Month: November 2024

Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz & Boogie Band – 24 November 2024:  Taking over the band following the loss of Jeremy Huggett, Kevin’s band proved a great success with us at Stafford.  The band consisted of Kevin Grenfell (leader) on trombone, trumpet, vocals and jokes, Simon Smith on double bass, Matt Palmer on reeds, Richard Hughes on keyboard, Steve Street on drums and Alan Bradbury on guitar they were thoroughly entertaining throughout the session.  They opened with ‘Jump Jive and Wail’, and continued with ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Aint Got That Swing’, ‘The Preacher’, ‘Blue Moon’, ‘Hindustan’, ‘Walk Don’t Run’, ‘Stafford Jazz Club Boogie Woogie’, ‘Childhood Boy’, ‘China Town’, Gonna Take A Sentimental Journey’, ‘On A Slow Boat To China’, ‘The Night Has A Thousand Eyes’, ‘Stranger On The Shore’, ‘Caravan’, ‘When Your Smiling’, ‘Apple Blossom Time’, ‘There Aint Nobody Here But Us Chickens’ and finished with ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’.  What a great programme.  

Matt Palmer’s Eagle Jazz Band – 17 November 2024:  It was good to see this band again, comprising Matt Palmer (leader) on reeds and vocals, Pete Brown on trumpet, Terry McGrath on trombone, sax and tin whistle, Brian Mellor on banjo and guitar, Rae Owens on double bass and vocals, Tony Pipkin on cornet and Nick Ward on percussion.   They opened with ‘Bourbon Street Parade’ and went on with ‘Porter’s Love Song to a Chambermaid’, ‘The Creole Love Call’, ‘The Coffee Grinder’, ‘The Blues You Can Get’, ‘Sweet Sue, Just You’, ‘Red Sails in the Sunset’ and ‘Gate Mouth’.  The second half just as good as the first was ‘Harlem Hound’, ‘Old Fashioned Love’, ‘My Little Bimbo Down on the Bamboo Isle’. ‘Go Up The River’, ‘Swing That Music’, ‘Goodnight Sweet Prince’, ‘That’s A Plenty’ and ending, as always with ‘Bring Me Sunshine’.  What a smashing concert.

Wabash Jazzmen – 10 November 2024:  This band consists of Mark Challinor (leader) on banjo, guitar, ukulele and vocals, Mike Hayler on reeds, Richard Leach on trombone, Tony Pipkin on cornet, Richard Vernon on string bass and Nick Ward on percussion.  This band plays traditional foot-tapping New Orleans jazz rooted in early Chris Barber.  There is always a warm welcome for this band here in Stafford.  They opened with ‘Black Cat On The Fence’ and went on with ‘Papa Dip’, ‘Far Away Blues’, ‘Get On Board Little Children (The Gospel Train)’, the Samoan folk song ‘Mauga de Atudo’, ‘Buddy Habits’,  ‘Sarie Marais (march of the Royal Marine Commandos)’ ‘Weary Blues’, ‘Muskrat Ramble’, ‘Let The Light From The Lighthouse Shine On Me’, ‘Harlem Bound’, ‘Russian Lullaby’, Blame it on the Blues’, ‘New Orleans’, ‘Ay Mama Ines (Cuban rumba)’ and finishing with ‘Wolverine Blues’.  A veritable smorgasbord of music.  Looking forward already to the next time we see them.

Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants – 3 November 2024:  This quality band has played at SJS on many occasions in the past and is always well received.  The band consists of Kevin Grenfell (Leader) on trombone, trumpet and vocals, John Hallam on reeds, Richard Hughes on piano, Simon Smith on double bass and Jools Aldridge on drums.  They opened with ‘Running Wild’, and followed up the first half with ‘Give Me A Kiss To Build A Dream On’, ‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love’, ‘Girl of My Dreams’, ‘Honky Tonk Train Blues’, ‘Going to New Orleans’, ‘The Gypsy’ and ‘It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie’.  In the second half we had ‘Dolly’, ‘Careless Love’, ‘Stealing Apples’, ‘Jump Jive an’ Wail’, ‘Bad Penny Blues’, ‘The Lady Is A Tramp’, ‘There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens’ (which always makes me smile) and strangely enough ended with ‘When You’re Smiling’.   I feel sure they will be back before too long.

