Gene autrey Rides Again

Remember When

This month's edition of 'Remember When' features an interview with former George Evans' singer Ivy Barnes on her days at Newcastle's Oxford Galleries. It features photos of the Evans Orchestra including a reunion one that has Zoe's dad Mike Gilby in the trumpet section. A good 50psworth.

Photo below (not from magazine) supplied by Hilary Gilby shows Mike with Zoe, Scott and 'Figaro' Gilby.

Barry's Birthday Bash - Chilli Arms

Tonight it rained so hard I almost stayed home but, being that time of the month; by which I mean the week when the Alan Glen Trio play the Chilli, I braved the elements and guess what? Alan Glen didn't! He'd damaged his wrist and had to cancel.

Nevertheless, despite this setback an entertaining evening ensued with lots of bop opera performed. I should explain here that I'm using opera in its context as the plural of opus and not because we had the 'pleasure' of Dave scatting on an aria from 'Faust'.

Barry Ashcroft, back on piano this week, was celebrating his birthday although Dave seemed more excited about the event than did Barry himself - I know how he feels about birthdays...

Mark Williams on guitar excelled, as did Daniel who sat in for a couple, whilst saxes John (not last week's John) and Darren also soloed well. In fact most of the guys blew good on most of the numbers. The big weakness here is inevitably the beginnings and the endings which lack the cohesiveness the solos in the sandwich deserve.

Still, a minor point given the casual laid back atmosphere of the gig.

Happy Birthday Barry.

Inspiration is Where you Find it

"...and 'Mambo de la Pinta' which I wrote for guys in different jails I'd been in." - Art Pepper.

Red Hot Rhythm Makers at Cullercoats

Austrailia has never been noted for its jazzmen so it was purely out of curiosity that I turned up at the Crescent Club; a venue that looks onto Cullercoats' golden sands. Hardly Bondi Beach I know but nor are the Red Hot Rhythmakers the Basie Band.

What they are, are, a very proficient and well rehearsed young band that does its thing - hot dance music of the 1920's and 1930's - very impressively.

The soloists played well without straying from the idiom and the ensembles sounded amazingly authentic for players who looked to be mainly in their twenties.

Sandra, one of three females in the band, played drums and sang in an engaging Hanshaw/Etting/Morgan manner that proved popular with the audience.

All in all, a pleasant afternoon.

Kings Reign in Rain

Those intrepid Kings of Rhythm from Jesmond West failed to have their spirits dampened by the Wallsend weather which was wet.

Despite the rain, poor acoustics and an audience that was slowly drowning in apathy, WJRK gave a workmanlike performance. Understandably, they concentrated on theoretical crowd-pleasers such as "Indiana" and "Doctor Jazz" rather than the less hackneyed and often more melodic numbers from their CDs. Mike Durham gave a solid lead and Brian Chester's trombone was as ribald as ever but Derek Fleck on clarinet seemed to be under-miked. This wasn't a problem for the rhythm section. Keith Stephens, banjo; Phil rutherford sousa; Mac Rae drums came across loud and clear.

I look forward to hearing them again in more compatible surroundings.

You Can Choose Your Friends ...

"My family wasn't musical. A couple of distant relatives on my father's side were musicians; nobody seemed to like them very much." Ruby Braff.

Papa's Got A Brand New Haircut

I sensed tonight, in the Arms of Chillingham, was going to be different. Firstly Dave had had a haircut and trimmed his beard; an action which in itself was almost as revolutionary as pianist Barry playing bass guitar which he did very competently tonight. Secondly, that brilliant guitarist Mark Williams was once more on the stand and thirdly, I won the raffle; a CD of some moderate interest.

The band sounded good and got even better as the night progressed and sitters-in, sat in. These included Nicola on baritone sax (lovely big fat sound), Daniel on guitar, the inevitable David Carnegie - on piano tonight - and a guy called John, didn't catch his surname, on tenor who blew up an absolute storm on Quincy's"Killer Joe". David C and Daniel also went slightly crazy on this number.

Possibly the best session since I started dropping by.

If Shirley Horn Had Been Born in Tokyo...

Our local library were holding a CD sale so, having a restless pound coin in my pocket, I bought a disc by the Michiko Ogawa Trio; "It's All About Love". I'd never heard of the lady but the tunes were good and there was the added bonus of having Harry Allen on tenor so I thought, in for a yenny in for a pound.

A wise investment.

As expected, Harry Allen blew some stomping tenor especially his extended solo on the opening track, "You". However, the surprise was Ms Ogawa who plays some belting two-handed piano varying from stride to swing and, as if that wasn't enough, throws in some delicate, almost wistful vocals. "This is all I Ask", written by Gordon Jenkins, is a particularly poignant reading.

My pound couldn't have been better spent if I'd bought a lottery ticket and hit the jackpot. An exaggeration, I know, but only a slight one.

If you don't believe me, check the disc out on Google.

Gender Bender

"Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is a fine song and Stacey Kent can be, on occasion, a fine singer however, a girl singing about seeing... 'Polka dots and moonbeams all around a pugnosed dream' doesn't sound quite right.

I know one or two pugnosed guys but none of them prance around in polka dots and if I suggested that they did it would be my nose that became pugnified and I'd be seeing stars rather than moonbeams.

When Ella sang "Have You Met Miss Jones?" she changed it to Have you Met Sir Jones?" and that didn't sound right either.

Any others?