Following a break of a couple of months or so, pianist Merlin Roxby returned to Prohibition Bar to play an eclectic selection of numbers, most of them in a ragtime vein, one as a rolling boogie-woogie. On a bitterly cold night the expectation was few, if any, punters would brave the elements. How wrong can one be? A couple of dozen hardy souls turned up, most of them there to listen to Merlin, one or two others there simply to enjoy a drink down on Pink Lane.
Hallelujah I Love Her So opened the show. Does Merlin sing? If he does, he didn't tonight! Randy Newman's You Got a Friend in Me, Charles L. Cooke's Blame it on the Blues, yes, a varied set list, that's for sure. Merlin isn't one for talking, preferring to let the 88s do the talking. No sooner is one number at an end, Merlin launches into another. Hey! Merlin...slow down! King Porter Stomp (an undoubted highlight of the evening), Top Cat (you've got to love it and smile), our man Merlin was warming up nicely.
Prohibition Bar in winter can be rather cold and this evening it was, as they say, 'Baltic'. Cups of tea warmed the hands of some, others, sitting with a bottle (or three) of Double Maxim tried to convince themselves the legendary Wearside beer was an ideal 'winter warmer'. Brrr!
Second set highlights included Jelly Roll Morton's Sidewalk Blues, the rollin' and tumblin' Mess Around and, from the world of animation/cartoon/gaming/tv show, Patient is the Night (as performed by Tom Briers). Ragtime pianists are a rare breed, here on Tyneside Merlin Roxby is doing his bit to maintain/revive the form. Catch Merlin at Prohibition Bar next month, date to be advised.
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