An Hour Alone

I sat at the piano and idly played a few bars, a couple of quick arpeggios, scales and runs, tuning was fine, it sounded good, I ran through a couple of numbers, a few ideas for my solos. The bar was closed, the lights mostly off. I loved this time before we opened, before the public spoilt it all. I loved performing, just hated the clientele. Sometime after your forties you get used to it, normally I just played on, but lately I was getting really antsy.

They come from the offices around, for 'just a few beers before bedtime'. The party guys and girls, leavers, marryers, divorcees, promotees, New Daddys, New Mummys. We had them all, some were the same people in quick succession. They all ignored the band and shouted and laughed and generally pissed about during the set. I liked the later shows, where they came to listen, or at least only talked when a number finished.

The irritation had got to me so much lately, I had nearly walked off set one night. It had all started with Kate leaving, we had been around for maybe ten or twelve years playing a soft jazz / rock set. But she upped and left me and I guess I felt cheated. She had me over good, yeah really dumped on me big time. She handled the money, so guess what, she'd stripped the account and was last seen boarding a bus for the airport. Well fuck her and fuck everyone else too.

Luckily the boys had their money paid separately so at least some of us could pay our rent and at least I still had a band. I had some money, which went too quickly and I was getting behind on some payments, so this month I borrowed some from my sister, but it came with a catch. She had a friend, who had a daughter, who had a voice. So yes I'd listen to the kid and then I'd tell her to go back to school, learn a trade, or find a career that didn't mean she'd have to endure drunks and arseholes all night. She was due in at four, which was why I was here at three because, as the song goes, "An hour alone spells freedom to a slave" .

I remembered the old Pete Atkin / Clive James song and picked out the chords , adding the harmony hesitantly. In my mind I heard the words,

"Nobody here yet

From the spotlight that will ring her not a glimmer

Not a finger on its squeaky dimmer

I play piano in a jazz quartet

That works here late with a young girl singer.."

I extemporized a bit, falling back to the main chorus. But, then thought I heard a full rich contralto deep voice singing the words.

"Thirty years in the racket

A brindled crew-cut and a silk-lined jacket

And it isn't my hands that fill this place

It's a kid's voice still reaching into space

It's her they're driving down to hear

And it's my bent-over back she's standing near.."

I stopped and looked up to see a young girl stood by the small dais we have as the stage. She grinned, a cheeky youngsters grin.

"Hi I'm Holly. Auntie Gill said I should come and sing for you, it was today right?"

"I.. Holly did you just..."

"Sure, Pete Atkins, one of my Mum's favourite singers, she's got loads of his albums, I love A King at Midnight, and Thirty Year Man is my favourite track, couldn't believe you were playing it."

"Yeah, OK, well now you're here, let's see what else can you do. Do you know, The Girl from Ipenema maybe?"

"Yup, sure, what do you want to do, straight in or an intro?"

"I usually do a few bars of the bass line, chuck in the main theme, then the band come in and then you launch yourself. Want to give it a try?"

"You do your intro and then look at me when you want me in, is that OK?"

"Yeah, let's see how it goes, and one, two, ahh one-two-three,"

I started in and looked up at the second she should hit the beat. She nailed it, in one, and then we were away. She ran through it like she'd been singing it all her life, I was amazed, she was so loose and she really knew how to use that knockout voice. We skidded to an end and she giggled. It was a rich and fruity gurgle and I had goosebumps.

"So what now, I have a couple of favourites, do you want to hear "Stormy Weather", or maybe "That 'Ol Devil called Love"?"

She looked at me with a smile and I laughed, this girl had the pipes, but did she have the stamina, let's see.

"We'll do both, and look here comes the band."

Bobby, Mac and Mike walked over and we did introductions, they had a ten minute tune up and loosener, we had Bass, Drums and Brass. Then we set about destroying two beautiful standards. Well we would have done if that voice hadn't kicked in on cue, bloody hell she could sing. The boys actually clapped when we finished. Holly grinned and jumped up and down on the spot.

"That was amazing, you guys were brilliant!"

"Well we try, let's go talk this over, I'll need to talk to your parents and get contracts signed, but if it's possible, you're in, right boys?"

They all signaled affirmative and swung into Happy Days are Here Again, wild but ragged. I grinned and walked over to a booth with Holly.

"How old are you Holly? Truthfully."

