Last night we had two deps at this gig due to illness in the band , but they were amazing. We wish Neville Malcolm and Robin Aspland quick recoveries. Jerry Logan was the bassist: he was the pulse of the band, inventive and accurate. Carl Hudson played piano and keyboard with intensity and joy.
This was a band with power and love throughout the evening. We loved Dave Lewis’s raw, yet lyrical sound on tenor sax. Rod Youngs is a brilliant and very powerful drummer.
There are some jazz singers with “little girl” voices, and those singing from the throat, not the belly. Lizzie Deane must have the diaphragm of an opera singer. She has a huge dynamic range, and a timbre range from sweet to howl and everything in between. She moves from up front vocalist to band member with ease.
Whether in up tempo happy, slow intense ballad or a shouting cry of pain, the band clearly had a love of the material. They also had a joy in listening to each other. Yes, it was a lovely gig.
I have to say that the techy didn’t have a great night, what with lighting troubles, and reverberant mics. I wonder who that could be. Oh yes: me.
On Wednesday 22 February, the very welcome return of saxophonist Tommaso Starace, with his “Power of Three”. He will be with Jim Watson on piano and Luke Fowler on bass. It will be a varied and delicious evening, do come.
Thanks again to Steve for providing the set list.
Take care,
Dave
DAVE LEWIS’ 1UP BAND SETLIST, FLEECE JAZZ 8/2/23
Turn It Round
Casablanca
Deep Underground
Hurt Inside
Rain on Venus
Sun Was In My Eyes
I Don’t Need No Doctor
Ain’t It True
* * * * * * *
A Real Mother For Ya (Johnny “Guitar” Watson)
Take A Little Time
Bright Lights
Either ‘Love Gives More Than A Taste’ or ‘Got To Hold On To That Feeling’ *
Good Man
Great Big Hole In My Heart*
Blue Horizon
Sweetest Thing
ENCORE: What Do People Say?*
* Dave Lewis announced most numbers but by the second set he would occasionally just say two words to the band about the next number without telling the audience what they were about to hear or what they had heard. Those titles with an asterisk are my guesses based on lyrical refrains within the song.