28 April 2024 – Sticky Wicket & His Swingtet featuring Chris Gumbley: What a wonderful concert this band gave us. The place was packed and not a chair to spare in the room. The band consisted of Alan “Sticky” Wicket (leader) on drums, Mike Kemp on piano, Geoff Tooley on guitar, Mike Green on double bass, Serena Hart-Douglas on vocals and local lad Chris Gumbley on alto sax and clarinet. They opened with ‘Avalon’ and went on with ‘Christopher Columbus’, ‘Blue Blues’, ‘Sentimental Journey’, ‘The Very Thought of You’, ‘Take the A Train’, ‘Tuxedo Junction’, ‘China Boy’, ‘Why Don’t You Do Wrong’, ‘Honeysuckle Rose’, ‘Choo Choo Ch’Boogie’, There Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens’, ‘Our Love Is Here To Stay’ and finished with an amazing rendition of ‘Sing Sing Sing’ where you really saw the drummer at his magnificent best. The room was on its feet at the conclusion of the concert for a standing ovation, well deserved. Look forward to seeing this band again in the near future.
21 April 2024 – New Orleans Hotshots: What a joy it was to see this group back and with an appearance by special guest Matt Palmer on reeds. The band consisted of Dave Harmer (leader) on trombone, Dave Leithead on trumpet, Al Harris on bass, Keith Chaplin on drums and that well-known ragtime specialist on piano keyboard – Joe Nutman. It was a great programme opening with ‘Georgia Camp Meeting’ and going on with ‘Up A Lazy River’, ‘Deed I Do’, ‘ Sugar’, ‘Summertime’, ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart’, ‘So Do I’, a ragtime piece by Joe called ‘Kitten on the Keys’, ‘Hush, Somebody’s Calling’, ‘Nagasaki’, ‘Marching Through Georgia’, ‘Basin Street Blues’, ‘Me and Jane in a Plane’, ‘Old Rockin’ Chair’, ‘Pasadena’, ‘Si Tu Vois Ma Mere (If You See My Mother), ‘Please Don’t Talk About Me’, ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’, ‘Doctor Jazz’ and finishing with ‘Bring Me Sunshine. The only non-vocalists were Keith and Joe but all the others sang. Lovely band, lovely set … what more can I say!
14 April 2024 – Rachel Hayward’s Invitation Jazz Band featuring Andy Leggett: This was a surprise replacement for The Pedigree Five who were unable to attend due to health problems with their leader, Chris Walker. We wish you a speedy and full recovery Chris. In their place Rachel Hayward’s Invitation Jazz Band came along to entertain us. The band consisted of Rachel (leader) on banjo, Keith Tolly on double bass, Paul Archibald on drums, Dave Deakin on trombone and vocals and Andy Leggett on reeds and vocals. They opened with ‘Some of Those Days’ and went on to play, in no particular order ‘’Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘It Had To Be You’, ‘When You And I Were Young Maggie’, ‘Ain’t Misbehaving’, ‘I Get The Blues When It Rains’, ‘All Of Me’, ‘Everywhere You Go The Sunshine Follows You’, ‘Poor Papa (He Ain’t Got Nothing At All)’, ‘There Is No Greater Love’, ‘Wabash Blues’, ‘Dinah’, ‘Beale Street Mama’, ‘Shine’, ‘Dr Jazz’ and ‘Ory’s Creole Trombone’. Smiley faces around the room, feet tapping. For a band put together at a moment’s notice it was simply great to see how well they became one and we loved it. Maybe it could become a regular thing? Who knows.
7 April 2024 – No Concert