Gary Crosby Quintet @ Loughton Baptist Church - Oct. 25

Kurt Mayling (trumpet); David Kayode (tenor sax, flute); Alex Ho (keyboards); Gary Crosby (double bass); Miranda Radford (drums) + Orphy Robinson (introductions)

The National Jazz Archive, based in Loughton, Essex, is an invaluable resource. In addition to its ongoing archiving activities, the NJA presents concerts on a regular basis. Away from its Loughton Library base, Loughton Baptist Church serves as its performance venue. This Saturday afternoon's concert featured the Gary Crosby Quintet. 

Now seventy years old, it doesn't seem like five minutes since bassist Crosby was blazing a trail with the Jazz Warriors. Here in Loughton, billed as How to Train Your Cat, More Mingus Moves,  Crosby's bandmates were of a younger generation. For a musician of such status, Crosby didn't seek to hog the limelight, far from it, happily shining the spotlight on his young charges.

Amazingly, Kurt Mayling (trumpet), David Kayode (tenor sax, flute), Alex Ho* (keyboards) and drummer Miranda Radford (a second year Trinity student) seemed to know each and every Mingus number Crosby called. What's more, across the course of two sets, there wasn't so much as a single page of sheet music or an iPad to be seen anywhere, on stage or off. 

The NJA's audience knew its stuff, applauding long and loud, mightily impressed not only with Crosby, but with the remarkable array of young talent on show. As the afternoon drew to a close Gary Crosby looked at his bandmates, suggesting 'A Train'. A collective nod of heads. They played it and how! A fabulous afternoon.       

* A year or two ago Alex Ho made a big impression at the now closed Prohibition Bar, Newcastle, in a duo performance with guitarist Tom Remon. Russell