New Orleans Ragtime Band @ Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club - Oct. 4

Gavin Lee (clarinet, soprano sax); Gordon Solomon (trombone); Keith Stephen (banjo); Phil Rutherford (sousaphone); Bill Evans (drums)

A late change to the advertised line-up saw Keith Stephen drafted in for the indisposed Ian Wynne. A banjo for a piano, what's in an instrument? Gavin Lee's New Orleans Ragtime Band is an occasional happening. This afternoon's Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club concert was a rare opportunity to hear the band. As Lee and co took to the stage, St Augustine's Parish Centre was all but at capacity.     

From 1923, That Old Gang of Mine opened the show. George Lewis' Maisie followed, then Texas Moaner Blues. It was becoming clear that bandleader Lee had a plan - to play two sets of rarely played numbers. What a good idea! Joining him in this endeavour were the doyen of the trombone, Gordon Solomon, the aforementioned Keith Stephen, Phil Rutherford, sousaphone, and, up from Leeds, drummer Bill Evans. Rose Room then James Scott's Climax Rag (Lee playing soprano) took us up to the interval. 

A bottle of Doom Bar, the usual clutch of dud raffle tickets, and in no time the second set was upon us. George Lewis' St Philip St Breakdown (another little heard tune) resumed matters. Lee and Solomon weren't in need of a mic, their big sound carried effortlessly - two class musicians. The boys in the engine room stoked the fires, all three taking turns in the soloist's spotlight. More soprano sax from Lee on the very rarely heard That Da-Da Strain, the surprise inclusion of Coquette, James P. Johnson's A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid, take a bow Mr Gavin Lee for presenting a most welcome selection of tunes. 

Darlington New Orleans Jazz Club's next concert presentation is two weeks today (Saturday 18 October). And it's a biggie, featuring the globetrotting superstar Adrian Cox! Clarinet maestro Cox will be accompanied by Alex 'Honey' Boulton (guitar) and Alex Gilson (double bass). Start queueing now. Russell