Warren “Lonnie” James’ Skiffle Band – 26 January 2025: With Warren James (leader) on guitar, banjo and vocals, were Jim “Lord” Swinnerton on bass, “Baby” Jools Aldridge on drums, Mike Owen on trombone and Malcolm Thorne on guitar (playing for Stafford Jazz Society for the first time). They opened with ‘Buddy Better Get On Down The Line’, ‘Hard Travelling’, ‘Keep On The Sunny Side Of Life’, ‘Won’t You Bring Me A Little Water Sylvie’, ‘In Them Cotton Fields’, ‘Wreck Of Old 97’, ‘My Bitsy Darlin’, ‘Take My Hand Precious Lord’, ‘Jesse James Had A Wife’, ‘Steam Line Trains’, ‘Gonna Ride Old Railroad Bill’, ‘I’m Not Gonna Be Treated This-a-way’, ‘Cumberland Gap’, ‘Lost John’, Rocks In My Bed’, ‘Blues Stop Knocking At My Door’, ‘It Takes A Worried Man’, ‘Have A Drink On Me’, ‘Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavour’, ‘Freight Train’, ‘Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad’ and finally ‘Rock Island Line’. Yes, there were certainly a lot of trains today …! The audience were singing along and indeed leapt to their feet to applaud at the end of the concert. We so look forward to seeing them back again soon.
Matt Palmer’s Gatsby Go-Getters – 19 January 2025: With Matt Palmer (leader) on reeds and vocals, Joe Nutman on Ragtime Piano, Dave Leithead on trumpet and vocals, Al Harris on string bass and vocals and Nick Ward on vintage percussion we knew we were in safe hands. They opened with ‘Lover Come Back to Me’, and went on with ‘The Downtown Strutters Ball’, ‘Our Love Is Here To Stay’, ‘Stringport Stomp’, ‘Love is the Sweetest Thing’, ‘Vo De Dodio Blues’, ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’, ‘Varsity Drag’, ‘Crazy Rhythm’, ‘It Aint No Sin To Take Off Your Skin And Dance Around In Your Bones’ (only in jazz would you find a title like that!), ‘Is You Is Or Is You Aint My Baby’, ‘Paddling Madeline Home’, ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’, ‘Sunday’, ‘Pink Swans’ (a solo from Joe Nutman), ‘Everybody Loves My Baby’, ‘St Louis Blues’, ‘Charleston’, and closed with ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’. Lovely music, lovely programme, no wonder people left with big smiles on their faces.
Trudgeon’s Trad Jazz Troubadors – 12 January 2025: This band was new to Stafford Jazz Society so it was with much pleasure that we looked forward to hearing them play. The band consists of Joseph Trudgeon (leader) on guitar and vocals, Alan Bacon on trumpet, Mike Owen on trombone,. Mike Kennedy on bass, Andy Leggett on reeds and “Baby” Jools Aldridge on drums. They opened with ‘Algiers Strut’ and continued with ‘Old Fashioned Love’, ‘I’ve Got A New Baby’, ‘Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams’, ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘When You and I Were Young Maggie’, ‘’Dr Jazz’, ‘September’, ‘Wabash Blues’, ‘If You’ve Never Been To New Orleans’, ‘Tiger Rag’, ‘When You Grow Too Old To Dream’, ‘The Washington and Lee Swing’, ‘Once I Married A Tattooed Lady’ (completely new to me but fun) and ‘Royal Garden Blues’. We look forward to having them back to play for us again at some time in the future.
Golden Eagle Jazz Band – 5 January 2025: It was good to see and hear the Golden Eagle again. This band, which plays New Orleans jazz, is made up of Kevin Scott (lead) on tenor banjo and vocals (and humour), Ray Bowden on drums, Richard Church on cornet and vocals, Brian Butler on trombone and John Sirett on double bass. They opened with ‘On the Road To Home Sweet Home’ and went on with ‘Mother’s Gone, Goodbye’, ‘The Roses of Picardy’, ‘Moose March’, ‘Give Me That Old Time Religion’, ‘The Streets of the City, ‘After You’ve Gone’, ‘The Highways Are Happy Ways’, ‘In The Good Old Summertime’, ‘Tie Me To Your Apron Strings Again’, ‘Bogalusa Strut’, ‘My Old Sal’, ‘Louisiana Fairytale’, ‘In The Shade of The Old Apple Tree’ and finished with ‘Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler’ (Let The Good Times Roll in English). What a great programme played beautifully by five talented musicians. I am sure we will see them again.