Album review: The Oscar Peterson Trio at Baker's Keyboard Lounge (Verve)

Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums)

The discovery of new material from old masters is always exciting - it's like hearing them again for the first time. A contradictory sentence I know but hopefully you'll get where I'm coming from.

Oscar Peterson was indeed a master musician of the highest order. Many would say the greatest jazz pianist ever and, in what would have been his hundredth year, I wholeheartedly concur. Tatum may have matched his technique but he didn't have the swing that Oscar generated.

Over the years the personnel varied: The long running version with Herb Ellis on guitar, this one with drum ace Ed Thigpen replacing Ellis, then Bobby Durham took over from Thigpen and finally with Martin Drew on drums and NHOP on bass.

Press release: Durham Hits All The Right Notes With The Launch Of A New Jazz Festival

Durham is set to swing as a major new jazz festival is announced for the city. 

The inaugural Durham Jazz Festival will take place from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, transforming venues across the city with a vibrant programme featuring top-flight artists from the world of jazz. 

From intimate club-style performances to headline concerts, the three-day festival will celebrate the music and performance of national and northern jazz artists, bringing together established names and the next generation of talent. 

The event has been founded by Alan Patrickson, John Lyons and Richard Turner, who believe Durham’s unique setting – with its historic venues and thriving cultural scene – makes it the perfect home for a landmark event. 

Stockport Jazz

This Sunday Stockport Jazz welcomes Swing 26! featuring Julian Gregory (violin), Matthew Compton accordion), Paul Hartley (guitar) and Grant Russell (bass). Julian and Matthew are past and current members of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and play a unique combination of Hot Club jazz and swing, interspersed with the music of Parisian cafés, Eastern Europe and South America.

Sunday 15th March 2026

8-10pm, doors open at 7.30pm

£5 entry on the door, all welcome

The Moor Club, 35 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport SK4 4PB  (next to the Elizabethan PH)

Press release: NEWCASTLE JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026

LINEUP

Friday 26 June

CLARK TRACEY

Clark Tracey Quartet: Suites of Stan!

Multi award winning drummer Clark Tracey pays tribute to some of the many quartet suites penned by his legendary father, Stan Tracey CBE.

Saturday 27 June

OUTRI

OUTRI is a solo bass endeavour by established North-East bass player and ‘musical magpie’ (NARC mag) Ian ‘dodge’ Paterson. This project takes inspiration from a love of jazz, folk, electronica, found-sound and cinematic landscapes combining organic shifting loops underpinned with beautiful harmonies and glitchy electronica.

Album review: Catherine Russell - Live at Lincoln Center (Dot Time Records)

Catherine Russell (vocals); Matt Munisteri (guitar); Ben Paterson (piano); Russell Hall (bass); Domo Branch (drums); Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet); John Allred (trombone); Evan Arntzen (tenor sax, clarinet) + Michela Marino Lerman (tap dance tks 2,4,9,11)

Russell's first live recording and where better to make that debut than Lincoln Center? NYC's cultural home. For this concert Russell crafted a programme honouring the Hot Club of New York, a community of enthusiasts who meet weekly to listen to jazz and blues on 78rpm shellac records. I think that's rather wonderful and, unsurprisingly so does  Catherine as no doubt her father's records (Luis Russell and his Orchestra) will often be amongst those played.

Press release: Taylor and Son.

Last night after my concert in Edinburgh, my son James and I were catching up backstage. Some of you may know that, alongside his work as my manager he is also a speaker, podcast host, and author of a new book called SuperCreativity.

One of the things I’ve always loved about jazz is that it shows creativity in its purest form. You have structure and technique… but in the moment you are also listening, experimenting and creating something new together.

James writes about this same kind of creative process in the book. In fact, there are a few stories that you might enjoy, including moments involving Stéphane Grappelli, Oscar Peterson, and the wider world of jazz and improvisation. Those stories explore how musicians think about creativity, collaboration, and the spark that happens when people play together.

The BBC Royal Charter Review your last chance to complete the public consultation

The government is consulting the public to aid decision-making on the terms for the BBC Charter’s renewal and any changes needed to help the BBC to continue to serve the public. If you value democracy with pluralistic news services plus a pluralist media landscape, it is crucial that you respond to the consultation

If you value the BBC as a vital part of democracy then please ensure you complete the survey and make sure your views are known. 

The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 10 March 2026

I have complete the survey as an email/word document response and my full response can be found here:

https://chrishodgkins.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Submission-to-the-open-consultation-on-the-BBC-Royal-Charter-Review-from-Chris-Hodgkins-.pdf

Please feel free to use any part of my submission and cut and paste at will or with reckless abandon.

