Sundridge Park, Monday, October 6th 2025

Every Little Beat Helps

If the great composers and conductors of the past could travel forward through time and come across the Mick Collins Legacy Orchestra performing at the Royal Albert Hall of jazz, aka Sundridge Park Working Men’s Club, we are sure they would have been impressed by their most recent performance.

What would Ludwig van Beethoven have said, we wonder as he sipped a ghostly glass of chilled beer and gazed thoughtfully at the spectacle of those newfangled saxophones wailing in unison with trumpets and trombones during a swinging Quincy Jones arrangement?

‘Ich bin beeindrukt von der dynamik die das Orchester in seinen interessanten arrangements zeigt. Vielleicht würde ich sie für meine nächste Symphonie buchen, wenn ich nur hier im Himmel eine schreiben könnte!’

Translation: ‘I am impressed by the dynamics shown by the orchestra on their interesting arrangements. I might book them for my next symphony, if only I could write one here in heaven.’

This amusing reflection crossed my mind while observing our musicians displaying the art of improvisation while interpreting complex scores by the finest latter day composers to grace the world of big band jazz.

During two sets at their regular monthly spot the orchestra won applause and whistles of approval not just from the ghosts of the past, but from a very much alive audience. Proceedings opened with a fast’n’furious ‘That’s Where It Is’ a tune arranged for the Woody Herman orchestra by pianist Nat Pierce.

The band then delivered ‘Jessica’s Day’ a classic Quincy Jones contribution for Count Basie, written as Paul Taylor our cordial M.C. murmured ‘Before he got rich.’ Paul also played the first trombone solo of the night on this number and Sim Murray was featured on alto sax.

We next enjoyed the lightly swinging ‘Seven Steps To Heaven’. A composition by Victor Feldman and arranged by Tubby Hayes, t’was oft featured by Miles Davis. Tonight’s version had Dan Gray on cool trumpet and Tim Pharoah took the first of several well deserved solos on double bass.

Photos courtesy of Peter Burles

GRACE

Paul held out long sheets of paper stuck together which he explained was a ‘wall paper length arrangement’ for the next item. This proved to be ‘Sugar’ a funky tune by U.S tenor sax man Stanley Turrentine notable for more Pharoah bass lines and Stephen Davies’ funky electric piano. ‘Grace’ a Quincy Jones ballad showcased brilliant tenor saxophone-ing from Tim Sanders, who explored a range of tonal and emotional possibilities.

The late pianist Horace Silver was responsible for many of the most danceable compositions from the Blue Note era and his ‘Kissin Cousins’ was designed to get an audience ‘On its foot’ as Ronnie Scott once joked. Paul did his best to encourage everyone in the front rows to dance, while drummer Denis Smith struck up a lively Rhumba rhythm.

Well, perhaps it was too fast for our more sedate Sundridge Park citizens, whose jitterbugging days are long past not to mention any flirtations with thrash metal stage diving. However when Dan Gray was unleashed on a hot trumpet solo matched by Adam McCulloch’s wild alto sax it sure set toes a-tapping.

The first set headed out with a slow and poetic ‘Gentle Autumn’ performed in a major to minor key that may well have impressed our pal Ludwig. (Ich bin beeindruckt von diesem großen zu kleinen Tonartwechsel!). Yes, he was impressed.

Could this have been a Gil Evans arrangement? A member of the audience wondered aloud if this was the case while another observed the bass player was reading the charts and not just studying his strings. Not the sort of audience analysis you’d get at a Taylor Swift concert, nor indeed at a Wee Willie Harris memorial show.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The second set opened with a Stan Kenton-ish delivery of ‘Happy Birthday’ in honour of band pianist Stephen Davies, whose birthday indeed it was – followed by a cheery ‘Sweet Georgia Brown.’ Possibly re-titled ‘Swingin’ for the Fences’ it was blessed with a speedy solo from trumpet star Aureliano Zufolo and also from guest trumpeter Tom Gaddes.

Bill Todd our conductor and leader showed his mettle and metal with a trombone solo driven by brisk brushes from Denis the Drummer while ‘Aunt Hagar’s Blues’ took us back to the pioneering days of W.C.Fields. A mood setting piano intro from Stephen and a low down trumpet call from Dan Gray took us back to New Orleans if not New Cross. Stephen also contributed his composition ‘If It Was Me’ which he explained was so-titled in honour of people all too ready to give unwanted advice.

Meanwhile Denis Smith excelled with his Sonny Payne-inspired drumming on ‘Splanky’ a wonderful tune that paced like a lion in a cage from ‘The Atomic Mr. Basie’ album. In contrast Pat Metheny’s composition ‘7 Days’ arranged and beautifully played by the masterful Adam McCulloch on his trusty alto saxophone proved another evening highlight.

An excitingly fast ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Nu’ (Thad Jones) was launched into outer space by rocketing drums that cleared the way for fast, complex ensembles by the entire band and re-fuelled by a tenor sax battle.

And so it was farewell with ‘Every Little Beat Helps’ another Basie number with muted trumpets and trombones creating a relaxed few musical bars before the club’s drinks bar shut for the evening.

Everyone was feeling cool and happy and as Bill said: ‘There was a very nice vibe in the room tonight!’

CHRIS WELCH