"I'm eighteen in a fortnight, trust me. I bought my birth certificate and you can phone Auntie Gill or my Mum and check."

"Holly, I believe you, but I will need to see proof, to protect both of us."

Holly dug in her bag and produced an envelope, from this she extracted a short form birth certificate. Holly Elizabeth Arden, born eighteen years ago but a fortnight. She found her passport to support the birth certificate, the details were the same and a slightly younger version of her stared back at me. All seemed in order. I left her in the booth and found Dave the barmen. He let me into his office and I copied both documents.

Walking back I heard laughter and then a drum roll.

"Summmmmeeerrr Time, and the livin' is eassy."

She looked at me as Bobby's trumpet soared behind her. I walked to the piano and joined in. I had those goosebumps again. That voice was like honey, but with steel under it. We forged through it and stopped.

"On behalf of the band and myself I'd like to thank you all, and I hope we pass the audition,"

Holly giggled as she used John Lennon's remarks after a live performance on the roof of the Apple building in London in 1969.

"You're far to young to remember that," I grinned. But on behalf of the band and myself I'd like to confirm you've passed the audition."

She bowed and went to shake everyone's hands. Coming back she edged onto my stool. I shuffled a bit and she sat with one cheek on the stool grinning at me. She was seriously unnerving me. I'm a little OCD about my property and also personal space.

"Sorry am I overstepping the mark?"

She looked me directly in the eye and grinned.

"Minx! yes you are, a little warning, keep out of my personal space, I have limits."

I grinned and she hugged me, I went rigid, now she was well over naughty into danger. I just sat, as she held me.

"You OK?"

"Not really, I'm not really a touchy-feely sort of guy and I find this a little uncomfortable. Any chance you might back off, say a little or hopefully a lot?"

"OK, sorry, I just wanted to thank you for taking me seriously."

"Look Holly it's me, not you, I have a fear of contact okay, I don't like being too close to people, especially if we've only just met. It's the same with everyone not just you. I love your voice, I like you a lot, I think we have a good chance here."

I didn't add, before someone snaps you up and makes you a star. Me and the boys were just making a living, Holly I suspect could be a real chanteuse, a singer of repute. Try to imagine a cross between Ella and Sarah Vaughn reborn in this girl, maybe not as perfect but damn close for an eighteen year old. I smiled and she slid away a bit. I touched her arm, she grinned.

"See, it's not so tough is it?"

"Get off, we have more to practice, okay lady and gentlemen, hymn number forty two, "It's that 'Ol Devil Called Love", and threeeeafour."

It went well. we'd found a good sound, changed a couple of numbers, switched a couple around and we had a set. I called time and we broke for lunch, it was five thirty and we opened at seven. The bar was ready to go, so we left for the cafe opposite and had the all day breakfast, again. At six forty five, we went back and had a beer on the house, Holly had asked for a large glass of white wine and a pint of water. She sipped the wine and gulped the water. Long may that continue I thought.

We mounted the dais and tuned up, ran a number for sound, as Holly scatted a lyric and at seven, we opened the set. We'd decided on "That 'Ol Devil" and from the opening, the few punters in the house stopped and listened. That voice suckered them in and they were hooked. A crowd of new arrivals went quiet as the regulars stared at them and then switched back to the stage. Holly growled to a finish over Bobby's trumpet. The place erupted. We nodded thanks and went into the rest of the set. At the end of the set at eight thirty the place erupted. We bowed and walked off, somehow I had an arm around Holly's shoulder, as we went to the back room reserved for our downtime.

Dave stuck his head in and said bar sales were through the roof. He pushed a tray of beers, wine and water onto the rickety table and left, his other barman shouting for help. We sat and sipped slowly, coming down from an incredible high. Each number cheered to the roof, solo's evoking a loud round of applause. It had never been like this. We grinned stupidly at each other. Holly left the wine untouched but gulped the water again. Excusing herself she went to the ladies. A few cheers and whistles accompanied her appearance back in the bar area.

Coming back she sat down , then started to shake, her eyes welled up and she began to cry. It was all the pent up emotion, she just let it go. We all looked around sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. One by one the boys got up and hugged her, I waited and then taking my turn sat with her and hugged her small frame. She stopped and sniffed, I found a nearly clean hankie, handing it to her. She giggled and dried her eyes, saying sorry for her outburst. We fell over ourselves excusing her and saying we'd all done it at some point.