27 October 2024 – Savannah Jazz Band:  To help us celebrate the 44^th anniversary of Stafford Jazz Society were this well-known Yorkshire-based group consisting of Ray Bowden on drums, Tony Pollitt on bass, Chris Marney on banjo. Richard Church on trumpet, Brian “Sam” Ellis (leader) on trombone and piano and Roger Bird on reeds play great foot-tapping New Orleans jazz with a real bounce and kick to it.  They started with ‘Smiles’ and continued with ‘Wabash Blues’, ‘When Your Hair Has Turned Silver’, ‘In The Upper Garden’, ‘My Gal Sal’, ‘In The Evening’, ‘When I Come To The End Of My Journey’ and the first half finished with ‘CC Rider’.  The second half opened with ‘Goin’ Back To New Orleans’ and went on with ‘St James Infirmary (plus lyrics to Albert and the Lion – love it)’, ‘Hiawatha Rag’, ‘Yes Yes In Your Eyes’, ‘Bluebells Goodbye’, ‘ The Old Rugged Cross’, ‘You Are My Sunshine’, ‘I Want To Be Happy’ and finishing with ‘Going Home’.  What a lovely concert.  See you again soon fellas.

20 October 2024 – The Harlem Jazz Orchestra:  This 13 piece band of 12 musicians and a vocalist (Sarah Spencer) were very professional and polished.  They specialise in authentic jazz classics from the early part of the 20^th century (1920s and 1930s).  With Bob Hunt, on trombone is the Director, Eric Tomasso on trumpet along with Wil Robinson and Charlie Manning, Graham Woodhouse on trombone, Zoltan Sagi and Richard Exall on reeds, Art Toper on piano, Rachel Hayward on banjo and guitar, Tomas Pedersen on string bass, Nick Ward on percussion and, as mentioned, Sarah Spencer being both announcer and vocalist they just managed to fit on stage.  They started with ‘The King Kong Stomp’, ‘The Harlem Romance’, ‘I Never Knew’, ‘Great Party Blues’, ‘That Rhythm Man’, Where The Black Men Blew’, ‘Dinah’, ‘Everybody Hittin’ The Bottle’, ‘Awful Sad’, ‘Feeling the Spirit’, ‘Persian Rug’ and ‘The Downton Camp Meeting’ completed the first half.  In the second half were: ‘Harlem Bound’, ‘All Goes’, ‘The Empty Chair’, ‘After You’ve Gone’, ‘Shoe Shine Boy’, ‘When’, ‘Rocking Chair’, ‘Three Little Words’, ‘The Swannee Shuffle’, ‘I’m Regular Crazy Now’ and ‘Swing Out.   Great music, great playing and great vocals.  Hope to see this group again at some time in the future.

6 October 2024 – Three Bears Jazz Band:  This is the first time this band has played at SJS, although their faces are all well known to us.  The Band comprises “Lord” Jim Swinnerton (leader) on double bass, John Hallam on reeds, Tom Kincaid on piano, Amy Roberts on reeds and Jack Cotterill on drums.  What a fabulous five-some.  They opened with ‘Rosetta’ and went on to play ‘When You’re Smiling’, ‘On The Sunny Side Of The Street’, ‘Honeysuckle Rose’, ‘The Teddybears Picnic’ (well what else would they play!), ‘Dr Jazz’, ‘If I Have You’, ‘Lester Leaps In’, ‘I’ve Found A New Baby’, ‘Creole Love Call’, ‘Just A Little While To Stay Here’, ‘Pennies From Heaven’, ‘Water From An Ancient Well’ (don’t you just love that title – and the music was just as beautiful), ‘Out Of Your Way’ and they finished with ‘It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing’.  The room sprang to its collective feet in appreciation of a smashing concert.  I am sure they will be back again.