Michael Lamb (MD, trumpet,
flugelhorn), Dick Stacey, Billy Bradshaw, Tom Ruston (trumpets); John Flood,
Chris Kurgi-Smith, Mark Ferris, Kieran Parnaby (trombones); Keith Robinson,
Steve Summers, Jamie Toms, Matthew Forster, Sue Ferris (reeds); Graham Don
(keyboards); Pawel Jedrzejewski (guitar); Michael Whent (bass guitar); Dave
McKeague (drums); Alice Grace (vocals)
A somewhat
different gig, if 'gig' is the word. The Strictly Smokin' Big Band thought it a
good idea to record the band's next album in front of a 'live' audience. The
Bridge Hotel serves as the the SSBB's rehearsal space with the occasional gig
throw in for good measure. This evening the upstairs room on Castle Garth
resembled a recording studio rather than a typical tables and chairs gig
arrangement.
Ascending the
stairs at the appointed hour - not before 7:00pm for a 7:15pm start - we were
met on the landing by Liam Gaughan's hi-tec recording equipment. Mics and
headphones allowed communication between Gaughan, bandleader Michael Lamb and
various members of the ensemble in the adjacent room. The trumpet section
positioned at one end of the room, directly opposite the horns, the
rhythm section to one side, where was Alice Grace? Ah! Alice was standing
behind the trumpets, behind the bar, cocooned in an isolation shield or
reflection filter. Throughout the recording session we, the audience, couldn't
hear Alice - we would have to wait for the new album!
MD Lamb asked the
audience not to applaud solos and, at the end of each number, to wait a few
seconds before bursting into applause. All very technical. The audience would
play its part to a tee.
And so to the
'gig'. MD Lamb at one end of the room communicated with drummer Dave
McKeague at the other end: 16 bar intro. McKeague nodded. And off
they went, Groovin' Hard, McKeague as Buddy Rich. You
Stepped Out of a Dream, trumpeter Tom Ruston doing his best Maynard
Ferguson impression. Impressive and interesting, not yer usual pub gig! At
various junctures, Lamb called a halt, the band not quite nailing it. On one
number our MD heard a less than perfect execution of a crochet. We'll
do it again. And so they did. Fascinating!
MD Lamb had been
in touch with the renowned American composer/arranger Eric Richards to ask him
if he would arrange Time After Time for the SSBB. Richards
agreed to the request. The America's cv includes commissions from the likes of
the US Army Field Band, USAF and the Airmen of Note, US Army Band, US Marine
Band, Boston Pops and many others. Now the SSBB! We were about to hear the
SSBB's world premiere public performance of Time After Time (arr.
E. Richards), featuring the fabulous Alice Grace. Well, we did and we didn't.
We could hear the band, no problem (Kieran Parnaby and Graham Don the featured
soloists), but we couldn't hear Alice! We could see Alice's hand gestures as
she sang into the isolation shield. The one person who could hear Alice singing
was tech wizard Liam Guaghan stationed out it in the corridor. We, the
audience, would have to wait until the album is released - and that will be
sooner than one might imagine!*
Black and Tan
Fantasy featured Steve Summers' alto and Chris
Kurgi-Smith's excellent plunger mute. It was as if we we in the Cotton Club,
circa 1927. Basie made the cut with Topsy (Pav Jedrzejewski
played his acoustic, at the other end of the room, Billy Bradshaw made sure he
was tightly muted), Benny Carter's 1946 arrangement of Frim Fram Sauce featuring
the inaudible Alice, the album was taking shape nicely.
Stan Kenton
anyone? And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine, sang Alice. Imagine
Alice as Anita O'Day. Not a difficult thing to do.** The session
was nearing its end. Two more - Thad Jones' Big Dipper (Matthew
Forsters' tenor sax) and another run at Black and Tan Fantasy.
We know just how good Strictly Smokin' Big Band concert performances are, this
evening's recording session gave us an insight as to what goes on in weekly
rehearsal sessions. It had been a fascinating evening.
* The
SSBB's Time After Time show is touring across the UK (the
band's Newcastle concert is on Friday 27 June at Gosforth Civic Theatre). Keep
an eye open for the new album.
** Alice
Grace singing Anita O'Day - now there's an enticing future concert
programme! Russell
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