Monthly Archives: June 2014

Bill Bailey’s All Star Jazz Band, 27/06/2014

BILL BAILEY’S ALL STAR JAZZ BAND came from Burton-on-Trent to entertain us at the FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB, Kent on Friday, 27th June 2014. Trumpeter/vocalist RICHARD “BILL” BAILEY is full of fun and it was a treat to have his band lighten up the week for us. I’m sure we also showed the guys what fun we are here at Farnborough, Kent (“down south”) with our appreciation of their show. Bill brought with him TERRY McGRATH (trombone), ROGER KEAY (reeds), ALAN BIRKENHEAD (banjo/guitar), STEVE PETERS (bass), KEITH CHAPLIN (percussion) and last, but by no means least, SHEILA FAWKES (vocalist). They started the evening with ‘At the Jazz Band Ball’. What a presence and I don’t mean how they looked, although they looked first-rate too. It is always hard to make an impression when you are new to a venue, but they certainly did. ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’ was played and goodness WHAT A POWERFUL VOICE! She didn’t need a ‘mike’. Yes, I mean Sheila’s voice. She looked so young and glamourous and what a lovely girl too (spit). She then sang, ‘Some of These Days’ more softly, which showed her versatility. Bill added some fabulous scat vocals too. He also played swannee whistle and I noted some great trombone playing from Terry. They also played ‘Washington & Lee Swing’, the University fight song and I suspect they played it because of the World Cup football series, as this tune is often sang at football matches. ‘Darktown Strutters Ball’ was another great number, in which Bill, again on swannee whistle, came out from the front of the band and played amid the dancers, great fun. Another number I jotted down was ‘Bugle Boy March’ and oh what a great bit of trumpet playing from Bill when (at the end) he played standing on a chair, as if playing an assembly recall from a castle turret, or high on a hill, just beautiful. Then came one of my all-time favourites ‘Christopher Columbus’, hmmm excellent. Sheila and Bill sang in harmony to that Latin American number ‘Something Stupid’. I just wrote ‘Yes, yes, yes’! That says it all! Now my last choice of numbers to list was ‘Tiger Rag’. Keith (Chaplin – not Grant!) played super drum solos to introduced the tune and also at the end. There was plenty of dancing, plus plenty of smiling all evening, another success.

‘Live’ Jazz, don’t you just love it?

Cheers,

Diane and Keith

N.B. Terry is from Birmingham, Roger from Crewe, Alan from Leicestershire, Steve from Castle Donington, Keith from Barrow-on-Sour (Nr Leicestershire) and Sheila is also from Birmingham – well they can’t help it, someone has to live in those placesJ!

‘At The Jazz Band Ball’ – (m) Nick LaRocca, Larry Shields (1917) (l’s added 1950 by Johnny Mercer)
‘Bugle Boy March’ – Francis Meyers ((1907)
‘Christopher Columbus’ – Glen Miller, Joe Garland & Andy Razaf (1959)
‘Darktown Strutters Ball’ – Shelton Brooks (1917)
‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’’ – Jimmy Cox (1923)
‘Some of These Days’ – Shelton Brooks (1909)
‘Something Stupid’ – Clarence Carson Parks II (1966)
‘Tiger Rag’ – written & played by Original Dixieland Jazz Band (1917) (many others claim!)
‘Washington & Lee Swing’ – (m) Mark W Sheafe (1905), Thorton W Allen (wrote notes 1909), (l) Clarence A (Tod) Robbins (1910)

Lord Napier Hot Shots, 20/6/2014

THE LORD NAPIER HOT SHOTS appeared for the first time at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday 20th June 2014. The members of the band were leader MIKE DUCKWORTH (trombone), MIKE JACKSON (trumpet), PAT GLOVER (reeds), LYNN SAUNDERS (banjo), MICK SCRIVEN (double bass & bass sax) and ARTHUR FRYATT (drums) [‘live’ – private joke, see below]. Five band members play with the British Airways band and some play regularly with The Lord Napier’s band, one of South London’s most famous jazz pubs (the original house band was Bill Brunskill’s Jazzmen for very many years). Anyhow, the jazz was lovely and they chose to play (amongst others) such numbers as Ruth Etting’s hit ‘All of Me’, sung by Pat, with Mick (S) playing Bass sax (Mike (J) called it a ‘drainpipe’). ‘Basin Street Blues’ was another great number, with Mike (J) singing (he’s got a lovely voice) and I noted Mike (D) playing brilliant trombone. Then Arthur sang next with ‘Sweet Sue, Just You’, who also has a great jazz voice. Lynn played a fabulous banjo solo. What came next was Arthur, who just shone ‘doing the business’ on washboard of course, with ‘Coney Island Washboard’. Lynn sang (yep, another great voice) performing ‘All I Do Is Dream of You’. Mike (J), mentioning another venue bringing out umbrellas when they played the next number he introduced, namely ‘Bourbon Street Parade’. Immediately, a ‘regular’, Steve rushed out to his car, produced some umbrellas and four or five of us did our ‘parade’, just a lovely bit of fun. Then Arthur changed again to playing washboard to ‘Nobody’s Sweetheart Now’. Pat was featured next with ‘Smiles’. Not many people know Pat was an absolutely brilliant whistler, but after having some dental treatment, he has not been able to. I requested him to try, but he was so unsure he would be able to, so didn’t want to upset anyone. However, he did perform fabulously on clarinet instead. Well done Pat. To continue … once again a star, Arthur played a wonderful drum solo to ‘Rosetta’, with the whole band, giving their all. What a happy evening of ‘live’ jazz and I came away (as I’m sure others did) feeling set up for the next week. Thanks guys.

