This was supposed to be a gig by singer Zoe Francis and guitarist Jim Mullen, backed by the 4-piece Just East. In the event Zoe Francis could not make it due to illness so it was Jim Mullen + Just East on the night.
Jim Mullen – guitar
Jeremy Shoham – alto & soprano saxes
Neil Angilley – keyboard
Phil Scragg – bass guitar
Rick Finlay – drums
I arrived pretty much on the dot of 6pm (start time for these Sunday jazz gigs) and just had time to buy a pint before Just East set the ball rolling.
Continued in comments. Photo of Jim Mullen & Neil Angilley all my own work ©Mike Harrison 2016
Used here with my full permission.
Just East kicked off the first set without Jim on an impressive Eastern-sounding thing of their own, “Indian Summer” which is a composition by Neil Angilley.
Jim Mullen then got up and plugged in and they played a rollicking version of Monk’s “Well You Needn’t”.
This was followed by a mellow take on Kurt Weill’s “Speak Low”.
The tempo then went back up a notch for Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” and they closed the first set with “Tune 88” by Jeff Lorber.
The musicianship and interplay was excellent. A good groove was established with some glorious soloing by all participants. The sound man, David, was trying out a new mixer and the keyboards were a little low to start with but soon fixed.
In the interval, after putting my (fairly optional) 7 quid in the tin, I had a brief chat with Jim Mullen and bought a CD from him (his 2013 organ trio recording “Catch My Drift”). He sold another copy to somebody else soon after, so he had something extra in his pocket from the gig.
I bought myself another pint and annexed a vacant table, as my back was stiffening up a bit from standing.
The second set again started with Jim sitting out on a Just East tune “Tomorrow Swirled” which was a Rick Finlay composition. Nice funky feel.
Jim plugged in again and they blasted through a version of Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation”. Jim sneaked in a cheeky quote from “Who’s Got the Last Laugh Now?” in his solo.
Wayne Shorter’s “Beauty & the Beast” was played. Keyboards particularly good. Interesting bass solo using an octave splitter and another effect (dunno what).
An arrangement by Jim of Duke Ellington’s “Prelude To a Kiss”, which was in his setlist for the original pairing with Zoe Francis was given an instrumental treatment. Worked beautifully.
After this they were joined by Dex, an outstanding vocalist who plays regular soul & funk nights here with his own band, on a rendition of Hoagy Carmichael & Ned Washington’s “The Nearness Of You”. Sounded fab.
Dex retired to the bar and they finished off with a rousing funked-up blast through that old faithful warhorse “Caravan”. Tremendous.
I have been to a few jazz gigs at The Chandos now and this was the most enjoyable so far, with the one a fortnight ago featuring saxophonist Martin Speake a close second. They seem to be on a bit of a roll. I will be back.
Big Jim Mullen… ex Piblokto!, one of the best….I wondered what he was up to for the last twenty years!
A pleasant affable chap.
I was speaking to him about when I first saw him, with Pete Brown & Piblokto!, in fact. He’s been back in touch with Pete Brown recently and they may possibly be doing something together in tribute to the recently-departed Phil Ryan.
I commented on first noticing Jim then because of his unusual way of playing using his thumb instead of a plectrum. He commented that it made his playing more difficult than it needed to be because he could only ever play downstrokes that way.
After Piblokto! he was with Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express, then Kokomo and then he toured with the Average White Band, where he met up with tenor sax man Dick Morrissey, with whom he formed jazz-funk outfit Morrissey-Mullen. Since then he’s kept busy playing and recording all over the place.
In the early 70s Brian Auger played a similar role for aspiring jazz/funk players as John Mayall did for the likes of Clappo, Greeny and Taylor. Original AWB drummer Robbie McIntosh came from Auger’s Oblivion Express, as did his successor Steve Ferrone. Check out Steve’s amazing chops on the Live Oblivion albums (available I believe on a double CD). Jump forward 10 years and Morrissey-Mullen was the band to be in as a proving ground for the most talented players in town.
Now Brown & Mullen together again? THAT I would pay good money to see.
And I noticed you spelled Piblokto! correctly…good chap.
Please Mike, if you hear of anything live coming up, let me know. I would go anywhere -yep, even that Londonshire Town place- to hear these two play together.
Here’s a fabulous clip that might interest any guitarists who see it, of Jim Mullen talking and playing.
I presume if “Guitarist” have put this on YouTube themselves with a standard license, they don’t mind it being spread about.