The bouncers made me dance, no really - it wasn't my fault.

Is it soul ?

Is it jazz ?

Is it funk ?

No, It’s a soul jazz groove

As night fell, the mighty Hammond organ was hauled onto the stage by three blokes. And I mean a fully mechanical, built like a bus, weight of an Elephant Hammond organ not some plastic keyboard with a ‘Hammond’ button on the computer.

I mean the Hammond organ of Jimmy Smith.

The Hammond organ of Hitsville USA – that’s MoTown.

The Hammond organ of Booker T and the M.G.’s.

And then, without much of an introduction The James Taylor Quartet were playing – and I was sat at a table in the front row, just feet away. Here’s the man himself;

 

 

James Taylor

 

Except that almost immediately the bouncers were at us and stole our table heater, then they came back and took our table – then our chairs.  I got the impression they didn't want me there either.

So really, they made me do it; I just had to dance. Then again, I didn’t need much of an excuse.  After all, it’s a Soul jazz groove. This was a special night.

Here’s a shot of the band I took from the front. Would that be from the ‘Mosh-pit’ I wonder? 

 

  

 

The JTQ

 

And there’s only one way to describe this, the photo doesn’t do you justice sir!

 

 

 

Murder on the dance floor

 

It was fantastic, especially when they fired up Booker T’s ‘Green Onions’. And it wasn’t just the Quartet – there was a brass section – of course there was. And a vocalist, which meant we got a couple of the hits from back in the 1980’s.

Mmmmmh, beeehave!

You know, if someone had said to me;

 “We are going to give you a perfect day – just for you. It’s going to be cool and fashionable, there’ll be a good audience but it won’t be too crowded. Bring your own food, bring your own beer. We don’t mind.

We’ll give you a seat in the front row and there’ll be a bit of dancing, if you want.

The weather will be good; not too hot, not too cold. There won’t be any rain. It might as well be Milan or Rome or Paris.

You can choose your favourite music of the last 30 years and it’ll sound as good as new, played by the best musicians in the world.

Oh, and it’ll all be free of charge – just turn up on the day – if you feel like it”

Could that ever happen?

 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)