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Friday 13th & Saturday 14th December 2024
Gosforth Civic Theatre
Friday Review - Lance Liddle
Zowie! When the SSBB brass section hits you, you know you've been hit - Zowie!
Yes it's Christmas time once more and that means party hats and chestnuts roasting on open fires in contradiction to the fire safety regulations.
The opener, Joy to the World, set the scene for the delectable Ms Grace to do just that with Fever and Kansas City. Looked good, sounded good.
It doesn't do any harm for a big band to have some Kenton charts in the pad and Recuerdos, from 1956, had a great Latin feel to it with solos by Robinson, Don, Parnaby and leader Lamb. It was the latter's only solo of the first set. In the absence of Pete Tanton I'd have liked more.
Alice returned for a sublime I Only Have Eyes For You and an emotive Lush Life perfectly capturing the world-weariness of the lyric. Jamie Toms also 'did a job' on the Strayhorn classic. Dizzy's Birks' Works had solos by Kurgi-Smith on trombone and Graham Don as well as Summers and Sue on alto and bari respectively.
Summers and Sue soloed on Sister Sadie but with a difference. Sue played piccolo - this may have been the first time I've heard jazz piccolo. I was impressed. Michael Whent arose from subterranean depths to do some agile bass guitar picking on the same number before going back 'down below'. Jamie worked out on We Three Kings and Alice closed the first set with a rocking Five Up High.
Second set: The hats and masks were donned on stage as well as by the audience. Least I think some of the audience were wearing masks. Several were deffo wearing hats which zilched any photo opportunities!
Deck the Halls and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen had 'Pav' featured on guitar and some blistering tenor from Forster who also delivered on a (not so) Silent Night.
Alice gave us Santa Baby - it wouldn't be Christmas without the Eartha Kitt classic - the band played Let it Snow which featured John Hirst on kit* and Keith on alto before Alice once more entered the fray with I'll be Home for Christmas, It's a Pity to Say Goodnight, The Christmas Song, a singalong Last Christmas and Jingle Bells with a solo by Graham Don to send us on our way rejoicing. Lance.
PS: Next Christmas we'll be singing Last Christmas at the City Hall no less!
Original post: https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2024/12/strictly-smokin-big-band-gosforth-civic.html
Saturday Review - Russell Corbett
Editor-in-Chief LL's review of the Strictly Smokin' Big Band's first night of two at GCT captured the essence of the occasion. This second performance followed suit. A full house, a set list appealing to the committed jazz fan and the party season crowd, superb ensemble work, stellar solos from all sections of the orchestra, the whole package is a winner.
To concur with LL, Sue Ferris playing piccolo on Sister Sadie was something special, the big band drumming of John Hirst was nothing short of outstanding and the SSBB's gem that is Alice Grace sparkled (an exceptional Lush Life). Other (on the night) thoughts...Joy to the World, Fever and Kansas City made for a fantastic opening - lots of jazz and not so much in the way of tinsel-draped singalong. That would come later.
Soloists fired on all cylinders - the tenors Jamie Toms, Matthew Forster, the blistering altos of Steve Summers and Keith Robinson, 'bone blasts courtesy of Chris Kurgi-Smith and Kieran Parnaby, guitarist Pav combining 'all guns blazing' and 'tasteful' (no mean feat), name the soloist and they were right on it.
Second set, Santa hats on stage, some in the audience, Santa Baby, Let it Snow, The Christmas Song, just go with the flow. So, it's almost the 'Big Day'. As a prezzie, how about two tickets (more, if you like) to the SSBB's 2025 Xmas show? Note, 'show' singular. Next year, Sunday 21 December, Michael Lamb's superb band can be found at the o2 City Hall. The SSBB will be joined by the Northern Orchestra (Bradley Creswick and strings galore) plus some TBA special guests. It's a big undertaking. Imagine a capacity audience (2000 plus) in the historic venue, you can be part of it. Book now at: www.strictly-smokin.co.uk or www.academymusicgroup.com. Russell
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