At nine we trooped out to a packed and enthusiastic bar. As we sat Holly looked at us all and nodded. She launched into the old Janis Joplin number "Try", My God the front row must have felt they'd strayed into a hurricane. She bowled them over with her voice. How could that small frame belt out those decibels. She made that song hers. She gave it everything, you felt all her fears and anxiety, her force and determination. She bossed the number, Janis would have been proud. We tried to rock behind her and I think we were close. The floor erupted again. Stomping, stamping, clapping, screaming, shouting.

Holly raised her wine glass and sipped, before switching to the water and taking a third of a pint in one.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, This is the Don Williams quartet, like to introduce the band. Don on Piano, Bobby on Horns, Mac on Drums and Mike on Bass. I'm Holly and I sing a bit."

She giggled and put her water down, the crowd were right behind her.

"Would you like some more?"

The roar sounded like a Jumbo on the tarmac revving for the off. Holly giggled and looked at me, winking she turned to the audience.

"Can't hear you sorry, do you want some more?"

The sound made the little dais vibrate and I grinned, she had them at hello, this was just teasing them. I nodded at Mac, he laid down a beat, we roared into "This wheel's on fire." a sixties standard and again, she hit the front and led the way. I had switched to my beloved Farfisa organ and scorched the middle section. Holly clapped before picking up the lead again. Give that girl the baton and she ran and ran. At ten thirty we crashed out of "Mustang Sally" with the house on lead vocals, egged on by Holly strutting and grinding her way about the stage, she was a natural. We stood and linked arms, bowing and waving, then off to the room. The towels Dave provided were used to wipe the sweat off.

The next set at Eleven would be a slow tempo wind down, before the finish at half twelve. Dave came in with the drinks, announcing that these were from friends in the 'Audience', could they come in. We said yes and waited until the door opened. My sister and Holly's Mum squeezed in, there were hugs and kisses, hand shakes and a shuffling around so they could sit. They were over the moon with the evening, they'd sneaked in as we came out for the second set and had been blown over by the whole thing. Naomi was a beautiful older version of her daughter and looked very familiar. She kept flashing me smiles and I smiled back, her eyes were bright and bored into me.

We talked and sipped on the beers, Holly again sipping at the wine and drinking the water. Gill and Naomi chatted easily with the boys. I looked at Holly she was beaming.

Soon we had to go out again. Usually at Eleven only the hardened drinkers were around, tonight the place was packed and an expectant cheer went up. Holly hung back and touched my arm.

"Are they going to go for ballads and blues?" She asked, her eyes big and round.

"Honey, you could recite the phone book and they'd hang on your every word."

I grinned and clapped her back,

"Go get 'em tiger."

We arranged ourselves and Holly stood stock still, head down and arms by her side. The place quietened. You could here a pin drop. A low growl erupted as she began to raise her head and lift her arms.

"Summmmmeeerrr Time, and the livin' is eassy."

The place erupted and she smiled her easy smile. Bobby came in and a smattering of applause greeted him, He nodded briefly as Holly's voice engulfed the room, sliding so seductively through the song. Goosebumps time. As the last note died away they were on their feet again. Holly bowed and turned to blow me a kiss. I nodded. The girl done good. The set soon seemed to finish and we stood, arm in arm and took our bows. I pushed Holly forward and we all clapped her loudly. She giggled then turned and clapped each member of the band as she shouted our names. The crowd followed her and we each enjoyed the moment.

Finally Holly bowed and led the way through the crowd to the rest room. We fell onto the chairs, towels round our necks, I was drenched, Mac Bobby and Mike red faced and puffing. Holly serene stood and sipped her wine, there were now three undrunk glasses by her elbow. She chugged her water and grinned. Taking a towel she patted her face and neck.

"Phew, think I'll wear less tomorrow," she grinned.

Mike, Bobby and Mac laughed, suggesting in turn, a mini skirt, boots and scarf. She grinned and sat down. Dave appeared with more drinks and grinned at us. We nodded absolutely drained. A tap at the door and Gill and Naomi came in, they smiled and shook everyone's hand again, then engulfed Holly in turn. Gill found me and hugged me very tightly. I grinned. We were close, but contact was rare, tonight it seemed right.

