Max Rosen/Sam Lightwing Quartet @ the Railway, Stockport - Nov 7

(© Jeff Pritchard)

Max Rosen (keys); Sam Lightwing (tenor sax); Peter Hartley (bass); Tim Franks (drums)

Last Sunday at the Railway we heard Dave Lynane with his band containing three veteran jazz musicians and one relative newcomer (Martin Longhawn) and tonight we heard three young up and coming musicians and one veteran (Tim Franks). Age is immaterial in jazz and all that matters is the end result and it was good to see a larger than usual audience in the music room to check out what this band had to offer.

I have seen tenorman Sam Lightwing when he was here on a previous occasion and I remember being impressed by his sound and his technique. I liked his choice of tunes tonight as they were all from the classic jazz repertoire that included composers such as Ellington; Herbie Hancock; Jobim; Ray Noble; Coltrane; Wayne Shorter etc. It was hard to pick out any highlights but I always like to hear On Green Dolphin Street played well and they gave it a lively workout. Max Rosen who I have not saw before was playing a Yamaha keyboard and although I liked his solos and comping he had the volume a tad too loud. It could be I was sitting a bit too near his speaker but the balance did improve during the second set.  Mention must be made of the great job done by Peter Hartley on his triangular bass and I enjoyed his solos immensely. Tim Franks got to do an extended solo on the closing number Trane’s Mr P.C. 

The next jazz night at the Railway is on Sunday Nov 12 with the Phil Nicholas Quartet. Mike Farmer

 

Tenor Madness;Wave; On Green Dolphin Street; Footprints; Things Ain’t What They Used To Be; Stella By Starlight; My Foolish Heart; Watermelon Man; Bye Bye Blackbird; Quiet Nights; Cherokee; All the Things You Are; Mr P.C.