CityLife

Acker Bilk + Kenny Ball

THIS was my first jazz concert in five years and boy, was it worth the wait.

I thought my last one, in a quaint cocktail bar in Prague, was unbeatable but Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball proved me wrong when they took to the stage at the Bridgewater Hall.

Acker strolled on stage with his Paramount Jazz Band in tow to a warm reception reminiscent of his days performing at the famous Manchester Sports Guild in the 1960s.

The Jazz old timer effortlessly played his clarinet as the band ran through their most popular numbers, including favourite Stranger on the Shore and the jolly Panama Rag.

Each member took a solo, with pianist Colin Wood and Enrico Tomasso on the trumpet standing out.

If he had not made it as a master of the clarinet Acker could have turned his hand to comedy as his stories and jokes between each song were a welcome added bonus.

Loyal fondness

The almost sell-out audience showed a loyal fondness to the 80-year-old, who also sang a few numbers, and they cheered him off as he made way for his friend Kenny Ball.

Trumpet player Kenny and his Jazzmen brought a whole different vibe to the second half.

Their set was full of energy, it was louder and more full-on with some very impressive vocal arrangements at times, on tracks such as Jeepers Creepers.

Drummer Nick Millward produced a quite outstanding solo, aptly named You're Nicked!, which earned the first standing ovation of the night, and deservedly so.

The Band played the Jungle Book Classic, I Wanna Be Like You, dedicated to a delighted seven-year-old member of the audience, complete with monkey dance moves and noises by clarinettist Andy Cooper.

There was audience participation with All you Need is Love and When the Saints Go Marching In as the show came to a close.

Both jazz stalwarts produced a concert brimming with fun and talent and left me as satisfied as that lucky seven-year-old boy who we were told was being treated to his first jazz concert.

I have no doubt it will not be his last.