Alan Law (keyboards); Paul Grainger (double bass, MC); Tim Johnston (drums) + Ruth Lambert (vocals); Steve Summers (alto sax, soprano sax); Conor Emery (trombone); Jan Spencelayh (vocals); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax); Giles Strong (guitar); John Pope (double bass); Ian Drever (vocals)
It began at the old place, the 'Jazz Caff', that's the Jazz Cafe (now Prohibition Bar) on Pink Lane. Pre-lockdown the jam session moved on down the alley, left turn onto Westgate Road and down the stairs to the Black Swan. Same format - house trio, a plethora of sitters-in, and, not least, a full house of supportive jazz fans there to listen. First and third Tuesdays in the month, seven thirty sharp.
This Saturday evening (yes, Saturday!) there would be not one but two jam sessions. This being the weekend of the annual Late Shows it would prove to be the ideal platform to showcase the jam session to a wider audience. Culture vultures came and went (some staying all night), keen to sample Newcastle Arts Centre's 'offer'. Hordes descended on the place, free to wander upstairs to artists' studios, view artwork and, perhaps, make a purchase. Others looked around Details (that's the Arts Centre's art materials outlet). At intervals, many were drawn to the sounds of the Black Swan jam session in full swing. Descending the stairs, had they seen or heard anything like it? The sound of surprise...
Some of the jam session's regular participants showed their support, the first of them to get up, Steve Summers (alto sax). In good form and good fettle, Steve would soon be joined by trombonist Conor Emery. Steve, fresh from the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's album launch gig some twenty four hours earlier, and Conor tore the roof off with a blistering take on A Night in Tunisia. What did the 'cultures vultures' make of it all? Were they thinking: I didn't know this kind of thing went on in Newcastle?! Well, if they didn't, they do now!
Jan Spencelayh sang Night and Day supported by the rhythm section (John Pope stepping in on bass) and the excellent trombone playing of recent Newcastle University graduate Conor Emery. Well done, Jan, great stuff! Meanwhile, guitarist Giles Strong arrived (oh, yes!), similarly Esther Coombes (clarinet) and alto sax wizard, Luis Verde.
Ruth Lambert would feature later in the evening, but for now you culture vultures, this is what Ruth can do. Ruth, Luis et al took Caravan to the cleaners. Superb! And to close, it was all in on Things Ain't What They Used to Be.
There would be a short intermission. Recharge your glass and make your way from the Black Swan Bar through to the Black Swan Venue.
Late Night Special Jam session @ The Black Swan Venue, Newcastle Arts Centre - May 18
Ruth Lambert (vocals); Alan Law (keyboards); Giles Strong (guitar); Paul Grainger (double bass, MC); Tim Johnston (drums) + Luis Verde (alto sax); Jan Spencelayh (vocals); Conor Emery (trombone); David Gray (trombone, trumpet); John Pope (double bass)
At ten o'clock the action moved little more than half a dozen paces into the more spacious Black Swan Venue. Ruth Lambert as host, Giles Strong, Alan Law, Paul Grainger and Tim Johnston the house band, the Late Night Special got under way. No Moon at All sang Ruth. Our vocalist has sung - and swung - the standard many a time. It just keeps on getting better. Hoagy's Skylark is another of Ruth's favourites. This evening, put this one down as an 'I was there' occasion, Ruth sang, accompanied by Luis Verde. One word...sublime.
Showtime arrived, no doubt hotfoot from a gig somewhere in town. Rodgers and Hart's This Can't Be Love featured the contrasting trombones of David Gray (of 'Showtime' fame) and Conor Emery, augmented by Steve Summers. (reeds). One Note Samba had a million of them (notes, that is), Ruth moved out into the fast lane to tell us all about her West Coast Blues, Jan Spencelayh returned, as did Paul Grainger (John Pope out) for an assured take on Angel Eyes. It was getting late. To close, Ruth Lambert called On the Sunny Side of the Street. Of late David Gray has been playing as much trumpet as trombone. Showtime has been in the woodshed, that's for sure. No kidding, Louis Armstrong sprung to mind! Fans of Ruth - and David - will be pleased to hear Ruth handled the vocals!
It had been a long night. Newcastle Arts Centre's many behind-the-scenes nooks and crannies had been explored by hundreds of folk, the regular Black Swan jam session is sure to have picked up one or two new fans, job done. Just one more thing, don't think for one moment that the Main Man had been forgotten. Not one bit. For ten years Paul Grainger has been the driving force behind the amazing success of the Jazz Cafe/Black Swan jam session. Social media posts, call, texts, emails, word-of-mouth, you name it, Paul has done it all. Here's to the next ten years. From everyone who has sat in or simply turned up to listen over the last ten years, thanks Paul. Here's to the next ten years! Russell
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