Lachlan Fotheringham (clarinet, soprano sax); Paddy Darley (trombone); Ollie Marge (guitar, vocals); Seamus Conacher (guitar); John Youngs (banjo); Alex Hill (piano, accordion); Ted Harbot (double bass); ? (drums)
The Reunion Tour. Ten years ago members of the Gramophone Jass Band went their separate ways. Having spent countless days and nights in a minibus gigging across Europe, life got in the way. Two of their number went to medical school, some joined or formed other bands and a couple of them got married. Now, for one weekend only, the boys reunited for two gigs, one on home turf in Edinburgh on Friday evening and a second, a Saturday evening outing here at Prohibition Bar, Newcastle.
Bogalusa Strut opened the reunion. The Tenement Jazz Band recorded Sam Morgan's tune and two of the band - Paddy Darley and John Youngs - just happened to be on duty this evening. Indeed, the Tenements have previously played the number right here on Pink Lane. Exactly Like You featured guitarist Ollie Marge's vocals, the first of many (too many?) during the course of the evening. Swing That Music (Marge singing) swung it, John Youngs' measured vocal on Margie was in marked contrast to Marge's energetic delivery and TJ Müller's lyrics to Minor Swing (Marge the vocalist, pianist Alex Hill playing accordion) put a whole new slant on D. Reinhardt! Taking us up to the interval, Eh La Bas worked a treat, the vocal refrain rippling across the eight-piece 'jass' band.
Another Double Maxim, a chat with such and such and it was time for the second set. Basin Street, Petite Fleur (Lachlan Fotheringham's sandpaper soprano sax sound evoking Bechet), John Youngs' vocal on Dinah hitting the spot (the dancers were up doing their thing) and Alex Hill impressing on Bourbon Street, the Gramophone boys were enjoying themselves, likewise the audience. A sold out late night burlesque show required the audience to shortly vacate the premises but not before a few more numbers and the finale, a singalong All of Me. The Tenements' John Youngs bade us farewell saying: See you in ten years' time! Russell
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Joe Shaw on drums
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