Jazz Sessions - ExCellar, Kingston (3 May 2025) - Gig Review

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In rapid fire time the Jazz sessions put on by host and owner Simon Baile have acquired legendary status. Artists are asking Simon to come and play there and fans are selling the events out.

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This is because the musicians that come to play are always fantastic and they ensure that the entertainment factor is very very high.

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That said even by the standards set previously last night’s gig was off the musical scale as the 6 piece The Red Hot Rhythm Revival Jazz Band created a riotous cacophony of sounds that filled the atmosphere in the venue and absolutely thrilled the audience.

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Regularly throughout the evening I looked around the room and beaming smiles etched the faces that looked back at me and then looking in the band’s direction, their faces too wore permanent smiles and it was clear both band and audience had a night of non stop fun.

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What was evident quite early on in the band’s set was that this was heavily improvised music that allowed each of the six musicians to showcase their talents individually and collectively.

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The Red Hot Rhythm Revival Jazz Band featured an Uber tight rhythm section of drums and bass, dancing keyboards, strident rhythmic Banjo and occasional vocals and front and centre, a brass duo of Clarinet and Saxophone. The individual and collective musicality was mind blowing but all looked so effortless but clearly nothing could be further from the truth.

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You could call the music Jazz but that would be selling the guys short because to Jazz they added massive swathes of swing and boogie woogie and the sonics created were infectious.

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The band’s song choices included many Jazz standards familiar to most I think, including Gershwin but the interpretations and free form instrumentation the guys laid down resulted in unique versions that flew off in many directions.

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Across the two sets the rhythm section pulsed out heavy gauge beats that rose and fell in step with the rest of the band, piano and organ flurries and plunging key strokes added layers of sound, that unique tight sound of a Banjo in full flow was outstanding and the interplay of Clarinet and Saxophone joined together resulted in a torrent of  big bold vivid passages of music.

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The song choices and the band’s interpretations of them meant there was a pleasing ebb and flow to the sounds emitted. Gershwin’s Wonderful and Carmichael’s Georgia On My Mind were smooth Jazz that included dropping to a lower key and here the Saxophone and Clarinet interplay was stunning.

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Then at the opposite end of the spectrum All Of Me and After You’ve Gone were  a riot of coalescing Banjo, keys, drums, bass and brass. This is where the swing and boogie woogie was right to the fore.

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In similar vein was the deep almost brooding coda of Watermelon Man with its foundation of  deep pulsing bass lines and drum patterns, textured keys and Banjo and again, the brass duo dancing atop it all.

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The absolute Jazz standard Sweet Georgia Brown was a massive smorgasbord of duelling sounds that built by stealth to a climax and this was followed by a challenging singalong from us in the audience and everyone was so immersed in the vibe we all joined in willingly.

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At the end of the set, super loud cheers and applause greeted the band and Simon’s request for more noise to justify an encore was of course delivered.

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The ensuing encore was a final riot of sounds as the band leaned into a booming version of When The Saints Go Marching In that gave these amazing musicians the chance to take the spotlight one final time and deliver a sonic solo.

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Massive massive thanks to The Red Hot Rhythm Revival Jazz Band for a truly memorable evening.

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I hope my words convey just how brilliant this was.