25 January 2026 – Graham Smith’s ‘Shades of Jazz’: This was this band’s debut at SJS today. The band consisted of Graham Smith (leader) on drums, Gary Wood on trumpet and vocals, John Hallam on reeds, Martin Veasey on trombone, Simon Smith on string bass and Richard Hughes on keyboard – all very talented musicians so we looked forward to this concert with much enthusiasm and they did not let us down. They opened with ‘Hindustan’ and continued with ‘It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie’, ‘Autumn Leaves’, a reeds feature with a number by Fats Waller, ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’, ‘The Nearness of You’, ‘Panama’ and ‘St Thomas’. The second half opened with ‘Lester Leaps In’, ‘Route 66’, ‘Tico Tico’ – a piano solo, ‘Fidgety Feet’, ‘That’s Life’, ‘ Take The A Train’, ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ and ending with ‘ Hey Barbaree Bop’. I don’t need to tell you that the audience was on its feet to applaud a first rate concert. We will see them again I feel sure.
18 January 2026 – Sarah Spencer’s Sax ‘N’ Bone Band: It was delightful to see Sarah back at The White Eagle Club along with her Sax ‘n’ Bone Band. Sarah Spencer (leader) was on tenor sax, Mike Owen on trombone and vocals, Zoltan Sagi on alto sax, “Lord” Jim Swinnerton on bass, Thomas “Spats” Langham on guitar and banjo and Graham Smith on drums. This is this band’s second appearance for SJS and greatly appreciated it was. They opened with ‘The Old Spinning Wheel In The Parlour’, and went on to play ‘Maisie (aka Martha)’, ‘Where The River Shannon Flows’, ‘Cap’s Blues’, ‘My Gal Sal’ and ‘The Mobile Stomp’. For the second half we had ‘Say Si Si’, ‘My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It’, ‘Rose of Washington Square’, ‘My Little Girl’ and ending with ‘Panama’. An appreciative audience were on their feet at the conclusion of this well received concert.
11 January 2026 – Dave Harmer’s New Orleans Hotshots: This traditional New Orleans-style band, formed in 1993, is always welcome at SJS. With Dave Harmer (leader) on trombone and vocals, Dave Leithead on trumpet and vocals, Kelvin Smith on clarinet, Al Harris on double bass and vocals, Keith Chaplin on drums and Joe Nutman on keyboard, we enjoyed their concert last week. They opened with ‘Everybody Loves My Baby’ and went on with ‘ Beale Street Blues’, ‘Button Up Your Overcoat’, ‘Buona Sera’, ‘Yes Sir, That’s My Baby’, ‘Summer Time’, ragtime piano solo ‘Magnetic Ride’, ‘Please Don’t Talk About Me’, and ‘Stranger On The Shore’ completed the first half. After the interval we had ‘Darktown Strutters Ball’, ‘A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square’, ‘King Of The Swingers’, ‘Just A Gigolo’, ‘Exactly Like You’, second keyboard ragtime solo ‘Ragtime Waltz’, ‘Don’t Get Around Much Any More’, ‘What A Wonderful World’, ‘Dr Jazz’ and ‘So Do I’. Naturally the audience was on its feet even as the last notes were played. Due to the weather there was a smaller attendance than usual but none the less appreciative. Thanks Dave and company – see you again.
4 January 2026 – Warren James & His Lonesome Travellers: With a few changes to the published cast of musicians this band played it’s socks off for SJS. The band consisted of Warren James (leader) on guitar, banjo and vocals, Duncan Wilcox on double bass, Richard Exall on reeds,Malcolm Thorne on guitar and Stephen Fry on skiffle washboard and percussion. The band describes itself as purveors of fine roots music including jazz, blues, skiffle and gospel. They opened, appropriately enough, with ‘Lonesome Traveller’ and continued with ‘Memories Are Made Of This’, ‘I’m Ragged But I’m Right’, ‘Deliah’s Gone’, ‘Salty Dog Rag Blues’, ‘Jenny’s Ball’, ‘Some Of These Days’, ‘Nagasaki (on the Isle of Wicki, Wacki Woo)’, ‘Putting On The Style’, ‘On A Dreamer’s Holiday’. The second half then went on with ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’, ‘Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out’, ‘Home (When Shadows Fall)’, ‘Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me’, ‘It’s Times Like That’ and finished with the extremely funny ‘Have A Whiff On Me’ based on the Cocaine Habit Blues and often played as Have A Drink On Me). Just goes to show there is nothing new in life, just bits recycled. The audience was on its feet at the conclusion of two hours of enjoyable music. We look forward to their return.