HE has twice played in front of the Queen and performed at former Beatle Paul McCartney’s wedding.

And as the Godfather of Swing Ray Gelato is very much part of jazz royalty.

The Concorde’s jazz aficionados have been accustomed to seeing the master of tenor saxophone accompanied by a bigger line up of musicians.

But Ray’s new band, The Enforcers is a more compact format and it works brilliantly. It certainly won the approval of an appreciative audience who were rewarded with two encores.

And it gave Ray the opportunity to showcase his big toned passionate tenor saxophone skills coupled with his highly distinctive jazzy swingin’ vocals.

For a small combo The Enforcers _ Gunther Kurmayr (piano) Manuel Alvarez (bass) and Ed Richardson (drums) - made a big impact.

There was a spectacular drum solo from Richardson. Bursting with youthful energy he is a name to watch for on the jazz scene.

Sprinkled with sparkling humourous one liners, Ray breezed through the two sets with some barnstorming numbers.

On the way he paid homage to a glittery array of American big band legends including Louis Jordan, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Louis Prima, Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong.

Ray rounded off the first set with a very catchy number, Nosey Joe by American blues and rhythm & blues singer and saxophonist Bull Moose Jackson.

There was even a tribute to one of Ray’s heroes, Texan Arnett Cobb, sometimes described as the wild man of the tenor sax.

One of the highlights of the second set was the fast moving arrangement of Don’t Toy with Me Baby.

Responding to cries for another encore Ray Gelato rounded off the evening with that 1930’s popular jazz standard, On The Sunny Side of The Street.

It was a sunshine ending to a glowing performance from the Godfather of Swing.

Duncan Eaton