Month: November 2023

Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces – 26 November 2023:   This well known band is always welcome by SJS.  Leader, Bob Dwyer, plays trombone and sings, Paula Jackman is on reeds, Mike “Magic” Henry is on trumpet, Hugh Crozier on piano and vocals, Marc Easener on sousaphone and Dennis Smith on drums makes up a very enjoyable six-piece band who play a mix of the traditional styles of jazz influenced, as the name suggests, by the legendary Bix Beiderbecke.  They opened with ‘I want a Big Butter & Egg Man’ and went on to play ‘Ain’t She Pretty’, a lovely clarinet solo ‘Into Freedom’, ‘That Da Da Strain’, ‘Davenport Blues’, ‘100 Years from Today’, ‘Good Morning Blues’, ‘At the Jazz Band Ball’, ‘Savoy Blues’, a piano solo with ‘Jellyroll Blues’, ‘Body and Soul’, ‘You were Meant For Me’, ‘Caldonia’ and finishing with ‘So Do I’.  What a lovely way to spend a Sunday lunchtime.  We are looking forward to seeing this group again in the coming year.

Richard Hughes’ Fugue and Groove Trio with Jeremy Huggett – 19 November 2023:  Well this was something completely new.   This exciting new combo and Jeremy combining both jazz and classical elements which meant there was something for everyone.  Leader, Richard Hughes was on keyboard, Steve Street on drums, Simon Smith on bass and Jeremy Huggett on various saxophones, flute and clarinet, opened with ‘Softly as in a Morning Sunrise’.  This was followed by a Gershwin medley – The Man I Love, Fascinating Rhythm and I Got Rhythm, and, in no particular order the following:  ‘Salut d’Amor’ (English equivalent of love letter), ‘Caravan’, ‘Down by The Riverside’, ‘Meditation’, ‘Jesu Joy’, ‘Honeysuckle Rose’, ‘The Falling Leaves’ and ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’.  The programme also included a Turkish march, ‘Air on a G String’, music by Beethoven and Elgar, you name it all was included.  The music was a hypnotic mix and I would encourage you all to go see this new kid on the block.  You will not be disappointed.

Golden Eagle Jazz Band – 12 November 2023:  This was a new band for me although I knew some faces.  With Kevin Scott as leader on tenor banjo and guitar, Alan Cresswell on clarinet, Roy Bowden on drums, Richard Church on trumpet, Brian Butler on trombone and Chris ‘Thumper’ Thompson on double bass this group went down very well.   They opened with ‘It Ain’t No Use to Cry’ and went on with ‘Roses of Piccardy’, ‘Moose March’, ‘Give Me That Old Time Religion’, ‘The Streets of the City’ (probably better known as Red River Valley), ‘My Memphis Baby’, ‘After You’ve Gone’, ‘Highways are Happy Ways’, ‘In The Good Ol’ Summer Time’, ‘Tie Me To Your Apron Strings Again’, ‘Bogalusa Strut’, ‘In The Shade of the Old Apple Tree’ and ‘My Gal Sal’ and ‘Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler’ (in English Let the Good Times Roll) to name some of the numbers we enjoyed.  The  drummers kit came from New Orleans where it was originally owned by a lady called Abbie Williams.   This band’s mission is to play New Orleans jazz in the way it was meant to be played, with a powerful melodic front line and a hard driving rhythm section.  Job done!  Smashing.

5 November 2023 – No Concert

Savannah Jazzband – 29 October:  What a cracker of a performance today by this great band.  Brian “Sam” Ellis on trombone and keyboard is the leader and is joined by Graham Smith on drums, Tony Pollitt on Bass, Chris Marney on banjo, Richard Church on trumpet (and not any old trumpet but one which had belonged to Ken Collier) and vocals and Roger Bird on reeds and vocals.  The house was packed with not a spare seat in sight and boy were they not disappointed.  Some of the numbers included:  ‘Martha’, ‘When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver’, ‘Canal Street Blues’, ‘Whilst We Dance At The Mardi Gras’, ‘You Are My Sunshine’, ‘Honky Tonk Town’, ‘Maryland’, ‘Hello Central Give Me Dr Jazz’, ‘Way Down in Mississippi’, ‘Louisiana’, and probably the best rendition I have heard which had us all laughing was the slightly corrupted ‘St James Infirmary’ with a major chunk being devoted to Sam being eaten by the lion all in his best clothes which vexed his mum.  Smashing, super and many other words to describe the enjoyment, musicianship and fun we have had today.  We look forward to their return.

