 |
| © Mike Tilley |
Brian Wicks (MD); Cara Britton (vocals); Pippa Morgan,
Max Storey, Crissi Booth, Lucy McCartan, Brian Wicks (saxes); Billy Bradshaw,
Sammy Cormack-Repath, Josh Skyrme, Euan O'Connell (trumpets); Alex Utting, Thomas McDonald, Simon Hirst (trombones); Jacob Egglestone
(guitar); Marcus Dawe (keys); Joe Sharples, Ifede Osiyemi (bass guitar); Jack
Littlewood (drums).
It began with a bang or, to be more precise, Billy Bradshaw's trumpet blast on One O'Clock Jump with a difference - no extended piano intro! Instead they got straight to the nitty-gritty with Billy's trumpet blast and the familiar riff. Count Basie must have been turning in his grave and it was loud enough for him to hear it!
 |
| © Mike Tilley |
Despite the band's average age being on a par with Sunderland AFC's promotion winning side the BBB deliver the goods with the aplomb of seasoned veterans. The power unleashed by the four trumpet/three trombone brass session would, back in biblical times, have handled the Jericho gig with ease and in Bradshaw, O'Connell and Utting they have first class soloists.
 |
| © Mike Tilley |
The five saxes get a good blend as a section and the tricky ensemble choruses are executed with precision. The three girls solo enthusiastically and leader/baritone saxist/punster Wicks tells jokes sitting down - I guess he's not ready to do stand-up yet!
The rhythm section is solid without being stodgy. Ecclestone had several impressive solos with his blast on Chick Corea's Senor Mouse outstanding. Dawe's solo feature, There is no Greater Love, went down well as did drummer Littlewood's occasional explosions that enhanced those moments, which were frequent throughout the evening, when the score demanded incendiary tactics.
 |
| © Mike Tilley |
From the line-up you will note there are two bass players listed. This doesn't mean we had bass guitar duets (God forbid!) but that, just as Go North East often change drivers mid-journey, the BBB change bass players in between sets thus Joe Sharples played the first set and Ifede Osiyemi the second.
 |
| © Mike Tilley |
Which leaves the revelation of the night: Cara Britton! A singer new to me and making her debut with the band she looked good and sounded good. Remember the name. I think we'll hear more from her in the future - I hope so! Lance
One O'Clock
Jump; Super Mario Bros; Winter Games; Collaboration; See the World; Four on
Six; Groovin' High; Orange Colored Sky (vcl); I've Got the World on a String (vcl); Time on my Hands ; Senor Mouse; There is
no Greater Love; XYZ; La Fiesta; The Incredibles; On the Sunny Side of the
Street (vcl); Sir Duke (vcl)
No comments :
Post a Comment