Lucy Yeghiazaryan w. the Peter Beets Trio & Gideon Tazelaar @ BIMHUIS, Amsterdam - Mar. 7

Lucy Yeghiazaryan (vocals); Peter Beets (piano); Steve Zwanink (double bass); Martijn Vink (drums); Gideon Tazelaar (tenor sax)

New York-based singer Lucy Yeghiazaryan first came to the attention of BSH (and others) thanks to one of the very few plus points of lockdown - the livestream. Live from Emmet's Place (NYC) became essential late night (UK) viewing. From one week to the next, pianist Emmet Cohen would invite one A-lister after another to join him on an online gig. And that's where Lucy Yeghiazaryan comes in...       

From Schiphol Airport, train to Amsterdam Centraal Station, then a short tram journey to the BIMHUIS. Amsterdam! The Bimhuis! Lucy Yeghiazaryan! From Emmet Cohen's NYC apartment to Amsterdam's BIMHUIS, Ms Yeghiazaryan was in town! 

Album review: Paul Moran – Running on Fire

In jazz, many musicians spend years shaping the sound of other artists’ music before stepping forward to reveal their own voice. Paul Moran belongs firmly to that tradition. Yet this is not the first time Moran has stepped out from behind the bandstand and into the spotlight. His Hammond-led album Smokin’ B3 reached No. 8 in the HMV British Jazz Chart, and its follow-up Smokin’ B3 Volume Two further established him as a formidable organ player in the classic soul-jazz tradition.

For many listeners Moran is best known as the long-time musical director and keyboard player for Van Morrison, a role he has held since 2006. Yet behind that association lies a far broader musical life: composer, arranger, trumpet player and Hammond organist, with a career that stretches across television music, soul recordings and jazz projects.

Running on Fire brings those experiences together in a record that sits comfortably between jazz, soul and groove-based funk.

Rebecca Poole gig @ the Globe cancelled!

Just heard the news that next Sunday's eagerly anticipated gig at the Globe, Newcastle's iconic music venue on the corner of Railway & Plummer, by Rebecca Poole (a.k.a. Purdy) has been cancelled.

It is hoped that it will be rescheduled.

What we're MISSING!  Lance                                          

Trio JDM @ the Moor Club, Stockport - March 8

© Jeff Pritchard

Dave Walsh (drums);  Martin Longhawn  (keyboards); Jamie Taylor (guitar)

I think I may have picked a seat too near the front of the room to fully appreciate this drummer led powerhouse trio. Dave Walsh has played here many times but on this occasion he used Martin Longhawn to create a realistic Hammond organ effect which I liked.  Jamie Taylor has a flamboyant style on guitar and he showed he could handle fast tempos but he impressed me most in the second set when he played Prelude to a Kiss. 

Sunday night @ the Globe: Trish Clowes' My Iris - March 8

© Ken Drew

Trish Clowes (tenor sax); Chris Montague (guitar); Ross Stanley (Crumar Nova keys); Joel Barford (drums)

The Globe was sardine sandwiched and even after the passing trade, en route to Peter Kay at the nearby arena, had quenched their thirst and left, the room was still at near capacity for the performance by Trish Clowes' My Iris.

Four top class musicians held the audience's rapt attention. The theme for the evening was My Iris' soon to be released album Try Me. On the basis of this live performance it promises to be a must have addition to the library of those seekers of wisdom and truth.

As it stands, for me it is to date the Gig of the Year on the contemporary side of modern.

Album review: Brian Molley Quartet - Tùs/Origin (Cruthach)

Brian Molley (saxophones); Tom Gibbs (piano); David Bowden (double bass); Stephen Henderson (drums)

I don’t think I’ve personally come across Brian Molley before, even though he has been recording since 2013 and has been well-documented on this site. Gibbs would appear to be his longest standing confederate but the ones whose work I am more familiar with are Bowden and Henderson who form the rhythm section from Fergus McCreadie’s trio. Despite the fact that Molley and various iterations of his band have toured extensively across many continents, once back in the UK he seems reluctant to venture out of Scotland. One cannot dispute his musical ambition, however, and this album follows previous work with musicians from Morocco, Brazil and Rajasthan amongst others. This album is an ambitious through-composed work that aims to draw out the links between traditional Scottish music and the origins of jazz.

