A not-so-quiet midsummer Black Swam jam session - August 15

Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Fiona Finden (curved soprano); Rachel Richman, Luis Verde, Paul Ruddick (alto sax); Harry Keeble, Nick Gould, Ian White (tenor sax); Stu Finden (baritone sax); Ferg Kilsby, Edgar Bell, Shivan Ruddick (trumpet); Stu Collingwood (piano); Giles Strong (guitar); Jude Murphy (double bass, flute, vocals); Jamie Watkins (bass guitar); Abbie Finn, Bailey Rudd, Felix Parkin-Christie, Dan Potter, Kris Finney (drums); Jan Spencelayh, Ian Drever, Niffi Osiyemi, Kate O'Neill, Jane Gould, Bethany (vocals)

August, schools out, students backpacking, others holidaying, it was likely to be a sparse turn out. Nope, just the opposite! As the seven thirty down beat approached the Black Swan was filling up nicely, lots of new faces, too. The house trio - Alan Law, Paul Grainger and Tim Johnston - warmed up with a couple of tunes before inviting the first of many sitters-in to step up.

Up from Teesside, Jan Spencelayh, singing Angel Eyes, accompanied by Rachel Richman playing alto. The applause said it all, we were impressed, all the indications were it was going to be a canny night. Every Breath You Take ('for Mary' said pianist Alan Law, the Mary in question blushing) sang Jan, this time accompanied by Harry Keeble's tenor sax. Cue more raucous applause. Tim Johnston vacated the drum stool in favour of Abbie Finn. And, what's more, we heard an Abbie Finn tune! And get this, it wasn't out of place, not one bit!

Newcastle resident Spaniard, Luis Verde joined the party to play Blue Bossa. Ah, this was the business! If you're yet to hear Luis, do yourself a favour...And it just kept on getting better, Bailey Rudd (drums), Ferg Kilsby (trumpet) on a killing Maiden Voyage. Superb playing all round. 

Look who's in the house...Giles Strong! Sitting behind the horn players, GS was somewhat obscured from view, no matter, he chose to play If I Should Lose You. What a great musician! The merry-go-round was picking up apace: Felix (drums), Edgar (trumpet), none other than Jude Murphy, Jude, playing double bass and singing Night and Day. Yep, it just kept on getting better. 

The place was heaving as the Goulds - Jane and Nick - took to the floor. Jane singing This Masquerade, Nick, always a welcome visitor, playing his trusty tenor. Talented couples were at every turn: Abbie and Harry, Jane and Nick, the Findens, that's Fiona (minutes earlier stepping off a train from London) playing a curved soprano, and Stu grappling with his baritone sax, later the Ruddicks (Paul and Shivan, alto and trumpet respectively). 

There was Kate O'Niell and Ian Drever, Kate singing I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free, Mr D belting out The Shadow of Your Smile (Mr D fortunate to have Stu Collingwood as piano accompanist). Jamie Watkins dropped by, so too Dan Potter, if anyone is omitted from this review blame it on the Workie Ticket (4.5%)! Last, but by no means least, up jumped Niffi Osiyemi - After You've Gone and more. As the witching hour approached MC Paul Grainger assembled the troops, that's all the horn players, plus rhythm section. So many were out front it was impossible to count them all, perhaps fifteen and more. A crazy night, more next time, next time being Tuesday, September 5. It's the jam session you dare not miss! Russell