Photos & Review by Sharon Steele – Colin James brought his Little Big Band to Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom on February 6 for the first night of a two-show run. The room was filled to capacity, with the audience eager to dance and enjoy an evening drawn from the band’s large repertoire of swing, jive, and blues standards. The evening featured a sprawling 27-songs-plus set list, sensibly divided into two sets.
On stage with James were several original Little Big Band members, including Norm Fisher on bass, Greg Piccolo on tenor sax, and Doug James on baritone sax, joined by additional musicians who rounded out the 10-piece Little Big Band lineup.
Much of the night drew from the band’s 1993 debut, revisiting jazz and swing-era favorites such as Roy Brown’s “Cadillac Baby” and “Surely.” Opening with “Last Night,” the first set rolled confidently through “Jumping from 6 to 6,” “3 Hours Past Midnight,” “The Night Is Young,” and “Tin Pan Alley,” with James clearly enjoying the shift away from his blues-rock persona.
Those hoping to hear hits like “Voodoo Thing” or “Five Long Years” were left wanting, as the music stayed firmly committed to the Little Big Band repertoire throughout the night.
After a short intermission, the second set began at 10 p.m. with “One Mint Julep” and kept the dance-floor feel alive with standouts including “Safronia,” “Think,” “Satellite,” and “Surely.” A spirited encore brought the night to a close with “300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy.”