Album review: April Varner - Ella (Cellar Music Group)

April Varner (vocals); Emmet Cohen (piano, arranger); William Hill III (piano); Yasushi Nakamura (bass); Ulysses Owens Jr. (drums, producer); Brian Lynch (trumpet, arranger); Nathaniel Williford, Michael Cruse (trumpets); Jeffrey Miller, Jacob Melsha (trombones); Cleave Guyton, Mark Gross (saxes)

The last time April Varner graced these hallowed pages was when I reviewed her album Winter Songs. It was an enjoyable album but because of its seasonal, Christmassy material had, I would guess, a limited shelf life. Not so Ella. In 2023 April Varner won the International Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition so it comes as no surprise to find April up to the task of paying tribute to the late First Lady.

This she does with her own interpretation of songs related to Ella. She does this quite magnificently with no more than a hint towards the originals. The silky tone of the Varner voice turns the lyrics into classic jazz poetry that she wraps around the listeners enslaving them for life.

Jazzford Jam @ Bathford - Feb. 27

AA 2023 Road Atlas, Page 18, square C9. That’s where you’ll find Bathford, a small village on the outskirts of Bath, down in ‘almost the West Country.’ Last Friday in the month is Jazzford Jam Night at what was the Royal British Legion Club but, as with a few other things in Bathford, it’s now community run. In Bathford Community comes with a capital ‘C’ writ through as if it were in a stick of rock.

So, tonight it’s an open jam session, all invited to play, all invited to sit and listen. The white board has all the power. If you’re name isn’t on it, you don’t get to play. Wynton Marsalis could turn up here and, if he didn’t put his name on the board he’d have to prop up the bar. All night. Apart from the tunes the house band play at the start of each set everyone else has to put a name next to what they want to sit in on. Apparently there was a shortage last month so people have come along just in case.

Album review: John Pizzarelli - Dear Mr. Bennett (Green Hill Music)

John Pizzarelli (vocal, guitar); Isaiah J. Thompson (piano); Mike Karn (bass)

A loving tribute to the late Tony Bennett, one of the great vocalists whose centennial is celebrated next year.

John Pizzarelli is the ideal choice. His voice is far enough away from Bennett's to avoid comparision whilst maintaining the same jazz feeling, maybe more so. Bennett was undeniably, one of the great GASbook interpreters however, his bel canto inspired jazz chops didn't quite cut it for me whereas Pizzarelli is the out and out jazzman both as a singer and a swinger  on  both voice and guitar. At the end of the day I wouldn't be without either.

Book review: Tad Richards - Listening to Prestige - Chronicling Its Classic Jazz Recordings 1949 - 1972

There can be few, if any, modern jazz fans who are unfamiliar with the Prestige record label. Until its owner, Bob Weinstock, sold the label to Fantasy Records in 1972, along with Blue Note who are still active, Prestige was the main outlet for bebop, hardbop and beyond recordings.

The artists who benefitted from Rudy Van Gelder's ground breaking recording technique were, almost without exception, the major players of the era and they are charted in this remarkable book. Bird, Miles, Trane, Monk, Moody, Rollins, Wardell, Annie Ross, Ornette, Dolphy, Witherspoon, McDuff and many more - the list is almost endless with only the west coasters missing. This was very much a New York/New Jersey operation.

Vintage Explosion @ Whitley Bay Playhouse - Mar. 6

William Hitchell (vocals, guitar); Conor Smith (guitar); Dan Brown (piano); Jimmy Steele (tenor sax); Barry Steele (baritone sax); Richard Anderson (double bass); Douglas Macfarlane (drums)

A first time appearance in Whitley Bay for Vintage Explosion. Sold out in advance, seemingly the Glaswegian outfit can do no wrong. Backed by a super-tight, rock 'n' roll band, William Hitchell sings like nobody's business.

From the get-go Hitchell and co knew they were on to a winner. Some in the auditorium had heard the band before, for others it was a first time experience. And what an experience!

RADIOPHONICX

Avant-garde - ongoing experiments

14th of March 2-4pm at Cobalt Studios, 10-16 Boyd Street, Newcastle NE2 1AP

Spanning an arch from experimental radio work in the 1970 by John Cage to the 2024 Political Music show, a poignant und humours  exploration of contemporary culture by Belgium/Rumanian musician Cristian Fierbinteanu. 

We will listen to two extracts of audio pieces by John Cage:

Empty Words,1974 is a marathon text drawn from the Journals of Henry David Thoreau. This is one of Cage’s most sustained and elaborate moves toward the “demilitarization” of language. 

