Black Swan jam session - July 2

On Monday evening Michael Young, Paul Grainger and Tim Johnston enjoyed working together at Sunderland's Fire Station pub/restaurant. Twenty four hours later, the trio met up in Newcastle to form the house trio at the Black Swan jam session. The usual faces took their usual seats, several newcomers took a vacant seat here and there, perhaps wondering what lay in store.

Jordu, Lullabies (a Michael Young composition), the house trio warmed up, trombonist Conor Emery the first of the hopefuls invited to join the trio. Wes Montgomery's Road Song the selection. The recent Newcastle University graduate, soon to embark upon a dream cruise ship engagement, over the last couple of years or so has proven to be one of the emerging stars on the local scene. Cast iron technique, no nonsense trombone playing, Emery was quickly joined by undergraduate tenor saxophonist Olly Styles (another 'cast iron' musician) and guitarist Stuart Turner, St Thomas and Four the selections.

From here on in, the revolving door kept on revolving: Kate O'Neill (God Bless the Child, Honeysuckle Rose), Esther Coombes (alto sax and clarinet) leading the charge on Mr PC, aided and abetted by all and sundry, including trumpeter Edgar Bell. Singer Bethany Tate tackled My Funny Valentine, it's likely we'll be hearing more from Ms. Tate. The graduate boys were in the house - Bailey Rudd, Jacob Egglestone and Jamie Watkins. It says something when MC P. Grainger, M. Young and T. Johnston went to the bar, content to leave the session in the hands of these fine young musicians. 

Lisa sang The Man I Love, long-time-no-see tenor saxophonist Ian White arrived to play Invitation and Witch Hunt, duly upping the ante. Ian...don't leave it so long next time! The other Ian, crooner Ian Drever, crooned Over the Rainbow, vocalists Remi and Cara made a cameo appearance, Freddie Richards taking a spell on drums (always good to see Freddie at the jam session) and, up from Leicester, checking out the Tyneside jazz scene, alto saxophonist Mark. 

As the big hand nudged twenty past (ten) MC Grainger called on all those left standing for an 'eyeballs out' ten minute take on Caravan. It had been just another (excellent) night at the Black Swan jam session. Russell                       

Michael Young (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Tim Johnston (drums) + Conor Emery (trombone); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Stuart Turner (guitar); Kate O'Neill (vocals); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax); Bethany Tate (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Bailey Rudd (drums); Lisa (vocals); Liam Oliver (guitar);  Ian White (tenor sax); Jacob Egglestone (guitar); Freddie Richards (drums); Remi Coulthard Boardman (vocals); Cara (vocals); Mark (alto sax); Ian Drever (vocals)