PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND gave us much pleasure playing at the Farnborough Jazz Club on 5^th June 2015. . They certainly had a big act to follow, after last week’s Tony Pitt’s All Stars, but ‘Phoenix’ had no trouble coping at all. ROBIN COOMBS (clarinet), the band’s leader, had his usual guys,  PAUL HIGGS (trumpet), BILL TODD (trombone), DAVE BARNES (piano), ROGER CURPHEY (double bass), JOHN STEWART(banjo/guitar), and ALAN CLARKE (drums). We are so lucky to have such talented bands wanting to play here at Farnborough. Mind you, the acoustics are good and you (our audience) certainly show them you’re having fun. So if you haven’t been here before, then don’t hesitate, for a happy evening of jazz and dancing, come and give us a try. Now let me tell you what entertainment the boys delivered to us on this particular evening –what they played!

Band Leader, Robin Coombs (clarinet) and Paul Higgs (trumpet) with Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club on   5th June 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

Bill Todd on trombone plus Paul Higgs (trumpet) and Roger Curphey (d.bass) with Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 5th June 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

They began with ‘Georgia On My Mind’, a good old favourite and was sung by Bill.  I’d also like to mention they played ‘Makin Whoopee’, another favourite and this time sung by all of us (audience).  I was dancing to the next number, ‘You Took Advantage of Me’, so no extra little tit-bits, save it was great. What about ‘Strutting With Some Barbeque’, a terrific Louis Armstrong number.  This one gave us some wonderful solos from all of them, wowie, just brilliant.  Then Dave sang the next ‘Who’s Sorry Now’ and again, our audience joined in.

Bill Todd on trombone and Paul Higgs on trumpet (John Stewart banjo – obscured from view) with Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on  5th June 2015. Photo By Mike Witt.

Paul was featured next and what a special this was.  He performed ‘Flambée Montalbanaise’, one of those tunes you know, although probably not familiar with the name (well I wasn’t – couldn’t find it and had to check it out with Paul himself).  He is a composer, so I thought it may have been something he had composed himself.  Also, I had written the word ‘melodic’, so thought I had meant the tune was quite beautiful, but no, I had missed off the ‘a’ and it was actually what he was playing!!!  All I do know is he was pretty spectacular.  The next number was tremendous ‘China Town’ and I made a special note of the banjo, so John must have excelled.

Dave Barnes on piano and Roger Curphey on double bass with the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 5th June 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

John Stewart plays guitar with Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 5th June 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

Robin played ‘Petite Fleur’ next and just a wonderful job he made of it too.  They completed the evening with a great number ‘Twenty Four Robbers’, which was sung by Dave – just love this and they left us feeling so happy.  Thanks Robin and your boys.  Another super evening.

Another great photo of Roger Curphey (double bass) – a real action one playing with Alan Clarke (drums) for Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 5th June 2015, Photo By Mike Witt.

Great picture aye? Showing Alan Clarke (drums) and Roger Curphey (double bass) enjoying his pint with the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 5th June 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

Keep jazz ‘live’ and support the club.

Yours hosts, Diane and Keith

P.S.  I have managed to upload our filming published on YouTube – yeah I know – almost a clever clogs!  It is still a work in progress though.  See Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces for 1st May 2015 (at end).

‘Makin Whoopee’ – (m) Walter Donaldson, (l) Gus Kahn (1928)

‘Chinatown, My Chinatown’ – (m) Jean Schwartz, (l) William Jerome (1910)

‘Flambée Montalbanaise’ – Gus Viseur (1940)

‘Georgia On My Mind’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael, (l) Stuart Gorrell (1930)

‘Petite Fleur’ – Sidney Bechet (1952)

‘Strutting With Some Barbeque’ – (m) Lilian Hardin Armstrong, (l) Don Raye (1941)

‘Twenty Four Robbers’ – (m) Ted Buckner, (l) James Young (1941)

‘Who’s Sorry Now’ – (m) Ted Snyder, (l) Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby (1923)

‘You Took Advantage of Me’ – (m) Richard Rodgers, (l) Lorenz Hart (1928)

Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club on 22nd January 2015. Leader Robin Coombs (clarinette), Paul Higgs (trumpet), Bill Todd (tromb), Dave Barnes (piano), Roger Curphey (d.bass), John Stewart (banj&guitar) and Allan Clarke (drms). Photo by Mike Witt.

