GEORGE TIDIMAN’S CHRISTMAS CRACKERS PARTY TIME 19th DECEMBER 2014
Staring GEORGE (trombone), with DENNY ILETT (trumpet), TIM HUSKISSON (clarinet), ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT (banjo), JOHN SIRETT (double bass) and BILL FINCH (drums).
Please order your seat ASAP – £15 each – to include a buffet
Dress up for Partying in and be prepared to have tons of fun!
Bigger Raffle
Brolly Parade
Bring your feet to razzle dazzle!
Keep jazzin’
Diane & Keith
GEORGE ‘KID’ TIDIMAN’S ALL STARS was the band chosen for FRIDAY, 4th JULY 2014 here at our FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB. Trombonist GEORGE, always the entertainer, had booked PETER LEONARD on trumpet, TIM HUSKISSON on clarinet, ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo, JOHN SIRETT on double bass and BILL FINCH on drums. George et al certainly did make sure we all enjoyed ourselves, which helped Colin Dobson, with wife Jo and family, enjoy his birthday and their wedding anniversary. Colin was trumpeter with Billy Cotton’s Band Show (of “Wakey-Wake aaaay” fame). Oh, also it was the 238th anniversary of the American Independence Day, so last week I suggested a few of you Yankees might join us (I had a funny story to relate – see end of this newsletter). However, none of you came – shame, you missed a great evening and a chance to ‘lord it’ over us Limeys – ha. Anyway, to relate to the evening, some dancers were lured onto the floor to the first number ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’, which was sung by Bob (brilliant voice). They had a hiccup at one point, much to the audience’s delight, especially when George said “It was a brand new arrangement of ours” :0)! There were some great solos by all with ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ and then Bob performed some great scat to ‘Royal Garden Blues’. Afterwards, George recalled playing here some years ago with Bill Brunskill before the club’s extension (if I can find when, I will update here later). He recalled the club was half the size and the band played from the other end of the room. We were packed to the gunnels in those days – a typical smoked-filled jazz club atmosphere too (no smoke today, but still friendly atmosphere)! The number (which Bob sang) was ‘Alice Blue Gown’. By the by, the tune was written for Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter. The next number was definitely for America’s Independence Day, although written for their civil war, which was ‘Marching Through Georgia’, to which the front line played a great cavalry replica, brilliant! Another tune ‘I Get the Blues When It Rains’ is a good old favourite of George’s. He made some remark to Bob about it being another Miles Davis classic! This was followed with George playing the swannee whistle superbly for the next tune ‘My Little Bimbo Down on The Bamboo Isle’. What came next was especially played for Colin, as it was Billy Cotton’s signature tune, namely ‘Somebody Stole My Gal’ and of course we all joined in singing. The last number ‘South Rampart Street Parade’ is a favourite of Keith’s and was played fabulously by all. Sorry to keep repeating myself, but another wonderful evening to remember. George ‘Kid’ Tidiman’s All Stars will be doing our Xmas Party this year (19th December 2014)
Cheers,
Diane and Keith
N.B. My funny story about American Independence Day took place in 1976 (the Bicentenary year). My family were to visit, first my sister-in-law, married to an American and living there and then to pop over to my own sister living in Canada. They both asked if I could bring some tea bags as they couldn’t get good tea in those days (although they had that year, but forgot to tell me!). So we appeared at Los Angeles customs with two boxes of 400! When asked if we had anything to declare, any food stuff etc, I replied ‘No, oh yes- tea bags”. When asked how many, (800!), he asked, much to everyone’s amusement, “Have you come for the Boston Tea Party?” He passed us straight on, ha. I know-I haven’t changed.
Sorry, still haven’t been unable to update 4April Newsletter, I haven’t forgotten, just misplaced my notes!
GEORGE ‘KID’ TIDIMAN’S ALL STARS appeared on FRIDAY, 4th APRIL 2014, here at the FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB. Trombonist GEORGE, has booked PETER LEONARD on trumpet, TIM HUSKISSON on clarinet, ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo, JOHN SIRETT on double bass and BILL FINCH on drums. George is always full of fun and he certainly brought his sense of humour with him (update to follow)
Cheers,
Diane and Keith … plus
Townhouse Jazz Club – Tribute to Johnny Rogers
6th April 2014 1-4pm £5 Entrance fee – All proceeds to Macmillan Nurses
‘GEORGE TIDIMAN’S ALL STARS’ was set to entertain us last Friday, 6th September 2013 here at Farnborough Jazz Club. However, you may remember the M25 was suddenly closed, so we were worried as they fare from Essex (one from Oxford)! We arrived early to set up anyway. First to arrive was JOHN SIRETT (double bass), so with Keith on spoons, plus he and I could sing duets, we thought we would cope IF we had an audience! Then BILL FINCH (drums) arrived – ah, Keith wouldn’t need to play spoons. The next half hour, we had the band’s engine as ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT (banjo/vocals) turned up. He had travelled 120miles round trip anticlockwise on the ‘A’ roads, well done Bob. So now the audience would be saved from Keith and my vocals. Soon DENNY ILETT (trumpet) arrived also after a horrendous journey, now we had a QUARTET! For the first hour, Denny held it together with some superb trumpet playing. Considering the situation, we had a very good turnout too. However, our band leader, GEORGE TIDIMAN (trombone/vocals), had the sound equipment, so Bob’s singing was ‘acoustic’ too! George eventually turned up to receive an enormous cheer. Having had an even worse journey, being on the bridge and shunted back through the Blackwell Tunnel, but he stepped up to play straight away. Denny, playing a joke on him, said they were about to play ‘Ory’s Creole Trombone’. What a number! George being so dry, was not quite his excellent self – lip not quite ready, but that all added to the fun of the evening. Unfortunately ROGER MYERSCOUGH also had a dreadful time trying to reach us, being stuck as there had been an accident too, was eventually redirected and after a few hours, was forced to return home. Clarinettist Mick Collins and banjoist Brian Lawrence were both in the audience and had a couple of sit-ins (well done you two). George, as usual, told some of his jokes, I don’t think he has ever repeated any here yet. The band were fabulous, all performing some fantastic jazz solos. Denny played with just his mouthpiece, so clever– sorry, didn’t write number down. They played ‘Coney Island Washboard He Will Play’, with the usual audience participation. The next number I noted was ‘Do You Know What It means to Miss New Orleans’ to which Denny gave a fantastic intro to. They then dedicated the next number to the M25! It was ‘Route 66’! Bob sang the first part correct, but change the second part to places and ‘A’ roads in Essex, very clever Bob (what a great deep voice he has). Another number I jotted down, was made famous by The Squadronaires, called ‘Strike up the Band’. Wow, how they played that number. Could they follow it, yes they did, with their last number ‘South Rampart Street’ (before ending with their signature tune of ‘Bye, Bye Blues’). I had managed to video a couple of numbers on my (old) mobile. The filming is too dark, however the sound of ‘South Rampart Street’ is worth putting on here and if George and the band agrees, I might do so later.
Keep our jazz alive.
Diane and Keith