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| © Chris Whittle |
Paul Edis (MD, piano); Jo Harrop (vocals); Vasilis
Xenopoulos (tenor sax, soprano sax); Matthew Forster (alto sax, clarinet); Sue
Ferris (flutes, piccolo); Graham Hardy (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jason Holcomb
(trombone); Emma Fisk (violin); Andy Champion (double bass); Matt MacKellar
(drums).
A long heading: a short(ish) review. As always,
I rely on Russell and/or Lance for more insightful comments when they’ve seen
the show. I’d like to start with the venue as my headline suggests.
Since I started my mid-life jazz education I
have been to scores of venues and Crook truly is unique. The tables are never
bare – there’s always nibbles (or last night chocolates - Cadbury’s Roses, no
less) with big wedges of pizza in the interval (turkey and stuffing buns last
night complete with cranberry sauce to add, if required!). The tables are
always decorated too, and last night the hall was aglow with candelabra, cribs
and Christmas glitter with fairy-lights on the mic stands (where musical stars
also shone!).
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| © Chris Whittle |
There’s always a raffle to raise funds and they just keep getting
bigger: last night’s was the longest I’ve known (and I still didn’t win
anything!) as people had donated so many
prizes! It’s apparent when folks go to claim their booty that most of the
audience know most of the audience – and Anne Timothy, presiding over the draw,
with her trusty helper, knows everyone! It’s a bit like being welcomed into a
massive front-room peopled by a huge (but happy) extended family. Even the
musicians (globetrotters now, some of them) seem to relax into the place as
though putting on a favourite pair of slippers! And all this is kept going by
tireless work, behind the scenes and on the night, by volunteers whose names,
if I knew them all, I’d gladly put at the top of this piece alongside the
musicians! Paul Edis referenced this last night when he dubbed this venue: “The
friendliest, warmest club in the country” (and he’s done a few!).
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| © Jerry |
Now, briefly, down to
business. The line-up featuring two deps and a newby rang no alarm bells. When
the deps are Sue Ferris and Vasilis Xenopoulos that’s about like Man City
bringing on Foden and Haaland at half-time! And the newby, Matthew Forster,
fitted in seamlessly, did the second solo, watched appreciatively later when
Vas was soloing then contributed more gems of his own. BSH readers are familiar
with the rest of the ensemble so suffice it to say, they were all on top form.
Special mention should go to the MD’s cracker jokes (worse than ever!) and
Jason Holcomb’s socks which deserve more air-time (maybe Gilbert O’Sullivan
style shorts might be the way forward, Jason?). Also, getting away from
stand-up and hosiery, a musical commendation to Vas for perfectly replicating a
rogue mobile ringtone during Paul’s introduction to The Christmas Waltz!
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| © Jerry |
The set-list was varied
in combinations from solo piano (am I the only person in the world who’s not
heard the hit, Feliz Navidad?) to
piano and vocals on Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas, to trio on Santa
Claus is Coming to Town (which gave Andy Champion and Matt McKellar a bit
of well-deserved limelight) and the full ensemble for the rest. Emma Fisk
appeared on the left-wing bowing God Rest
Ye Merry Gentlemen then Vas, from left-back, took up the refrain and others
from all parts of the pitch joined in giving us that weird and wonderful
surround-sound effect of being in the midst of the music. I was reminded of how
much I loved the Joni Mitchell song, The
River, and had to sit this morning and revisit the lyrics. All the usual
“jazzy” bits were there: Eartha Kitt meets Splanky;
Rhumba Around the Christmas Tree; Driving Home for Christmas (in Ipanema!)
and all as welcome as ever, even to non-jazz audience members.
I generally regard
Christmas with all the joy of an unreformed Grinch or Scrooge – especially when
the season starts on All Saints’ Day – but in recent years this show
(especially at this venue) has never failed to thaw me a little bit: I hope it
will last (for the next couple of weeks, anyway)! Jerry
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