7 January 2024 – No Concert
Paula Jackman’s Jazz Masters – 14 January 2024: Making its debut at Stafford Jazz Society was this lovely band consisting of leader, Paula Jackman, on clarinet and vocals, “Magic” Mike Henry on trumpet/cornet, Alistair Allan on trombone and vocals, Marc Easener on sousaphone, Graham Collicott on drums and Paul Higgs (sitting in for Hugh Crozier who is unwell) on piano. In no particular order some of the songs played were: ‘The Bodiga Street Blues’, ‘Honeysuckle Rose’, ‘I’m Craze ‘bout my Baby’, ‘The Gypsy’, ‘Singing the Blues’, ‘The Apex Blues’, ‘You Meet The Nicest People in Your Dreams’, ‘La Vie en Rose’, ‘Why Don’t You Go Down to New Orleans’, ‘Putting on the Ritz’, ‘Stardust’ and ‘You Must See What You Mean to Me’. The concert was well received and we hope to see them again soon.
Andy Leggett’s Centenary Serenaders – 21 January 2024: Back with us once more was this smashing band consisting of leader Andy Leggett on reeds and vocals, Ceri Williams on trumpet, Dave Deakin on trombone, Rachel Hayward on guitar and banjo, Joe Trudgeon on string bass and Dave Andrews on drums. They opened with ‘Black Cat on the Fence’ and went on to play ‘Jazz Band Ball’, ‘Wabash Blues’, ‘Cake Walkin’ Babies’, ‘Savoy Blues’, ‘Milenburg Joys’, ‘Melancholy’, ‘Mama’s Gone Goodbye’, ‘ Honeysuckle Rose’ complete with vocals from Joe, ‘Dans les Rues d’Antibes’ in the first half and in the second half they went on with ‘Panama’, ‘I Get the Blues when It Rains’, ‘Breeze’, ‘Ory’s Creole Trombone’, ‘Beale Street Mama’, ‘Coffee Grinder’, ‘The Mooch’ (which I just love), ‘Royal Garden Blues’ and finishing with ‘Louisiana’. You will be wondering how I know all this … well I took a photo of their play list!! Great music by great musicians. Hope to see them again soon.
That Big Band – 28 January 2024: This band was previously called the Sax Shack Big Band. Based in the Potteries, this is a 19-piece combo which blends established musicians with a raft of rising stars. Their repertoire is a mix of classic tunes and contemporary numbers. On baritone sax is lead Chris Davies, and their vocalist is Charlotte Hayes. Their opening number was, appropriately enough, ‘Strike Up The Band’. They went on to perform ‘Fight the Foo Bird’, ‘People’, ‘Where or When’, a couple of vocals ‘Summertime’ and ‘The Look of Love’, ‘Lil Darlin’’, ‘A String of Pearls’, ‘Take the A Train’, ‘Zip-a-dee-doo-da’, ‘Pegasus’, ‘Samantha’, ‘That’s Life’ (and yes, not the Esther Rantzen theme tune!), a couple more vocals with ‘At Last’ and ‘Moon River’, ‘Beauty and The Beast’, ‘Airstream’ and finally closing with a rousing ‘Caravan’. It was quite a squash getting everyone in but somehow they managed it, with a front row off stage. We look forward to welcoming them back again next year.