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND was the order of the day here at the Farnborough Jazz Club on 23^rd January 2015.  Leader and clarinettist ROBIN COOMBS had booked PAUL HIGGS to be on trumpet, BILL TODD on trombone, DAVE BARNES on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass, JOHN STUART on guitar (WHO’S HE? huh) and ALLAN CLARKE on drums.

Although not their first number (I missed what that was called) I must begin my notes with ‘Wabash Blues’, a brilliant jaunty song, bringing on the dancers. It was certainly well appreciated, plenty of applause. ‘I Found a New Baby’ is my next number to tell you of, because I jotted down ‘phew, fabulous solos’! ‘

Dave Barnes (piano) looking pensive. Seen here with Roger Curphey (d.bass) and Allan Clarke (drums). Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) 22jan2015. Photo by Mike Witt.

There is quite a story attached to the next number. A while ago, Dave met up with an old friend, Ian Grant, lyricist of ‘Let There Be Love’ (1940). He showed Dave some lyrics he’d written fifty years ago called ‘We’re Handing it to You Mr Handy, for handing us the St. Louis Blues’, referring to W.C. Handy, composer of St. Louis Blues. He asked Dave if he could put some music to it.  The end result is they played it for us and how I wished I had recorded it. It had a lovely beat and certainly packed the dance floor.

Paul Higgs (trmp) and Robin Coombs, leader (&clrt) of Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band (seen here taking a breather) at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 22nd January 2015. Photo by Mike Witt

‘When I married Sweet Loraine’ was sung by Paul, then he was featured in the next number, ‘Sometimes I wonder Why I Spend the Lonely Nights’. Wowie Paul, you are brilliant. Now the next number is a great old favourite, made more famous by Glen Miller, namely ‘Little Brown Jug’ and several of us got up to do our (fun Charleston style) line-dance. What can I say about ‘Pennies From Heaven’? Only that I was busy dancing! I must mention ‘At the Jazz Band Ball’, of course a great Kenny Ball trad favourite. They certainly did it justice too – fabulous drumming from Allan. Of course the next number, sung by Bill, was played for our Len (for obvious reasons), ‘Please Don’t Talk About Us – One Eyes Gone’. Ol’ Lennie has a great sense of humour.

John Stewart takes a solo, whilst Bill Todd (tromb) looks on. Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band on 23Jan2015 at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent). Photo by Mike Witt.

My last to mention is ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’. It was sung by Dave, plus must mention a great solo by John on banjo.  Well another super evening from this band and so you must make a note they are back on 5^th June 2015. Don’t forget our new times are 8:00pm till 11.00pm – plenty of fun people to meet and you can enjoy some dancing (even if you are bad at dancing, we don’t mind) and probably some audience participation singing too – knowing our fun audience.

Diane and Keith

‘At The Jazz Band Ball’ – (m) Nick LaRocca, Larry Shields (1917) (l’s added 1950 by Johnny Mercer)

‘We’re Handing it to You Mr Handy, for handing us the St. Louis Blues’ – (l) Ian Grant (c1940),

                                                                                                                                         (m) Dave Barnes (c1985)

‘I Found a New Baby’ – Jack Palmer & Spencer Williams (1926)

‘Little Brown Jug’ – Joseph Winner (1869) – [Glen Miller’s swing arrangement (1939)]

‘Pennies from Heaven’ – (m) Arthur Johnston, (l) Johnny Burke (1936)

‘Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone’ – (m) Sam H Sept & Bee Palmer, (l) Sidney Clare (1930)

‘Stardust’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael (1927), (l) Mitchell Parish (with Hoagy) (1929)

‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ – (m) Ben Bernie & Maceo Pinkard, (l) Kenneth Casey (1925)

‘Sweet Lorraine’ – (m) Cliff Burwell, (l) Mitchell Parish (1928)

‘Wabash Blues’ – (m) Isham Jones, (l) Dave Ringle & Fred Meinken (1921)

We had a pleasant evening with PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND at the Farnborough Jazz Club on Friday, 5^th December 2014. Leader and clarinettist ROBIN COOMBS’ line-up was PAUL HIGGS on trumpet, BILL TODD on trombone, DAVE BARNES on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass, ERNIE CRANENBURGH on guitar and TONY BLACKBURN on drums.

