Jeff Hughes’ Swing Times Five lived up to its name at the Sherborn Inn on January 31st.  Pianist Al Vega had been scheduled to be here, but unfortunately, he passed away just a few months after having performed here in October with the Jeff Hughes Swingtet.  He will be sorely missed in the Greater Boston Jazz Scene!

We were fortunate to have one of New England’s most renowned pianists, Jack Senier.  Jack was happy to keep the music going.  We couldn’t possibly have had anyone better!  He made that baby grand piano sing, backed by the “Rhythm Boys,” Pete on string bass and Dave on drums, with Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. 

Vocalist Debby Larkin, also a friend of Senier’s, was here fresh from her successful performance at Ryles.  Dan Weiner guitar, Pete Tillotson string bass, and Dave Didriksen drums completed the Quintet.  Unexpectedly, Craig Ball, arrived with his hot clarinet to make it a Sextet.  He said “I couldn’t stay away.”

Dan Weiner blew us away with Count Basie’sTopsy, backed by string bass and drums. 

Weiner and Tillotson are old friends.  They met at a jam Session in Newton around 1980-81 and then played together regularly. 

They had lost touch and were looking forward to performing together again.  The synchronization was evident in Sweet Georgia Brown.

Craig requested I’ll Always Be In Love With You, a tune he does with his big band, The White Heat Swing Orchestra. 

Jeff took out the flugelhorn for Debby’s fine vocal of You Go To My Head.

Hard Hearted Hannah featured Jeff’s singing tone on cornet, with Senier intuitively behind him, and the band just went WILD!

And Jeff played Jimmy Enright’s favorite tune for me, By The Sleepy Lagoon. Thank you!

Time keeper Dave Didriksen was having a ball!  His whole body was swaying with the beat of In A Mellow Tone.

Debby gave a sterling performance with Slow Boat to China, Embraceable You, her parents’ favorite.  She even had me reminiscing and in tears, when she sang I’m Glad There Is You.

What a fantastic evening!!

Al Vega  put his reminiscences in a book, The Al Vega Story.  Last October, when he played here with The Jeff Hughes Swingtet, he gave Jeff an autographed copy that Jeff will cherish forever!

“Jeff, I had a ball playing with you!” Al Vega