Dan and Abi, in concert

For the last year or thereabouts, during the holidays, Dan and a handful of his musical friends have played jazz at The King’s Arms in Kirkby Lonsdale. The pub is now changing hands, so the band regrouped for one final gig there, this evening.

They are a talented bunch, and if the first ten minutes were a little patchy, it was only because they hadn’t played together for a few weeks, and also that it was the trumpeter’s first time playing with them.

But they got it together very quickly, and it was a great performance. Dan had told me that the guy playing trumpet is probably the best for his age in the whole country, and he certainly was an extraordinary player, although I wouldn’t want to diminish any of the others.

They took a break after an hour or so, and then Dan picked up the bass for a little while. For most of the gig, he’d been sat side-on to me, directing the band, so this is why he’s not playing guitar in my Extra.

For the last forty-five minutes, the band takes requests, although they have banned Abi from asking for ABBA and Harry Stiles, not that that prevented her, of course, and eventually the band gave in and played ‘As It Was’.

What did take me by surprise, though, was the fact that Abi promptly jumped up and sang with the band, encouraging us all to join her for the choruses. She really is unbelievable.