Diane & Keith

P.S. Arthur is a very special person in my eyes. I must mention some time ago, I heard Benny Cohen had passed away, a wonderful trumpeter, who had played for us many times. I was about to announce this, when somebody told me Arthur (who was in Mike Daniels’ Delta Jazz Band) had also passed away. Unfortunately, a couple, who were friends of both Arthur and Mike, were in our audience and got in touch with Mike straight away. Saturday morning, the phone went and a voice said ‘Hi Diane, its Arthur here”. “Oh” says I, “Where are you calling from, up top, or down below?” I was so lucky Arthur took it so well, he could have blown my head off, but we had a good laugh instead. That’s musicians for you!

‘All I Do Is Dream of You’ – (m&l) Nacio Herb Brown (m), Arthur Freed (1934)
‘All of Me’ – Gerald Marks & Seymour Simons (1931)
‘Basin Street Blues’ – Spencer Williams (1926)
‘Bourbon Street Parade’ – Paul Barbarin (c. 1953)
‘Coney Island Washboard’ – (m) Hampton Durand & Jerry Adams, (l) Ned Nester & Aude
‘Nobody’s Sweetheart Now’ – (m) Billy Meyers & Elmer Schoebel, (l) Gus Kahn & Ernie Erdman (1924)
‘Rosetta’ – (m&l) Earl Hines & Henri Wood (1933)
‘Smiles’ – (m) Lee S. Roberts, (l) J. Will Callahan (1917)
‘Sweet Sue, Just You’ – (m) Victor Young, (l) Will J. Harris (1928)
N.B. You can find a rare radio 1937 recording of a slower version of ‘Smiles’ by Judy Garland aged 15yrs on You Tube. Just click on: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHyZqy0R98

Mahogany Hall Stompers, 13/06/2014

MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS’ entertained us on Friday, 13th June 2014 at the Farnborough Jazz Club. Band leader & trumpeter BRIAN GILES had booked BRIAN WHITE on clarinet, REX ODELL on trombone, FRED ETHERINGTON on banjo, EDDIE JOHNSON on double bass and completing the engine was CHRIS MARCHANT on drums. The World Cup had started and I asked if you could please record it and come to the club – well Keith had to miss it! I promise I wouldn’t divulge the results on the microphone (like I did last time Peter) Oops! Some of you came and what another super evening of music we had. It started with Rex singing (Louis Armstrong style) ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’. I loved the little bit of fun Rex instilled popping in the line “Rich as Brian Giles” (instead of Rockefeller). They continued with ‘Jazz Me Blues’. I noticed Rex inserting a quote of Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, just great. Then he sang ‘A Kiss to Build a Dream On’. The dance floor became packed – Oh yes, romance is not dead. Another good ol’ trad favourite, ‘Mama’s Gone, Goodbye’ followed in which Eddie gave us a super bass solo.  The whole band made a wonderful job with ‘Tangerine’ sang by Rex (in his own voice!). Brian (W) also has a good jazz voice and sang the next number, ‘Jelly Roll Blues’ (said to be the first jazz number). I must also mention ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Shon’, or as I call it – ‘My Dear Mr Shane’ (I know, no class! Who said that?) It is an often played number as it is such a favourite of many audiences, Mahogany did it justice. Brian played a wonderful intro, Rex sang it and they all played fantastically, with a great solo from Chris. ‘When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam’ was another song sung by Rex and the evening was completed with ‘What a Wonderful World’ with Rex’s brilliant ‘Louis’ imitation again. Oh, another lovely evening.

Diane and Keith, Jazz lovers signing off for another week.

