The Black Swan jam session - June 4

Ben Phillips (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Bailey Rudd (drums) + Luis Verde (alto sax); Edgar Bell (cornet); Liam Oliver (guitar); Lara Hopper (trumpet); John Rowland (tenor sax); Theo (drums); Ben Davies (guitar); Owen Jones (double bass); Stuart Turner (guitar); Becky Tuck (vocals); Anna Heslop (vocals); Martin Waugh (piano); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Ian Drever (vocals); Shayo (vocals); Jo (vocals); Oscar Nolan (vocals); Jack (guitar); Logan (vocals)

Night and Day, Beautiful Love, Blue Bossa, three standards, the house trio (Bailey Rudd answering a last minute call) nicely warmed up. Newcastle Arts Centre's bi-monthly jam session (first and third Tuesdays) adopts a simple formula - trio plus a succession of friends old and new sitting in - and it works. 

This evening the Black Swan attracted the faithful and a fair number of new faces there to listen and/or sit in. The first of those to throw their hats into the ring on Footprints offered up a startling contrast - Luis Verde (blowing amazing alto sax) riding the crest of a wave, Edgar Bell (holding a cornet) a man overboard. Señor Verde, now with the floor to himself, chose to play You Don't Know What Love is. Magnificent, simply magnificent.

Lara Hopper, trumpet, is fast becoming a 'must hear' musician. Leading from the front, Bye Bye Blackbird, In a Mellow Tone and a duo take with tenor saxophonist John Rowland on Blue Monk made a big impression. In her mid-teens, Lara is something of a veteran here at the Black Swan, so much so she would later return to first play an extended solo on The Nearness of You, then blowing on Doxy. Great stuff! The Nolan brothers were in town. Theo enjoyed a lengthy spell behind the traps (Bailey networking at the bar) as Stuart Turner turned up, ditto bassist Owen Jones and singer Becky Tuck. Later in the evening Oscar Nolan would sing I Get a Kick Out of You. Talented lads! 

As MC P. Grainger kept an eye on things Jamie Watkins took on the bass duties, accompanying a succession of vocalists including Anna Heslop and, direct from her Bigg Market residency, the impressive Jo. Sinatra wannabe Ian Drever belted out The Lady is a Tramp and A Foggy Day, Shayo sang Lullaby of Birdland accompanied by the ever-excellent Martin Waugh at the piano. Great to see Martin making the trip from Edinburgh. 

It was gone ten, the Esther Coombes Experience/Extravaganza would see us out. Straight No Chaser heard all and sundry blowing. The next Black Swan jam session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18. It's a seven thirty start, it's advisable to arrive in good time to claim a seat. See you there. Russell