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND at Farnborough Jazz Club. Friday, 5th December 2014. ROBIN COOMBS (leader&cl, )PAUL HIGGS (trp), BILL TODD (trb), DAVE BARNES (p), ROGER CURPHEY (dbass), ERNIE CRANENBURGH (g) and TONY BLACKBURN (dms). Photo By Mike Witt.

 The audience was a little smaller, most likely due to Christmas festivities looming (i.e. office parties, shopping etc.), but it didn’t detract those who were there, from enjoying themselves. Here are some of the numbers played. My first choice to mention was sung by Bill and very nice too, being ‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love’. Next came Jimmy Noone’s hit tune ‘Apex Blues’. Robin then announced he wanted to play ‘Strangers On the Shore’ in honour of Acker Bilk, who passed away 2^nd November this year. Robin featured the song really well and we are glad he gave Acker a mention, another absolutely brilliant talent, who has joined that huge jazz band in the skies.

Phoenix Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club,                 5th December 2014. (LtoR) Roger Curphey (d.bass),     Paul Higgs (trp) and Robin Coombs (Leader& cl).        Photo by Mike Witt

‘South’ is a lovely jaunty tune to please us dancers and then Bill sang ‘All of Me’. Paul played a magnificent trumpet solo, what a talent.

Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band, 5December2014.            (LtoR) Tony Blackburn (drms), Roger Curphey (d.bass) and Paul Higgs (trm). Photo by Mike Witt.

Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Band, Kent, UK on      5th December 2014. (LtoR) Tony Blackburn (drms), Bill Todd (trb) and    Paul Hudd (trm).  Photo by Mike Witt.

Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club  on 5th December 2014. Dave Barnes on piano.          Photo by Mike Witt.

The next one was sung by Dave this time, namely ‘Rosetta’, which also lured the dancers out. Robin mentioned having a holiday in Cuba and why wouldn’t you mention it! Whilst there, he wrote a song and named it ‘Cocoanut Ice’, which I loved and made an attempt to dance the mambo with Steve, thanks Steve for humouring me (I do try – or am I trying!). Another favourite of many of our audiences has been ‘Big Butter and Egg Man’, which they performed marvellously – I notice a smidgen of Bud Flanagan’s ‘Who Do You Think You’re Kidding Mr Hitler’ too. They finished the evening with ‘I’ve Found a New Baby’, sung wonderfully by Bill, with a lovely solo by Ernie.

Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club, 5th December 2015. Ernie Cranenburgh (guitar). No, he hasn’t got black lips – he has a plectrum in his mouth! Photo by Mike Witt.

Another evening of happiness which warmed us up, to face the freezing weather outside (brilliant frost patterns on our cars). So come back next Friday, (12^th November 2014) for some more warming up music, you can turn your heating off at home for a few hours! We have the Golden Eagle Jazz Band. By the way, I thought I’d remind you the meaning of ‘Happiness’: W.C. Fields quoted Charles Dickins’ Micawber Principle: “Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds nought and six, result misery.”

Di & Keith’s principle on happiness is Keep jazzin’.

‘All of Me’ – Gerald Marks & Seymour Simons (1931) (Ruth Etting Song)

‘Apex Blues’ – (conflicting) Hoagy Carmichael, Sidney Arodin & Joe Poston OR Earl Hines & Jimmie Noone (1928)

‘Big Butter and Egg Man’ – Percy Venable (1926)

‘Cocoanut Ice’ – Robin Coombs (2014)

‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love’ – Jimmy McHugh, (l) Dorothy Fields (1928)

                                                                 (Although it’s believed by ‘Fats’ Waller, who sold it on when broke)

‘I’ve Found a New Baby’ – Jack Palmer Spencer Williams (1926)

‘Rosetta’ – Earl Hines & Henri Wood (1933)

‘South’ – Thamen Hayes & Bennie Moten (1924) (lyrics added later by Ray Charles)

‘Strangers On the Shore’ – (m) Acker Bilk (1961), (l) Robert Mellin (1962)

[‘Who Do You Think You’re Kidding, Mr Hitler?’ – Jimmy Perry and Derek Tavener (1969)]