Bateman Brothers’ Jazz Band – 22 October 2023:  These musicians, who all played in their time with one of the famous bands such as Ball, Barber or Bilk, have come together to present ‘A Tribute to Louis Armstrong and his All Stars’.  Ian Bateman is on trombone, Alan Bateman on trumpet and vocals, Trevor Whiting on clarinet, Craig Milverton on piano, Tom Clarke-Hill on bass and Nick Millward on drums.  As the concert was in celebration of SJS 43rd anniversary there was also a brolly parade.  Some of the numbers included:  ‘It’s Sleepy Time Down South’, ‘Now You Has Jazz’, ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’, ‘The Gypsy’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘Pretty Little Missy’, ‘Mack the Knife’, ‘My Bucket’s Got A Hole in It’, ‘C’est Si Bon’, ‘Lonesome Blues’, ‘Twelve Street Rag’, ‘Life Is a Cabaret’ and ‘Hello Dolly’.  We look forward to a return visit at some time in the near future.

Swing 23 – 15 October 2023:  This is the first time we have had a visit from this gypsy jazz and swing band but I am sure it will not be the last.  This concert was reminiscent of Parisian cafes, with rhythm, sensuousness and a delight to listen to.  The band comprises Julian Gregory on the violin, Matthew Compton on accordion, Peter Robinson on bass, Roger Keys on drums and Paul Hartley on guitar.   Many of the numbers were new to me so I had to take a sneak picture of their playlist.  I will not detail them all but will give you a flavour of their music:  ‘Bossa Dorado’, ‘Lady Be Good’, ‘Swing 39’, ‘Manoir de Mes Reves’ (Castle of My Dreams), ‘Padam Padam’, ‘Summertime’, ‘Minor Swing’, ‘Daphne’, ‘Undecided’, ‘Dark Eyes’, ‘Nuages’ and ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ to name but a few of the numbers they played.  I was in seventh heaven with two of my favourite but often missing instruments – the violin and the accordion.  I think I was not alone.

Baby Jools’ Jazzaholics – 8 October 2023:  This amazing band was welcomed back to the White Eagle Club where they are firm favourites.  Leader, ‘Baby’ Jools Aldridge, on drums, Warren ‘Lonnie’ James on banjo/guitar and vocals, Karl Hird on reeds, Mike ‘Magic’ Henry on trumpet/cornet, Mike Owen on trombone and vocals were joined on this occasion by Harold Worthington on double bass.  Some of their numbers included:  ‘Louisiana and Me’, ‘Having Fun on the Bayou’, ‘Since I Laid My Burden Down’, ‘When it’s Sleepy Time Down South’, ‘Some of these Days’, ‘Down by the Riverside’, ‘Jesus on the Mainline’, ‘Ain’t That A Shame’, ‘Down the Mississippi to New Orleans’, ‘All the Girls Go Crazy by the Way I Walk’ and ‘Those Were The Days’.   It was all there, jazz, rock’n’roll, country, spiritual, you name it.  A wonderful concert that everyone enjoyed.  See you soon Jazzaholics.

Dart Valley Stompers – 1 October 2023:   This band’s mission statement is “taking traditional jazz by storm” and they certainly live up to it.  The band consists of leader Jeremy Huggett on reeds and vocals, Kevin Grenfell on trombone and vocals, Howard Williams on guitar/banjo, Keith Tolley on double bass and Steve Street on drums.  Additionally we also had Will Robinson on trumpet to replace Graham Trevarton who is poorly.  They opened with ‘Exactly Like You’ and went on to play numbers like ‘Do I Love You – Oh My ‘Deed I Do’, ‘If Somebody Thinks Your Wonderful’, ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’, ‘I’m Confessing that I Love You’, ‘I’ve Found a New Baby’, ‘Isle of Capri’, ‘Hello Central Give Me Dr Jazz’, ‘Bei Mir Bistu Schoen (My Dear Mr Shane)’, ‘Maryland My Maryland’, ‘Way Down Upon the Swannee River’ and ‘Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone’.   A better bunch of musicians you’d be hard pressed to find and we would be delighted to see them again.