25 May 2025 – Baby Jools’ Jazzaholics: With ‘Baby’ Jools Aldridge as leader on drums were Warren ‘Lennie’ James on banjo, guitar and vocals, ‘Lord’ Jim Swinnerton on string bass, John Hallam on reeds, ‘Magic’ Mike Henry on cornet and Mike Owen on trombone and vocals. Their opening number ‘Old Spinning Wheel In The Parlour’, continuing with ‘Dinah’, ‘Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor’, ‘The Girls Go Crazy ‘bout The Way I Walk’, ‘Dundee Street Blues’, ‘Jesus On The Mainline’, ‘Panama’, ‘Some Of These Days’, ‘Bourbon Street Parade’, ‘Muskrat Ramble’, ‘Over The Waves’ – which I knew better as It’s The Loveliest Time Of The Year, ‘Ol’ Riley’, ‘When The Sun Goes Down’, Sweet Georgia Brown’ and finally ‘Those Were The Days My Friend’. The room were on their feet and it is not surprising. The talent of these musicians is awesome. We look forward to hearing them again in the coming season.
18 May 2025 – Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants: Always good to have this group play for SJS. With Kevin Grenfell (leader) on trombone, trumpet and vocals were Soren Stausbol from Denmark on piano and vocals, Simon Smith on double bass, ‘Baby’ Jools Aldridge on drums and featured Paul Harrison on reeds. They opened with ‘Boogalusa Strut’ and went on with ‘Cabaret’, ‘Dinah’, ‘St James’ Infirmary’, ‘Creole Jazz’, ‘Sentimental Journey’, ‘How Can You Leave Me’, ‘Panama Rag’, ‘The King’, ‘Mr Sandman’, ‘The History of Everything (theme tune from The Big Bang Theory), ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’, ‘ Fidgetty Feet’, ‘Blueberry Hill’ and as always they finished with ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’. As always a great concert.
11 May 2025 – Chicago Teddy Bears Society Jazz Band: It was so lovely to see this four times winner of the SJS’s Band of the Year Award. In the band, as always, were Brian Singleton on drums, Rae Owen (leader) on banjo/guitar and vocals, John Padfield on reeds, Jim Lucas on trumpet, Andy MacKenzie on trombone and vocals and lastly Dean Revera on string bass. They opened with an all-time favourite of mine, ‘That Da Da Strain’ and continued with ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart Now’, ‘Creole Love Call’, ‘Way Down Upon The Swannee River’, ‘I Want A Little Girl’, ‘Shout ‘em Aunt Tillie’, ‘Christopher Columbus’, ‘I Found A New Baby’, ‘China Town’, ‘Bye Bye Blackbird’, ‘New Orleans’, ‘That’s A Plenty’, ‘Leaning On A Lamp-post’, ‘Jazz Me Blues’ and finishing with ‘Sweet Chariot’. The audience were on their feet and the applause was deafening. See you soon guys.
4 May 2025 – Fret & Fiddle: The band consists of Sally Minchin (leader) on violin and vocals, Andy Bole on guitar, Richard Hughes on piano, Steve Street on drums and Jodie Carey on double bass. There was a delightful surprise guest in the second half when Sally’s 10 year old son, Freddie, sang ‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance’. The band opened with ‘I’ve Found A New Baby’ and went on with ‘2.19 Blues’, ‘Bossa Dorado’, ‘He’s Just My Size’, ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’, ‘I’m Ready’, ‘Minor Swing’, ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’, ‘Dark Eyes’, ‘Tico-Tico’, ‘Misirlou’, La Cumparsita’, ‘Dance Me To The End Of Love’, ‘Chocolate Jesus’, ‘Tiger Rag’, ‘Csardas De Monti’ and not forgetting Freddie’s rendition of ‘Let’s Face The Music And Dance’. We look forward to welcoming this popular group back again perhaps next season.