Worth the extra effort;Art Themen at The Red Lion, Isleworth.

Well, after being ill for about 5 days, I'm over it now. Still got problems and I'm back at hospital this week and I don't expect that to go so well.

But we went out; to my jazz Club at The Red Lion, Isleworth and I got to see my favourite saxophonist.......Art Themen.

I may have been feeling a bit better but I still managed to forget my camera on the night when I most wanted it.

This picture is from Robyn's phone;

I like the kind of music he plays - classic Bebop and I like the way he plays it too - lots of invention and surprises.

There was plenty of Horace Sliver, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. There were noisy, outrageous bits and quiet reflective moments.

Andrew Cleyndert was given plenty of scope on bass and John Donaldson excelled on keyboards.

It had been due to be a 5-piece but Don Weller was ill; secretly I prefer a quartet. And with Art Themen that means a bigger chunk when it's only cut four ways.

Once again, Trevor Tomkins was great on drums.

It's always a special night seeing Art Themen.

Maybe that's because there have been times when I have had to really fight to get the time, to find the energy.... just to make it back to Isleworth and that often seems to have coincided with a visit from Art Themen.

Probably because he's worth the extra effort.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
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