Jerron Paxton @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle - May 14

Jerron Paxton (banjo, guitar, violin, piano, harmonica, bones, vocals)

A full house - seating in rows rather than cabaret table layout - tells a story. Jerron Paxton was making a return visit to Newcastle and Gosforth Civic Theatre was packed to the rafters. From Los Angeles, with family roots in Louisiana, Paxton is a multi-instrumentalist of old school charm. His audience would, indeed, be well and truly charmed. 

A Smithsonian Folkways recording artist, a razor-sharp raconteur, Paxton's breadth of material defied categorisation. Cajun, ragtime, dazzling stride piano, jazz 'n' blues, hokum, whatever took his fancy, Paxton played it. Songs lost in the midst of time, new, original compositions, our man from LA drew upon a wealth of songs, seemingly at his fingertips. 

Tyneside's banjo players should have been there this evening. Perhaps they were. If they were there, the Tyne

will need to be dredged, their discarded instruments likely a hazard to shipping! Astounding technique, Paxton made a look so easy. 

Old timey fiddle? Paxton's your man. Piano? Look no further. Railroad blues harmonica? Yeah, you get the idea. Fully seventy five minutes later, to tumultuous applause, Jerron Paxton bade farewell. Encore demanded, encore granted. Jerron Paxton is the 'real deal'. Russell