Roaratorio, based on Finnegans Wake by James Joyce, is an audio art piece composed by Cage in 1979 commissioned by Klaus Schöning from the German State Broadcast WDR. It won the Karl Sczuker-Prize in 1979.

Late Night Chicago Radio w. Denny Farrell (Feb. 5 - Feb. 11)

? : ? .

Lester Young: Almost Like Being in Love.

Peggy Lee: Fever.

Albert Ammons: Boogie Blues.

Lou Rawls: Ain't Nobody's Business.

Sarah Vaughan: After Hours and Always.

Louis Bellson: Driftwood.

Roy Eldridge: Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (?).

Norah Jones: I've Got to See You Again.

Mark Bryant: ? .

Chet Baker: Let's Get Lost.

Andy Brown: I'll Never be the Same? .

Zoot Sims: So Long.

LISTEN 24/7.

Album review:House of the Black Gardenia - Mazurka in Jazz

Neil Hopper (bass, sousaphone); Elise Rana Hopper (vocals, washboard); Kit Haigh (drums, perc, vocals); Michael Littlefield (guitar, banjo, vocals); Keith Robinson (alto/tenor sax, clarinet); David 'Showtime' Gray (trombone); Pete Tanton (trumpet, screams); Katja Roberts (violin); Elliott Rush (piano, vocals).

Five years is a long time between albums. Yes it has been five years since Tyneside's viper jazz group released The New Lowdown. With Mazurka in Jazz, apart from a couple of changes of personnel it's the same band - or is it? The material, mainly original, covers a wider scope than the previous album - sometimes related to real life.

Elise Hopper puts emotion into a song softly, gently and with feeling whether it's joy or sadness she nails it. Queen Witch is a complex arrangement with trombone adding substance to Elise's mystical vocal, Superhero relates to one of Elise's awesome kids. Banjo and violin give the chart an extra input.

Montreux Jazz Festival Franschhoek expands programme with Curators of Sound DJs

The following paragraph is from a press release for the above shindig.

Among the highlights are broadcaster and vinyl connoisseur CandyFlip, celebrated record collector Charles Leonard, and genre-crossing tastemaker Kay Faith, alongside globally recognised DJ and producer DJ Zinhle, house music pioneer DJ Kent as well as cultural connector and legendary selector, DJ Kenzhero. Their presence underscores the festival’s belief that music culture today is shaped as much by selectors and DJs as it is by instrumentalists and bands. 

This last sentence made me realise that there were no more straws left in the stack, That was the last one. Has it never occurred to the organisers that without instrumentalists and bands the selectors and DJs would have no music to play or will AI save the day?

Sound the Trumpets @ King's Hall, Newcastle University - Mar. 5

Dick Stacey, Derek Ruffell, Chris Lewis, Mike Walton (trumpets, flugelhorns)

Something a little different here in King's Hall. The Sound of Trumpets. A collective cv boasting the EverReady Brass Band, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Northern Sinfonia, Black Dyke Brass Band, Strictly Smokin' Big Band and more, the brass musicians on stage were of the 'been there, done that' school of trumpet playing. 

Pete Tanton's Chet Set photos by Mark Husmann

© Mark Hussmann

Last Sunday, March 1, Mark Husmann and friends went along to the Central Bar to celebrate what he describes as a BIG birthday! How big he didn't disclose, however, being a jazz fan and a photographer he took a host of pics of Pete Tanton and his colleagues doing their Chet Baker tribute. 

I've collated the majority of them in album on flkr under the title - Pete Tanton's Chet Set which can be viewed HERE. Lance

P.S. Russell's review of the gig can be read HERE.

Album review: Pat Metheny – Side-Eye III+ (Uniquity Music)

Pat Metheny (guitar); Chris Fishman (bass); Joe Dyson (drums) + Daryl Johns (bass); Brandee Younger (harp); Luis Conte (perc.); Mark Kibble (leader vocal ensemble)

Across a career that now spans half a century, Pat Metheny has repeatedly reinvented the format of the guitar-led jazz group. The Side-Eye project—launched in 2021 as a rotating platform for exceptional younger musicians—was his latest iteration of that impulse. But Side-Eye III+, his first major studio album in six years and the inaugural release on his new Uniquity Music imprint, may well be the most convincing argument yet for the project’s long-term importance.

