A long and hugely enjoyable weekend was approaching its end. From Thursday evening's Welcome Concert, a film show, three afternoon sessions, three evening sessions (this Sunday evening session the third of them) and three late night jam sessions, the Village Hotel on North Tyneside reverberated to the sounds of the 'classic jazz' era.
Musicianship of the highest order, packed houses hanging on every note, there isn't really anything quite like the Classic Jazz Party. A third and final Piano Professor half hour took on a slightly different look when pianist Andrew Oliver was joined by drummer Nicholas D. Ball. A terrific thirty minutes. An Evening in Town transported the full house to London's nightspots of a century ago. The capital's many resident bands of the time entertained revellers looking for a good time. Martin Wheatley (banjo, guitar) presented an overview of the music and the musicians making a living playing in the dance bands and jazz clubs a century ago.
The Classic Jazz Party is truly international. Musicians and audience travel from all over the world to meet up here on North Tyneside. One of the CJP's virtuoso musicians had a somewhat less arduous journey than most, making the short trip up the A19 from County Durham, Emma Fisk. Leading a Grappelli/Reinhardt Hot Club set - Quintette du Hot Club de Village Hotel - violinist Fisk swung a la S. Grappelli, Curtis Volp, Félix Hunot and Spats Langham taking it in turn to pay homage to Django. Très bon!
Harry Evans (string bass, tuba) led an all-star ensemble in the penultimate set of this year's CJP. Born to Swing - Lil Armstrong in the 1930s featured - who else? - Nicolle Rochelle. One of the hits of the weekend, Ms Rochelle was accompanied by CJP debutant pianist Ulf Johansson Werre and a supporting cast including Malo Mazurié (trumpet), Natalie Scharf (reeds) and Londoner, drummer Richard Pite. If you happen to be in Paris when N. Rochelle is in concert, don't hesitate, book a front row seat.
And so to the grand finale. In recent times the Big Band Battle has become something of a tradition. Seriously good jazz, friendly but competitive, smiling faces on stage and off, let's go! First up, Luis Russell! Led by the man from Davenport, Iowa, drummer Josh Duffee, the Russell outfit went for it. Chicagoan Andy Schumm (cornet), New Yorker Jo-Erik Kellso (trumpet), Charlie Halloran (trombone), Lars Frank, Lorenzo Baldasso, Natalie Scharf (reeds), Ulf Johansson Werre (piano) and the French rhythm kings Félix Hunot (banjo, guitar) and Henry Lemaire (string bass) alongside J. Duffee, the gauntlet well and truly thrown down. Members of the Russell band taunted their rivals: Hey, Tomasso, let's see what ya got?!
Did British trumpet ace Rico Tomasso and co have what it takes?! Pugnacious Tomasso came out slugging. After all, this was Duke Ellington! The heavyweight outfit fought back, they weren't reeling on the ropes, they were Rockin'
in Rhythm! Mike Davis, Malo Mazurié (trumpets), Alistair Allan and Graham Hughes the 'bones, Jean-François Bonnel, David Horniblow, Richard Exall (reeds), heavyweights, indeed. The Crescent City's David Boeddinghaus (piano), the Brits Curtis Volp (banjo, guitar), Harry Evans (tuba, string bass) and Nicholas D. Ball (drums). And there to potentially deliver a knockout blow, singer extraordinaire Nicolle Rochelle.
Who won? Who cares? Ellington? On points. All great fun. And so to the bar for the third and final late night jam session of the 2024 edition of the Classic Jazz Party. It promised to be an epic occasion.
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