Stuart Collingwood (piano, vocals); Paul Grainger (double bass); Abbie Finn (drums) + Ian Drever (vocals); Edgar Bell (pocket trumpet); Harry Keeble (tenor sax); Luis Verde (alto sax); Leah Kirk (vocals); John Rowland (tenor sax); Bailey Rudd (drums); Lara Hopper (trumpet); Sam Toulson (alto sax); Julija Jacenaite (vocals); Robert Johnson (alto sax); Kate O'Niell (vocals); Bailey Rudd (drums); Kate O'Neill (vocals); ? (piano); Olly Styles (tenor sax); Liam Oliver (guitar); Jay Straughan (drums); Joe (drums); Shayo (vocals); Jessica ? (piano); Becky Tuck (vocals); Remi Coulthard Boardman (vocals); David Gray (trombone); Esther Coombes (alto sax, clarinet); Ryan ? (alto sax); Owen Jones (double bass); Theo Nolan (drums)
Don't get around much anymore sang Stu Collingwood. The Black Swan jam session was underway. As crooner Ian Drever got the nod, bassist Paul Grainger and drummer Abbie Finn went to the bar, leaving maestro Collingwood to guide Drever through Manhattan (Edgar Bell determined to get his two penn'orth in from the sidelines).
Harry Keeble (tenor sax) and Luis Verde (alto sax) swanned up, casual as you like, Harry calling Invitation. We knew it would be incendiary but we didn't anticipate an explosive incident. The horns blazing, the rhythm section cooking, then...BANG! The bridge on MC Grainger's bass broke free, catapulting across the floor. PG made running repairs (literally running) in the wings. Maestro Collingwood's left hand worked overtime until PG returned to the stage. Thirty seconds later...BANG! This called for drastic action. PG grabbed his coat, car keys and disappeared up the stairs.
All the while, 'Left Hand' Collingwood held it together with consummate ease as Harry and Luis continued their masterclass, from memory, Wayne Shorter's Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum. Mid-tune a roar erupted across the Black Swan as MC Grainger reappeared with a spare double bass! The show must go on and it did with the new rising star of the Black Swan jam session, Leah Kirk, singing Nature Boy (John Rowland blowing discreet tenor). Leah hung around for another one - There'll Never Be Another You. Great stuff!
Talking of rising/risen stars...trumpeter Lara Hopper and alto sax wizard Sam Toulson worked out on Softly As in a Morning Sunrise, drummer Bailey Rudd excellent in support. Long-time-no-see Julija Jacenaite got up to sing a couple, including Mood Indigo, accompanied by the increasingly impressive Robert Johnson (alto sax). RJ himself hit a groove on Strasbourg/St Denis. Excellent!
They were massing, looking to have a blow. Kate O'Neill sang Bye Bye Blackbird, Olly Styles on tenor. The big hand was approaching ten, Liam (guitar), Joe (drums), Jessica (piano), Becky and Remy (vocals), Ryan (alto), David Gray (trombone), Esther (alto sax, clarinet), Owen Jones (bass), Theo (drums), there may have been others...Just another night at the Black Swan jam session. The next one (Tuesday 18 March) could be every bit as good as this evening, it could be better, who knows? Be sure to arrive early, down beat at half past seven. Russell
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