Press release: LOVE SUPREME JAZZ FESTIVAL 2026 ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL ACTS

De La Soul (full band), Anderson .Paak (as DJ Pee .Wee), Free Nationals, Sister Sledge, Gabrielle, Franc Moody, Durand Bernarr, Alex Isley, Courtney Pine, Lemar, Bill Frisell Trio & Greg Tardy, Luke Bacchus, Loose Ends, Joe Lovano & Antonio Faraò, Light Of The World, Young Gun Silver Fox, Emma Rawicz INKYRA, Kiefer, Joe Webb Trio among over 25 new names joining line-up for Europe’s largest outdoor jazz festival

 

*De La Soul announced as Sunday headliners for their only UK full band show of 2026*

 

*Brit Award and Mercury Prize-winning Ezra Collective confirmed as Friday headliners and will curate “Temple Of Joy”, a celebration of the artists and community that inspire them, bringing together a genre-spanning line-up throughout the day ahead of their headline performance*

 

** Loyle Carner makes his Love Supreme debut with Saturday headline slot**

Album review: Rachel Sutton - Realms (33 Records)

Rachel Sutton (voice, composer except tk 9); Roland Perrin (piano); Michael Ruiz (bass); Paul Robinson (drums, perc.);Sandy Buglass (guitar tk 3); Paul Booth, Ryan Quigley, Trevor Mires (horn section on tk 5); Ebenezer Oke (guitar on tk 5)

March 2026 will mark the release of Realms, the new album by singer, songwriter and charismatic entertainer Rachel Sutton. Apart from Something Cool which is comparable with the iconic version by June Christy, all of the songs are Sutton originals. The lyrics are good and meaningful and the melodies are memorable.

MILES. @ Southwark Playhouse (Borough), London - Mar. 2

Benjamin Akintuyosi (Miles) Jay Phelps (Jay & Others)

The Little Theatre is Southwark's flexible theatre-in-the-round space. As the audience was ushered in, a motionless body lay prostrate on a piano. The lights dimmed until the auditorium was in total darkness. Undercover of darkness, the hitherto motionless body exited the scene. 

In the centenary year of the birth of Miles Dewey Davis III, writer and director Oliver Kaderbhai has revived his 2025 Edinburgh Festival stage play MILES.. A two-hander starring recent RADA graduate Benjamin Akintuyosi and trumpeter Jay Phelps, the final week of performances at Southwark Playhouse are playing to sold out audiences. 

Stockport Jazz

This Sunday Stockport Jazz welcomes Trio JDM to the Moor Club. Led by drummer Dave Walsh, the trio features Jamie Taylor on guitar and Martin Longhawn on Hammond organ. 

Drawing inspiration from the legacy of Jimmy Smith and Larry Young, as extended today by acts like Goldings/Bernstein/Stewart, expect a compelling and varied set of contemporary mainstream jazz, with dashes of fusion and funk for good measure.

Sunday 8th March 2026

8-10pm, doors open at 7.30pm

£5 entry on the door, all welcome

The Moor Club, 35 Heaton Moor Road, Stockport SK4 4PB  (next to the Elizabethan PH)

Marius Neset Quartet @ Capstone Theatre - March 1

Marius Neset (saxophones and piano);  Anton Eger (drums and percussion); Elliot Galvin (piano and keyboards); Conor Chaplin (electric bass)

This concert closed Liverpool International Jazz Festival (LIJF) 2026 at the Capstone Theatre.  To say that this quartet received a rapturous reception from a large audience would be a massive understatement. Norwegian saxophonist and composer Marius Neset is undoubtedly one of Europe’s finest saxophone players. Moving seamlessly between tenor and soprano saxophones he exhibited huge power but also great sensitivity in his playing. This is a very high energy quartet. Comparisons have been drawn to the music of Weather Report and their music references 1980’s fusion. The drummer Anton Eger was worth the ticket fee alone with his energetic style and flamboyant looks. Whilst I had not seen Marius and Anton before I had seen Elliot and Conor several times previously. Most recently I saw Conor play acoustic bass with Emma Smith at Kings Place in London this year. Elliott is known for his work with his trio and the band Dinosaur. Both are extraordinary musicians.

Frank Griffith Ensemble @ Commune, Liverpool - February 28

Frank Griffith  (tenor sax); Vidar Norheim (drums); Dan Barreto (electric bass)

This concert was billed as “Jazz and Cakes” and was part of the Fringe Festival running concurrently with the Liverpool International Jazz Festival 2026. This event took place in the afternoon in between two other concerts at the nearby Capstone Theatre which hosted the main Festival.