After the bar closed we emerged back into the room. We switched everything off and Mac covered the drums, whilst Mike and Bobby put their instruments into cases, ready for the off. I closed the lid of the piano, then covered my Farfisa. Strolling back to the bar, we all stood whilst we waited for Dave. He came out and looked at us.

"The usual three hundred apiece, plus tonight a bonus of two hundred each, for a sensational show."

He counted out five piles of twenty's and fifty's, going slow enough that we could all do the maths. Smiling he touched Holly's cheek and chuckled. We gathered up our ill gotten gains and thanked Dave, he waved his arm casually and walked into the back of the bar. We stood aimlessly, not wanting to break the magic of the night. Finally Gill and Naomi approached Holly and guided her out. The spell broken we shook hands and the boys and I trooped out.

By the next night the place was heaving as we came back from lunch. Holly excused herself and went to the ladies. We had changed the set slightly and she had contributed a few ideas, which we tossed around and decided to take a chance on. She arrived back a long coat wrapped round her, grinning like a loon. We all just shook our heads and laughed. Stepping out we made our way to the dais. Holly still wrapped in the overlarge coat.

We'd agreed to start with a good foot stomper and Holly had suggested the old James Brown number I feel Good. Mac tapped the beat,

"Wooahhhhh! I feel good, I knew that I would Now,"

She flung off the coat to reveal a stunning silver mini dress, silver boots and a blood red silk scarf, which hung from her throat to her knees. The place was in uproar. Shouting screaming, clapping, singing. The place was rocking. We grinned and put the pedal to the metal. Bobby's sax soared into the riff to the bridge.

We'd allowed for Mac to do a solo and he destroyed them. How do you do a drum solo to James Brown? Ask Mac because he absolutely aced it.

Holly was bumping and grinding, then on cue she went down, I rushed up to her and put her coat over her shoulders, helping her to her feet and trying to get her off stage. Flinging the coat off, she strode back to the mike and hit the afterburners. Finally we caught and held the last note, Holly whooping and rolling that beautiful voice around, soaring swooping and running rings round it. She jumped, we finished as her boots boomed onto the stage again. Not bad for a first number.

The place was in uproar, we waited for five minutes before the noise lessened. I nodded at Mac and he clicked out the rhythm, as we went into "Try". Again pandemonium ensued and by the end of the set we were cheered to the rafters and soaked in sweat. Walking off we felt like dishrags but it was worth it for the adulation.

Sitting down we rubbed ourselves dry, Mac stood again and pulled his shirt off, rummaging in his bag he produced another.

"Wow, is it next month already?" quipped Bobby, avoiding Mac's lazily swung arm.

Holly went to the ladies and returned in a burgundy dress that swept the floor. The top half was low at the back and scooped at the front. Sleeveless it revealed the soft clear skin of her shoulders and arms and chest. She looked beautiful. The room fell silent, she looked around.

"What? What's wrong?" her big eyes bulging and brimful of tears.

"Nothings wrong pet, you look gorgeous," said Mac with a smile.

"Perfect," Bobby echoed.

"Wow princess look at you, all ready for the ball," Mike said with a grin.

"Well?" She looked at me and put her hands on her hips.

"Let it Go, Let it Go.." the others chorused, and she grinned.

I stepped forward and hugged her.

"You look stunning, beautiful, perfect, a princess, all that and more."

"Thanks guys you had me worried there for a minute."

Dave came in to put the drinks out, paused, whistled and winked at Holly.

"That's worth a bonus on it's own. Stunning look Holls."

He disappeared, Holly grabbed her water and gulped. I grinned, same old Holly then.

We went out for the second set and the noise intensified, they loved us. Holly made them cry, laugh and singalong. We lilted, we swayed, we supported, but that girl gave them her heart and soul and they loved her back for it. We came off, very impressed with our girl. She slipped out to the ladies and came back in a sweater and slacks with flat pumps and a small green beret perched at a jaunty angle. We grinned, a dress for each set, now that was style. We drank and mulled over a couple of points on the final set. We were on again.

The set was sublime, she had them eating out of her hand. Fragile, spare, lost, she played it all. Audrey Hepburn with Ella's timing and phrasing, She finished on "Moon River." They didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she whispered the last note. Another brilliant set, we were all back in the room, easing down when a knock came. A large well dressed man appeared, wanting to speak to Holly. She said anything he wanted to say could be said in front of the band. He was an agent and wanted to represent her.