Stu Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Edgar Bell (trumpet); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Dan Potter (drums); Ian Drever (vocals); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Alec Gamble (guitar); Bailey Rudd (drums); Esther Coombes (clarinet, alto sax); Owen Jones (double bass); Hannah ? (vocals); Darius Oraee (vocals); Jamie Watkins (double bass); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Andrew ? (cornet); Paul Skerritt (vocals); ? (drums); Jack ? (drums)
Bonfire Night. It could only be a banger, couldn't it? The house trio - Stu Collingwood, Paul Grainger and Abbie Finn - lit the blue touchpaper with a slow-burning Days of Wine and Roses. In a Mellotone with a Collingwood vocal and a Latin feel Night and Day augured well. Eddie Harris' Freedom Dance brought tenor saxophonist Harry Keeble to the floor. Staying on to play Oleo, Keeble's soulmate Abbie Finn sketched out the melody. Impressive.
In between the instrumental action the singers did their thing - Kate O'Niell, Ian Drever, Darius Oraee and the soulful voice of newbie Hannah singing Ain't No Sunshine. The evening's star vocalist was biding his time...
Second year music student Olly Styles continues to impress on tenor, not least when locking horns with H. Keeble on Tenor Madness. More, please. Lara Hopper, out late on a school night, took on I Fall in Love Too Easily. Marvellous. If she plans to go onto higher education, Lara will be the star trumpeter in any student ensemble, that's for sure. Recent graduates Esther Coombes (reeds) and Bailey Rudd (drums) have matured into seasoned performers. Where has the time gone?! Add guitarist Alec Gamble into the mix and the young ones are certainly making their presence felt on the local scene.
Robert Johnson (alto sax) is another musician making rapid progress. A couple of months ago, RJ (still at school) from the Tyne Valley, made a tentative contribution. Hear him this evening blowing on St Thomas! The Black Swan jam session is doing it's job, that's for sure! Old hand Andrew (cornet) sat in. Good to see him standing alongside the whippersnappers!
And then there was the star turn. Step forward Paul Skerritt. It Don't Mean a Thing sang our big band vocalist. All hands on deck for the finale, Skerritt leading the charge on Let the Good Times Roll.* Yes, it had been a banger of a night, alright!
* The Paul Skerritt Big Band will be in concert on Saturday 23 November at the Westovian Theatre, South Shields. Mr Skerritt fronting an all-star big band, it doesn't get any better than this. Book now at: www.westovians.co.uk. Russell
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