6.1.05 Jam Night

 

Well, here we go, into 2005, another New Year, which I hope will be happy for all Merseycat members – and everyone else, for that matter. And we’re into a whole New Year of Jamming on a Thursday night.

 

If 2004 was a bit traumatic at times, 2005 started equally traumatically, but in a different way. The first Jam Night of the year and no PA system! Stephen heroically rigged up a stand-by system so that the night could get started and we began with a scratch crew (Keith on bass, Norman, Mike, Vic and John on guitars, Artie on drums and Frank on keyboards, augmented by Nick’s harmonica playing) doing instrumental blues, followed by an attempt at Wipeout, featuring Artie’s energetic drumming. Soon after this Jimmy got up and brought direction to the proceedings with typical good nature, and finally, with Be-bop-a-lula and Kansas City, the night was launched and under way, as the proper sound system arrived and was rapidly rigged by Stephen.

 

The Delrenas, ageless, timeless and one third hairless, gave us an excellent sequence of material, ranging from Chuck Berry (Go little Queenie) via the Everley Brothers/Little Richard (Lucille) and the Beatles (All my loving) to, improbably, Pat Boone (I think) with a rousing tongue in cheek performance of Speedy Gonzales. Great value entertainment from these skilled and experienced performers.

 

Rhythm & Blues featured next with 40 Years Too Late, (Bernie and Tommy on guitars, John on bass, Frank on keyboard and Nick on harmonica, powered as always by the driving drumming of Colin), working through Blue Monday and Hoochie-Coochie Man, before bringing on Beryl, whose high energy performance of Doctor, Doctor was matched by Colin’s powerful percussion. Dusty Springfield’s Take a little piece of my heart and the soulful Unchain my heart completed the set, clearing the way for Bobby Scott’s Clayton Squares.

 

The Squares feature, for me, some of the best bass playing we see at Merseycats. Billy’s bass work, particularly on I shall be released and the jazzy Just because, seems to me to be an almost flawless, seemingly effortless example of bass playing being perfectly attuned to the material being performed. This is not to take away from the excellence of the others (Tommy’s lead work is always superb, Eric’s vocal on I shall be released and George’s superb rendition of I need your love so bad have all been commented on before, and Bobby’s contribution is self-evident) but on last night’s performance the bass lines just seemed to stand out as deserving of special mention.

 

The night finished with a large crew of nine performers on the stage – Wally (bass), Norman, Mike, Dave and Dennis (guitars - don’t forget to ask Dennis for the story of his lovely, gleaming, new, hand-made Tele-type guitar), Stan (drums), Frank and Nick (keyboards and harmonica) and Bob on vocals – giving it some stick! Old-fashioned Rock’n’Roll, enlivened by the sight of Dave trying to play Dennis’ new guitar while Dennis was still wearing it.

 

This already large crew reached double figures shortly with contributions from Chris Rimmer  (Cliff’s Please don’t tease and Move it) followed by Frank, who despite Jamo’s observation, looks nothing like Lonnie Donegan, who took us smoothly through Hank Williams’ Jambalaya and Jerry Lee’s Whole lotta shaking. A real crowd-pleaser came next in the form of Duggie doing his Elvis. Teddy Bear and Wooden Heart had singing all round the room and got the dancers up.

 

And on top of all this terrific entertainment £221 was raised for local children. What better start could there be to a new Merseycat year than that? As always, thanks go out to the supporters of this organisation which works hard to achieve its stated goal – and let’s hope that 2005 continues as it began, with people working together, in harmony, for the good of others.

 

Ain’t it good to be back? Happy New Year!