The Central Bar Quartet: Lou Donaldson's Gravy Train @ Central Bar, Gateshead - Dec. 3

Jamie Toms (alto sax); Alan Law (keyboards); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

A wintry December Sunday afternoon. FA Cup ties and the draw for the third round on the telly*, snooker too. It had all the makings of a 'stay-at-home' kind of day. Well, for some. Others had better things to do...heading to Gateshead's Central Bar being one of them. 

It had been a while since Jamie Toms put in an appearance on Half Moon Lane. This afternoon, setting to one side his trusty tenor, our Strictly Smokin' man opted to play alto sax in recreating Lou Donaldson's 1961 Blue Note Gravy Train album. As Toms, Alan Law, Mick Shoulder and John Bradford opened with the album's title track all seats were taken. Yes, a second consecutive full house.  

Cast iron, at times biting, alto from Toms, Alan Law knocking out some tremendous solos, not to be outdone, Mick Shoulder contributing several melodic solos, and then there was the ubiquitous John Bradford, a drummer for every occasion. In selecting Lou Donaldson's album, Jamie Toms ensured great variety - the title track, Polka Dots and Moonbeams, Twist Time's classic Blue Note sound and Glory of Love. 

The Gravy Train album done and dusted, the second set offered a similarly eclectic mix of material ranging from Cookin' to Paul Desmond's Wendy to a driving Bohemia After Dark to an unlikely Return of the Prodigal Son. An interesting choice of numbers made for a most enjoyable afternoon.                   

      

* Third Round: Sunderland v Newcastle! Russell

Set list: Gravy Train album (Gravy Train; South of the Border; Polka Dots and Moonbeams; Avalon; Candy; Twist Time; Glory of Love) + Cookin'; Lucky Southern; Wendy; Bohemia After Dark; Return of the Prodigal Son.