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND was our band on 25^th July 2014 at the Farnborough Jazz Club. Leader ROBIN COOMBS had an excellent line-up with PAUL HIGGS on trumpet, BILL TODD on trombone, DAVE BARNES on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass, JOHN STUART on banjo & guitar and ALAN CLARKE on drums. Their performance was as expected just wonderful, they all compliment one-another so well. So how did the evening progress? Well, their first number was ‘Strutting with some Barbecue’. I do hope you are not getting too bored with any repeat adjectives, because here comes one! They started brilliantly! Next number I jotted down was ‘Georgia On My Mind’, sang by Bill, who has a very pleasant jazz voice. The dancers certainly enjoyed my next choice, ‘Jazz Me Blues’and then Dave gave the ragtime number ‘Wolverine Blues’ a great run for our money. Bill sang ‘White Cliffs of Dover’, with everyone playing fantastically, encouraging more dancing too.  Paul, with his shiny green coloured trumpet gets better (if that is at all possible) every time we hear him. ‘West End Blues’ was one he wowed us with – a wonderful melodic trumpet. As for Alan’s drumming with ‘Caravan’, his solo was full of excitement and one can see why he is also a drum teacher. The rest of the engine and front line were superb too.  As I said last week, nothing like ‘live’ entertainment. It was lovely to see a couple of new faces (hope you come back), especially as some regulars were unable to make it (for very good reasons), although they all forgot their letters from their mums!

Diane and Keith

‘Caravan’ – (m) Juan Tizol, (l) Irving Mills (1937)

‘Georgia on My Mind’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael, (l) Stuart Gorrell (1930)

‘Jazz Me Blues’ – Tom Delaney (1920)

‘Struttin’ With Some Barbecue’ – (m) Lil Hardin Armstrong (Louis’ 2^nd wife) (1927), (l) Don Raye (added 1941)

‘West End Blues’ – Joe ’King’ Oliver, (l) Clarence Williams (1928) (famed by Louis Armstrong)

‘White Cliffs of Dover’ – (m) Walter Kent, (l) Nat Burton (1941)

‘Wolverine Blues’ – (m) Jelly Roll Morton, (l) Benjamin F & John C. Spikes (1923)

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND certainly entertained us on Easter Good Friday, 18^th April 2014 here at the Farnborough Jazz Club.  We received a few phone calls during the week, from people who haven’t been before, checking if we had jazz on Friday, being Easter.  They also asked if it gets busy, but as we told them, Good Friday is always an unknown quantity, as it is ‘family time’.  Many people go away, or have their family come to stay and can’t get out to the jazz.  So it was nice to have a wonderful turnout – always nice for a band to have a decent crowd to play to.   Leader ROBIN COOMBS had his excellent line-up with PAUL HIGGS on trumpet, BILL TODD on trombone, DAVE BARNES on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass, JOHN STUART on banjo & guitar and ALAN CLARKE on drums.  Last week, I suggested as the weather is beautiful, to do your gardening during the day, then mosey on over to us for some enjoyable dancing to jazz.  Beautiful, because looks like you all took heed of me, hmmm.  Once again, Robin was a little worried the dancing didn’t commence straight away, but it does always takes a drink (or two) to settle in and it wasn’t long before we were all up and leaping about.  Anyway, it is nice to just listen as well, especially with such tunes as Benny Goodman’s ‘A Smooth One’ and ‘You Took Advantage of Me’.  Another number, sung by Bill, was ‘I’m Confessin’ That I Love You’ and I noted Paul played lovely (muted) trumpet.  Bix Beiderbecke’s hit, ‘At the Jazz Band Ball’, certainly was one for the ‘fast’ dancers, super.   A tune definitely worth a mention was ‘The Charleston’ to which our line-dancers performed a Charleston dance – well, sort of!  Then Paul gave a wonderful intro to ‘West End Blues’ (famed by Louis Armstrong) with solos fabulously played by everyone.  Next, I noted one of Chris Barber’s hits called ‘Stevedore Stomp’ to which they all played brilliantly, again bringing on the dancers.  Dave sang ‘Fats Waller’s ‘Twenty Four Robbers’.  He introduced it and demonstrated to us the words to join in with, and of course, being a rum lot, we all did – great fun.  Jack Teagarden’s famed ‘A Hundred Years from Today’ came next.  It is a favourite of Keith’s and a lovely foxtrot for the slow dancers.  A perfect evening and surely must have set everyone up to face the rest of the week (well it did for me).  One last thing, something for your diary, the band’s next date here is to be 25^th July 2014.

Nothing like ‘live’ entertainment.

