Pat Strachan – Trombone
Colin Henderson – Alto, Baritone Saxes and Flute
Jon Hall – Piano
Neil Sharkey – Bass
Mike Sharkey – Drums
It was good to see Pat Strachan in all his sartorial elegance back at Moray Jazz Club, together with Colin Henderson, Jon Hall and the amazing Sharkey brothers, Neil and Mike. The band played a spicy mixture of up-tempo Latin, swing and ballads. They opened with Dizzy Gillespie’s samba style “And Then She Stopped”, featuring lively solos from the two front line players over a driving rhythm section. It’s a great feeling knowing that whatever style or tempo is asked for, Mike and Neil will provide the goods. Individually they are excellent players and together they make a formidable unit. The music continued with a medium blues “Five Spot After Dark”, a faster and merrier I Want to be Happy”, a medium slow “Autumn Leaves” with Cannonball Adderley’s intro, and a classic ballad “Body and Soul”.
Pat not only played trombone but also sang and introduced “Sweet Substitute” with a brief history of its colourful composer, Jelly Roll Morton. Another early period number featured Colin on Eubie Blake’s “Memories of You”. The first half ended with “Copacabana” (not the Barry Manilow song) and the second set with a swinging version of “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To“.
Colin was on great form especially on the flute feature, Mel Torme’s “Comin’ Home Baby”, and was obviously enjoying himself. The rhythm section gelled together nicely as always and featured in a trio number, Michel Petrucciani’s “September Second”, a striking composition that always gets positive comments, this time from Pat, a fellow devotee.
Jon Hall
Moray Jazz Club 