'Alan Law' tension and release piano) resumed affairs, My Funny Valentine had to be in the set list and it was. Pete recently confided that until recently he hadn't sung the number in public (excellent trumpet playing on this one). Just Friends summed up the evening. The John Klenner/Sam M Lewis number has been performed countless times at jazz clubs up and down the land, including here at Blaydon Jazz Club. And to close, another chart often played and sung right here in the Black Bull lounge, Look for the Silver Lining. From Roly Veitch (Blaydon Jazz Club) to Pete Tanton, the music of Chet Baker lives on.
The Chet Set has been well received across the region and, with dogged determination and a bit of luck, Pete and the guys could well realise the dream of taking it on the road - London, New York, West Coast... Russell
Set list: The More I See You; I Fall in Love Too Easily; There Will Never Be Another You; You Don't Know What Love Is; My Buddy; That Old Feeling; I Get Along Without You Very Well; But Not for Me; I Remember You; Let's Get Lost; My Funny Valentine; Time After Time; Just Friends; It Could Happen to You; Look for the Silver Lining.
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For anyone who doesn't already know - the river just here was where Blaydon Island (aka Dent's Meadow) was situated. On this large island was held the Blaydon Races in it's heyday (1861 - 65). The island, along with others downriver at Dunston (Big Annie, Little Annie) were removed by the Tyne Improvement Commission in the 1870s, along with dredging work and 'improvements' to river banks. All for improved navigability to enable heavy goods transportation by bigger boats. The Races were revived up river at Stella Haugh in the 1880s and lasted till 1916. The Commission's work along with the growth of the railways and the building of large timber staiths signalled the end for the legendary keelmen. They had plied their trade on the river for hundreds of years. PS. I've heard there was actually a pub on Great Annie. Presumably drinkers boated across or maybe swam over in their determination to have a nice pint.
To correct myself, the larger island was King's Meadow not Big Annie. The pub on the island was Countess of Coventry.
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