Diane and Keith

‘A Hundred Years from Today’ – Victor Young, Ned Washington and Joe Young (1933)

‘A Smooth One’ – Benny Goodman (1941)

‘At The Jazz Band Ball’ – (m) Nick LaRocca, Larry Shields (1916) (l’s added 1950 by Johnny Mercer)

‘Blame it on My Youth’ – (m) Oscar Levant, (l) Edward Heyman (1934

‘I’m Confessin’ (That I Love You’) – (m) Ellis Reynolds & Doc Daugherty, (l) Al J. Neiburg (1930)

‘Stevedore Stomp’ – ‘Duke’ Ellington & Irving Mills (1929)

‘The Charleston’ – (m) James P. Johnston, (l) Cecil Mack (1923)

‘Twenty Four Robbers’ – (m) Ted Buckner, (l) James Young (1941)

‘West End Blues’ – Joe ’King’ Oliver, (l) Clarence Williams (1928) (famed by Louis Armstrong)

‘You Took Advantage of Me’ – (m) Richard Rodgers, (l) Lorenz Hart (1928)

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND appeared at our Farnborough Jazz Club on Friday, 21^st February 2014.  Due to a misunderstanding, our pre-advertised band ‘LIMEHOUSE JAZZ BAND’ was unable to come to England (Pianist Martin Litton & His Rhythms replaced ‘Limehouse Jazz Band’ at the Spice of Life that afternoon).  However, at short notice, our good friend – band leader ROBIN COOMBS (clarinettist) very quickly booked his band for us.  The musicians were PAUL HIGGS on trumpet, BILL TODD on trombone, TIM HUSKISSON on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass, JOHN STUART on banjo & guitar and ALAN CLARKE on drums.  The boys gave us a wonderful spontaneous evening. I didn’t manage to write their first numbers down. The dancing was slow at getting going.  I think the first number to bring out some dancers was ‘Up a Lazy River’.  Robin was a little concerned not to have seen the dancers on the floor before this, but wherever you go, nobody likes to be first out on the floor and without Gordon and Steve to encourage other dancers (Gordon is out of commission for a while and Steve was at a birthday party elsewhere), it takes a little longer to see our dancers.  By the time the ‘Kid’ Ory number ‘South’ was played, all the dancers were swinging.  I just loved the drum intro to the next number, ‘Hindustan’, a marvellous number.  Then Paul played wonderful trumpet to ‘Chinatown, My Chinatown’.  They changed key halfway through too.  Then came ‘Ja-Da’, a number not played too often here and so makes a change.  Then the next number in contrast is often played here, but we don’t mind that either, being ‘Hello Central, Give Me Doctor Jazz’, a great favorite.  It was sung by Bill, who has a really good voice and should sing more often.  Keith and I listen to him playing (first Monday, monthly) with Mick Collins’ 16piece Modern Jazz Orchestra, held in Bromley South H.G. Wells Center.  Isn’t it wonderful how diverse musicians can be.  What followed next was a fabulous number called ‘Love is just around the Corner’ and I had no-one to dance with!  Then if that wasn’t enough, on comes Paul playing solo with a ‘Louis Armstrong intro’, just brilliant, the number of course was ‘West End Blues’, which was famed by Louis Armstrong. The finale came with ‘Caravan’ and Alan performed his magic on drums.  You might recall from my last comments about him being a drum teacher and if you did follow our Phoenix’s CV page, hopefully you will have looked in on the ‘You Tube’ recording of him playing a drum duo with his son and if not, please do so now!  Phoenix Dixieland’s next date here is to be 18^th May 2014.

N.B. I can confirm the LIMEHOUSE JAZZ BAND will be appearing with us on 24^th October 2014 as well as at the ‘SPICE OF LIFE’ that afternoon.

Don’t you just love ‘Live music’?

Diane and Keith

‘Caravan’ – (m) Juan Tirol, (l) Irving Mills (1937)

‘Chinatown, My Chinatown’ – (m) Jean Schwartz, (l) William Jerome (1910)

‘Hello Central, Give Me Doctor Jazz’ – Joe ’King’ Oliver & Walter Melrose (1926)

‘Hindustan’ – (m) Harold Weeks, (l) Oliver G Wallace (1917)

‘Ja-Da’ – Bob Carleton (1918)

‘Love is just around the Corner’ – (m) Lewis E. Gensler, (l) Leo Robin (1934)

‘South’ – Thamen Hayes & Bennie Moten (1924) (lyrics added later by Ray Charles)