It was my first time to hear Frank Griffith play. As a renowned jazz saxophonist and clarinettist Frank has been performing for over 40 years primarily in New York and London. He has been based in the UK since 1996 but moved to the Liverpool area in 2018. He has received acclaim as a composer, arranger and radio broadcaster. 

Tenement Jazz Band @ The Spice of Life, London - Mar. 2

Chuck Dearness (cornet); Stephen Feast (clarinet); Paddy Darley (trombone); Rory Clark (sousaphone); John Youngs (banjo, vocals) 

On a Monday lunchtime at Cambridge Circus you can drop by a top class jazz gig for the princely sum of ten pounds. Week to week, Richard Pite's promotion at the Spice of Life never fails to disappoint. From New Orleans to modern jazz, it's always a winner. 

This week's offering featured a return visit by Edinburgh's Tenement Jazz Band. Folowing a successful gig the previous evening on the south coast, the popular five piece outfit set off nice and early from Hayling Island, Portsmouth. 

Press release: Buxton International Festival Announces Its Stand-Out 2026 Programme

Six Operas - including four brand new productions.

Books - with broadcasters, politicians, historians & commentators of the day.

Classical Music - featuring world-class orchestras, ensembles and recitals.

Jazz - including a special Jazz Weekender.

Buxton International Festival (9-26 July) announces its stand-out 2026 programme with more than 160 events planned across 17 days including six operas, four of them brand new productions; book events with leading opinion-formers of the day; world-class classical concerts; and a bigger than ever jazz programme.

Max Rosen Trio and Maria Sanderson @ the Moor Club, Stockport - March 1

© Jeff Pritchard

Max Rosen (keys); Peter Hartley (bass guitar/stick bass); George Bingham (drums); Maria Sanderson (trumpet)

This was a gig supported by Jazz North New Northern and in the first half we heard the trio then after the interval Maria Sanderson who played a set.

Max Rosen has played here before and made a big impression on the audience with his high energy approach and formidable technique. This is an exciting trio and the interplay between the musicians was outstanding. During the show Rosen held the attention and announced all the numbers which were a mixture of originals and standards.

Sunday night @ the Globe: Jack Littlewood Trio + Support _ March 1

© John Lyons

Marcus Dawe (keys, electronics, flute); Ifedi Osiyemi (bass guitar); Jack Littlewood (drums)The Globe was awash with students and the bar was doing good business. On stage Dawe, Osiyemi and Littlewood were known to us post-graduates from gigs with the Bold Big Band, the latter was also in the driving seat on Olly Styles' recent gig at the venue. 

© John Lyons

Opening up with Poinciana it only took a few bars to realise this was no ordinary piano, bass and drums trio but a supercharged, high octane fuelled powerhouse of sound. The decibels were off the scale. It was fff and then some. Nevertheless, as my ears adjusted I liked what they were putting down.

Pete Tanton's Chet Set @ Central Bar, Gateshead - Mar. 1

© Russell

Pete Tanton (trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals); Alan Law (piano); Mick Shoulder (double bass); John Bradford (drums)

A full house. So much so, more chairs were commandeered from an adjoining room. Faces old and new, this would be one attentive audience, whoopin' and a hollerin' in all the right places.

The Chet Set was premiered at Central Bar and it was something of a homecoming for Pete Tanton's project here on Half Moon Lane. The quartet - Tanton, Alan Law, Mick Shoulder and John Bradford - plays Chet Baker, but not in a slavish way. Yes, it's unmistakably 'Chet' but these guys stamp their own sound on the material. 

Bandleader Tanton, from Alabama, but long since resident in the UK (it's only a matter of time before 'Honorary Geordie' status is conferred upon our trumpeter/vocalist), knows his stuff about Chesney Henry 'Chet' Baker. A potted history of his subject punctuated the many musical delights on offer. 

Album review: Walter Smith III – Twio Vol.2 (Blue Note)

Walter Smith III (tenor sax); Ron Carter (bass 4,6,7,9,10); Joe Sanders (bass 1,2,3,5,8); Kendrick Scott (drums) + Branford Marsalis (tenor sax 4 & 10)

An ideal take on My Ideal opens up this rather beautiful album with Smith's warm sound and Sanders' rich toned bass coupled with some unobtrusive drumming from Scott setting the scene.

Circus has Scott in a more prominent role. Pushing and driving Smith before taking his journey into the unknown. A drum roll brings in Light Blue which bears an uncanny likeness to I'm Getting Sentimental Over You. The combination of tenor, bass and drums is just so perfect that any other instrument would be superfluous - unless it was another saxophone...