The John East Project - Live At the 606 (2012)

Tracklist

01. Comin' Home Baby (Live)
02. Señor Blues (Live)
03. Here's to Life (Live)
04. All the Way (Live)
05. Wave (Live)
06. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy / God Bless the Child (Live)
07. I Love Being Here With You (Live)
08. Blues for Steve (Live)
09. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (Live)
10. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (Live)
11. Vinyl (Live)
12. Your Mind Is On Vacation (Live)

John East’s love for the music has been evident over the many years that I have known him. Not only a great Jazz enthusiast, however, John is also a successful corporate financier, whose practical assistance to the Club has been invaluable. But he also has another string to his bow, as a Jazz Hammond organ player, which led me to suggest that he might like to do a gig at the Club sometime. John’s response was typically enthusiastic and he immediately set about organising a band. His first choice was bassist Neville Malcolm, a wonderful player who includes work with the likes of “Incognito” and Tom Jones on a stellar cv and is a musician I admire enormously. Next was Mark Fletcher, a brilliant world class drummer, as his work with the likes of Liane Carroll, Dizzy Gillespie and Michel LeGrand shows. I recommended an old friend on guitar and the John East Project was born.

The gig was excellent, everyone loved it and regular dates soon followed. Over the following months the guitarist dropped out and the terrific Carl Orr (formerly with Billy Cobham) was drafted in; shortly after that two horn players were added to complete the line up that you hear on this CD, which was recorded live at the Club. The music is swinging and compelling. John’s vocals on a mix of songs from up-tempo Blues to gentle ballads are sensitive and to the point and the playing is universally impressive. The horn section, with Max Grunhard’s searing alto sax a great counterpoint to the beautiful tone and lovely melodic lines of trumpeter Scott Baylis (who also pops up on piano) is thoughtfully crafted. Carl’s incisive guitar lines sparkle and the rhythm section swings mightily, demonstrating exactly why Mark and Neville are considered to be amongst the best in Europe. And not forgetting the Hammond organ driven by John, prodding and guiding, an ever present but never overbearing force that comes into its own most notably on the instrumental blues, highlighting the jazz credentials of this excellent band.

This is a lovely album and one to savour for the individual contributions as well as the impressive sum of the parts. So should you see a dapper, middle aged gent with a constant smile and friendly manner making his way to work in the City don’t jump to conclusions; it could be a fine Jazz organist on his way to his day job…..Enjoy.

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