‘(Up A) Lazy River’ – (m) Sidney Arodin, (m&l) Hoagy Carmichael (1930)

‘West End Blues’ – Joe ’King’ Oliver, (l) Clarence Williams (1928)

PHOENIX DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND played on FRIDAY, 10^th JANUARY 2014, here at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB for my ‘17^th’ birthday celebration and thanks, they did me proud.  The leader of this 7-pce band is our long-term friend ROBIN COOMBS, who plays clarinet. With him was NORMAN BULL on trombone, DAVE BARNES on piano, ROGER CURPHEY on double bass and LYNN SAUNDERS on banjo and vocals. Robin also had two special guest stars, namely PAUL HIGGS on trumpet and ALAN CLARKE on drums.  Please check them out in the ‘Band’s CV’s page (also go to the bottom of the page – you will see a photo of Keith in his first band with Norman, both as teenagers!).   I mentioned last week that I was sure you would want to get out for a bit of jazz and dancing after such a long break (being a year ago, ha!!!)  I also mentioned that we hoped you would all be fully recovered from the dreaded lurgies many of you seem to have, or have had!  I also said what a great party we had for Christmas and that with no jazz on Friday (4th), it seemed really weird how we did not feel ‘hung over’ the next day, plus no sore feet!  Anyway, I was really looking forward to possibly having another great party, especially as last year’s 70th had been cancelled (due to the same virus) and before I could even send out invitations too.  So I suggested having a ‘Gangsters & Moles’ party (optional) as my family would be coming dressed in party wear.  Yes, I know, I made the same error last time we had that theme.  I meant to say ‘Gangsters & Molls’ of course (last time, Steve came in a Mole mask! hmmm).  Well, the evening was fanbeeptastic.  They began the evening with ‘I’ve Found a New Baby’, a lovely tempo.  The next number featured Robin on clarinet and Norman on trombone, called ‘As Long As I Live’.  Next came ‘Big Butter and Egg Man’.  The band’s usual trumpeter, Dave Ware, has had a tooth extraction, which as you know, will prevent him from playing until it heals, so he came to listen.  The guys asked him to sing their next number ‘I Want a Little Girl to Call My Own’.  Dave has a lovely voice, so it was nice he showed up.  Their next tune played was ‘Indiana’ (Back Home In).  This number was played in the ‘The Gene Krupa Story’ and ‘The Five Pennies’ films.  Another number to mention was sung by Dave (B) and he got our audience to participate, with a great fun ‘Fats Waller’ number called ‘Twenty-Four Robbers’.  This song was also recorded by Glen Miller with Bing Crosby singing.  Then came a real treat with Paul featured on trumpet, called ‘Stardust’.  What a lovely number it is and certainly Paul was wonderful.  Joan in the audience requested that lovely tune, called ‘Sweet Lorraine’.  This was followed with Duke Ellington’s fabulous number called ‘Caravan’, in which Alan performed an incredible drum solo, lasting about three minutes, mind blowing stuff – lovely jubbly.  They finished up with a little bit of ‘Bye Bye Blues’.  One of the highlights of the evening for me was Roger allowing my seven (nearly eight) year old granddaughter to assist him with his double bass playing during his solo (I hope to publish a bit of it – or a photo later).   The band will be back on 18^th April 2014 for Easter (Good Friday).  Thank you everyone, for making my evening.

Don’t forget ‘Keep jazz ‘live’, so see you all next Friday.

Diane and Keith

‘As Long As I Live’ – (m) Harold Arlen, (l) Ted Koehler (1934)

‘Big Butter and Egg Man’ – Percy Venable (1926)

‘Bye, Bye Blues’ – Fred Hamm, Dave Bennett, Bert Lown & Chauncey Gray (w.1925, p.1930)

‘Caravan’ – (m) Juan Tizol, (l) Irving Mills (1937)

‘Indiana (Back Home In)’ – (m) James F. Hanley, (l) Ballard MacDonald (1917)

‘I’ve Found a New Baby’ – Jack Palmer and Spencer Williams (1926)

‘I Want a Little Girl to Call My Own’ – Murray Mencher and Bill Moll (1930)   sung by Dave

‘Twenty-Four Robbers’ – Teddy Buckner & Victor Young (1941)

‘Stardust’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael (1927), (l) Mitchell Parish & Hoagy (1929)

‘Sweet Lorraine’ – (m) Cliff Burwell, (l) Mitchell Parish (1928)