MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS played here at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday, 11^th April 2014.  We had a great crowd to greet them.  Band leader BRIAN GILES (cornet) booked BRIAN WHITE on reeds, GEORGE ‘KID’ TIDIMAN on trombone & vocals (yep, he was here with his own band last week), ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo & vocals (and yes, right again, he was also here last week), JOHN BLENHEIM on drums and EDDY JOHNSON on double bass.  Once again, a super atmosphere making it an enjoyable evening with plenty of dancing.  Now, I’m sure you would like a little taster of tunes we were treated to, yes?  The fact that we were busy, I was unable to jot down the first couple of numbers, but I remember ‘Pretty Baby’ was sung by Bob.  I have often mentioned before, Bob has a super voice, not dissimilar to Hoagie Carmichael, but deeper, what I describe as a fantastic ‘round’ baritone sound, do you know what I mean?  The next tune was a big ‘Number One’ hit of Tommy Dorsey, namely ‘On Treasure Island’ and the ‘Mahogany boys’ certainly did this number justice.  Another excellent number was ‘Big Chief Battle Axe’ (of Bunk Johnson fame), which encouraged plenty of dancing.  They also played ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’, sung by Bob, which enticed the audience to sing along (I think almost everyone knows most of the lyrics, both young and old).  Next I recall Brian saying “let’s have some Fats Waller” and ‘I’m Flying High’ was his choice (it certainly should be a signature tune for Keith – ha).  Bob sung the next number that has some brilliant lyrics.  The number was a Jelly Roll Morton famed one, called ‘Michigan Waters Blues’. The lyrics say something about Mississippi waters tasting like turpentine!  (I just love the diversity of the numbers Bob sings).  This time ‘I Want a Little Girl to Call My Own’ was sung by George (another great voice) and then Bob sang the next number, ‘Blues my Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me’ (made famous by Sidney Bechet).   It was certainly a very happy evening.  Please note they are to return 13^th June 1014.

Cheers

Diane and Keith

 ‘Big Chief Battle Axe’ – Thomas S. Allen (1907)

‘Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me’ – Charles McCarron, Casey Morgan & Arthur Swanstrom (1919)

‘I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling’ – Fats Waller (1929)

‘I Want A Little Girl To Call My Own’ – (m) Murray Mencher, (l) Bill Moll (1930)

‘Michigan Waters Blues’ – Clarence Williams (1930)

‘On The Sunny Side of the Street’ – (m) Jimmy McHugh, (l) Dorothy Field (1930)

‘On Treasure Island’ – Joseph Burke & Edgar Leslie (1935)

‘Pretty Baby’ – (m) Tony Jackson (1912) & Egbert Van Alstyne, (l) Gus Kahn (1916)

‘MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS’ appeared at our Farnborough Jazz Club on Friday, 28^th February 2014.  Band leader & trumpeter Brian Giles was joined by Tim Huskisson on clarinet/sax (yes he was with us last Friday on piano, that’s how talented he is).  Also Rex Odell on trombone, ‘Southend Bob’ Albutt on banjo, Eddie Johnson on double bass and last, but not least, was Barry Tyler on drums (haven’t seen you in years Barry).  Last week, I asked all you audience makers, to please make sure you didn’t miss it, so you could dance away an odd pound or two in weight BEFORE the Easter egg(s) cometh! Some of you heeded, so thanks for helping to produce a lovely happy atmosphere.  Anyhow, these were some of the numbers the band played just to give you a little in-site of the enjoyable evening we had.  They began the evening with ‘How Do You Do Me Like You Do, Do, Do’, which was sung by Bob.  What a great voice he has.  This was followed with such a beautiful song called ‘Tangerine’, one amongst some of my many best loved favourites), beautifully sung by Rex.  The next song has been featured on TV recently, advertising Volkswagen cars (with the tall beautiful girl wanting a tall guy – one gets out of a small car).  The song ‘It’s Just Like Looking for a Needle in a Haystack’ sung by Bob, comes from the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers film called ‘The Gay Divorcee’.  He followed up with some scat vocalising to ‘Cushion Feet Stomp’ (I jotted down ‘some lovely trombone sounds’).  Bob’s famous party-piece is that number called ‘I Wanna Be A Dog’.  It is an extremely funny song written by children’s author, Barry Louis Polisar.  Bob has re-vamped it, and his voice really does it justice too.  The next number I noted was ‘When You’re Smiling’, with Brian’s lovely trumpet and Rex giving a brilliant imitation of Louis Armstrong, (including the hanky).  Of course we all joined in with him (well not like Louis).  I remember him giving out a laugh and said “Oh, I think I sounded more like Tommy Cooper there, ha”.  Now the next number to mention was ‘You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams’, which was also sung by Rex.  It is a much loved song here in our club, which was often played by one of our favorite bands, namely Phil Mason’s New Orleans All Stars (we miss you Phil).  Of course again we joined in with Rex too.  (I quite like the fact that this song was co-written by A Goodhart – I know, I’m sloppy).    Bob sang the next number ‘I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling’, which showed off his very rich baritone sound.  The band rounded off the evening with that gorgeous Louis Armstrong number called ‘What a Wonderful World’.  Of course, Rex did the business again (it must be quite rough on the vocal cords though – well done Rex).  Thanks to the boys in the band, for a lovely evening.

Cheers from Diane and Keith

‘Cushion Feet Stomp’ – Clarence Williams & Louis Katzman (1927)

‘How Do You Do Me Like You Do, Do, Do’ – Gene Austin, Roy Bergere (1924)

‘It’s Just Like Looking for a Needle in a Haystack’ – (m) Con Conrad, (l) Herbert Magidson (1934)

‘I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling’ – Fats Waller (1929)

‘I Wanna Be A Dog’ – Barry Louis Polisar (1979) & re-vamped by ‘Southend Bob’ Allbut

Tangerine’ – (m) Victor Schertzinger, (l) Johnny Mercer (1941)

‘What a Wonderful World’ – Bob Thiele & George D Weiss (1968)

‘When you’re Smiling’ – Larry Shay, Mark Fisher & Joe Goodwin (1929)

‘You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams’ – (m) Al Hoffman & Al Goodhart, (l) Manny Kurtz (1939)