FINLAY’S FIVESOME

Great evening with the ‘House Band’ renamed Finlay’s Fivesome in honour of this awesome percussionist.  So, the line up was Colin Henderson [Baritone and Tenor Sax, Flute], Graeme Nairn [Guitar], Mario Jannetta [Keyboard], Bill Jannetta[Electric Bass] and Finlay Grant [Drums/Percussion].

The band went straight  in to a diverse range of jazz standards including  ‘Autumn Leaves’ – Joseph Kosma; ‘Jersey Bounce’- Benny Goodman; ‘It’s you or no one’- Dexter Gordon; ‘Don’t go to Strangers’- Etta Jones;Like someone in love- Jimmy Van Heusen; ‘Afternoon in Paris’- John Lewis;‘Spring can really,hang you up the most’-Tommy Wolf; ‘Cherokee’– Ray Noble; ‘I should care’– Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston and Sammy Cahn and ‘Hackensa’- Thelonious Monk.

We were treated to Graeme’s deft fingers on the black mamba guitar. Bill on Bass, very droll, witty and sharp and not f sharp. Mario’s fingers like a spider’s legs drunk on jazz. Colin’s crispy alto sax and sonorous notes from that baritone sax, always rich and enjoyable.  Then there is the man who is Finlay Grant. It was as though he was taken back to roots in Africa, deep down those genes and chromosomes cried out ‘Finlay, let them have that beat!’ His face said it all as he caressed the cymbals and enjoyed every note, including Bill’s F sharp. Thank you gentlemen for bringing live jazz to Elgin, a real privilege.