Joe Webb (piano); Pete Horsfall (trumpet); Alec Harper (tenor sax); Donovan Haffner (alto sax); Joe Evans (trombone); Will Sach (double bass); Sam Jesson (drums) + Jack Murray (alto sax)
Joe Webb is a football fan, big time. It isn't unknown for our superstar pianist to make a trip to the Nou Camp to watch a match, as one does. In the days leading up to this evening's De Beauvoir Jazz Festival concert, Webb was in something of a quandary. How could he take to the stage at 9:00pm, play through to eleven and watch England's World Cup Quarter Final against Norway, scheduled to kick-off at ten o'clock?
Rather than play two sets, as advertised, Webb would play one set, finishing at ten on the dot, then run around the corner to watch the match in the pub. It seemed like a plan..
Joe Webb's 7-A-Side is an occasional happening, principally because it's a rare occasion when all seven musicians can be found together in the same room. They're busy boys. The line-up, comprising Webb's regular trio - Will Sach, double bass, Sam Jesson, drums - and the four horns of Pete Horsfall (behind the scenes heavily involved with the festival) trumpet, Alec Harper (another Kansas Smitty's man) tenor sax, 2025 APPJG winner Donovan Haffner, alto sax, and Joe Evans, trombone, would hit the ground running with bandleader Webb's False 9 Rag.
Alluding to the 'false 9' position (a discussion for another day, post-match, in the pub), the twenty first century Webb can certainly write a rag, false or not. Listening to Webb's trio is one thing (it's a treat), hearing the added horns play Webb's charts was a revelation. What next - the Joe Webb Big Band?
Fight Night, David and Goliath (written for Webb's brother) with its Ellingtonian ballad quality, the trio playing, quite brilliantly, James P, the one hour set was flying by all too quickly. The seven was occasionally augmented by alto saxophonist Jack Murray (the boy can play!), Pete Horsfall featured on Corrèze, and to close, with its bebop head, Sports Day. Marvellous.
Some people thought it was all over. They were right, Webb and co were off to the pub. Come on England! Russell
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