‘A Kiss to Build a Dream On’ – (m) Harry Ruby, (l) Bert Kalmar & Oscar Hammerstein II (1935)
‘Bei Mir Bist Du Shon’ – (m) Sholom Secunda, (l) Jacob Jacobs (1932)
                                 Re-written by Sammy Cahn &Saul Chaplin (1937)
‘Jazz Me Blues’ – Tom Delaney (1921)
‘Jelly Roll Blues’ – ‘Jelly Roll Morton (1910)
‘Mama’s Gone, Goodbye’ – A J Piron & Peter Bocage (1924)
‘On The Sunny Side of the Street’ – (m) Jimmy McHugh, (l) Dorothy Field (1930)
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ – George Gershwin (1924)
‘What a Wonderful World’ – Bob Thiele & George D Weiss (1968)
‘When the Midnight Choo Choo Leaves for Alabam’ – Irvin Berlin (1912)

Martyn Brothers Jazz Band, 6/6/2014

Last week, we said the MARTYN BROTHERS JAZZ BAND were going to be here at our Farnborough Jazz Club. Stating “Oh yes, they are back again this Friday, 6th June 2014, This highly talented young band has always been one of my favorites. Most of you know these two brothers are band leader, Barry Martyn’s sons, who has lived in New Orleans for many years. As I said last time, Emile and Ben spent many years there too (Harold ‘Duke’ Dejan was Emile’s godfather). Co-leaders BEN MARTYN on double bass/vocals and EMILE MARTYN on drums, have booked TOM KINCAID on piano, KARL HIRD on reeds, JEFF WILLIAMS on trombone (it will be nice to see you again Jeff after all these years) and JOHN RUSCOE on guitar. If any of you are concerned about losing Trad Jazz, as we are all getting long in the tooth now (oh I forgot, I’m only 17!), well here are the young boys who will keeping it going. This band always produce some exciting jazz, so let’s give them a first class audience and how about some of you youngsters turning up too – they’re quite good-looking, :0)”

Well they did it again! We certainly had a great evening. This particular Friday was the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, so they slipped in some specials for a tribute, such as ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’ – 1st world war fame may it be (sung by Ben, with of course, our audience) and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’, plus Ben’s own composition, ‘I’ll Watch the Moon’ [Ben says it’s his version, lyrically at least of ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’. He wanted to write a song with the sentiment of the old WW2 songs about leaving somebody behind, being far away, but both looking up at the same moon from different parts of the world and connecting with each other]. By the way, when Ben left the house on Friday, he saw a little poppy growing on his drive which wasn’t there the night before. Back to the evening, the first number I noted was ‘Running Wild’. They all had fabulous solos (Karl played tenor sax), which was rip-roaring when they all played together, so although they played it last time, I just had to mention it again. Jeff has a strong – good ol’ earthy jazz voice, evident when he sang ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’, great stuff. Then Emile produced some brilliant and elegant drumming to ‘Summertime’, (sung by Ben) again played last time, and why not when you play it that well! Karl was featured on tenor sax with Jeff singing ‘Caledonia’, oh what a wonderful musician Karl is. Now last time they were here, Ben asked if any of us knew what was at No.1 in the hit parade on the day of our birth. Keith’s was ‘Cheek to Cheek’ (a big hit for both Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra), so possibly why they played it this evening, of course plenty of dancing. They were all really fabulous (Karl on soprano sax) with ‘Tiger Rag’. Talk about rip-roaring again (sorry, can’t help repeating myself). Ben also sang ‘The Twist’ (made famous by Chubby Checker). There was plenty of dancing, but I’m so glad I was otherwise occupied, so didn’t need to hurt myself, ha! Tom and John’s feature song, ‘You Never Can Tell’, wowie, they were spectacular, so couldn’t leave this one out without a mention. Well, I really have gone on, haven’t I? Their next gig will be 5th September 2014.

Nothing like ‘live’ music to gladden the cockles of your heart, aye.

Diane & Keith

‘Caldonia’ – Louis Thomas Jordan (1945)
‘Cheek to Cheek’ by Irving Berlin (1935)
‘It’s A Long Way to Tipperary’ – (m/l) Henry James ‘Harry’ Williams, (l) Jack Judge (1912)
‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ – (m) Sammy Fain, (l) Irving Kahal (1938)
‘I’ll Watch the Moon’ – Ben Martyn (2004)
‘On The Sunny Side of the Street’ – (m) Jimmy McHugh, (l) Dorothy Field (1930)
‘Running Wild’ – (m) A. Harrington Gibbs, (l) Joe Grey & Leo Woods (1922)
‘Summertime’ – (m) Geroge Gershwin, (l) DuBose Heyward (1933/34)
‘The Twist’ – (m) Dave Appell, (l) Kal Mann (1959)
‘Tiger Rag’ – written & played by Original Dixieland Jazz Band (1917) (many others claim!)
‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ – origins unknown (derived from (l) Katherine Purvis, (m) James Milton Black 1896) re-publ 1927.
‘(You Never Can Tell) C’est La Vie’ – Chuck Berry (c1960 released 1964)

Bill Phelan’s Muskrat Ramblers, 30/05/2014

BILL PHELAN’S MUSKRAT RAMBLERS’ played for us at our FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday, 30th May 2014. Leader BILL PHELAN, trumpeter, had booked ALAN CRESSWELL on reeds (Alan was with Max Collie Rhythm Aces for 18months), JOHN HOWLETTon trombone, ANDY LAWRENCE on double bass, JOHNNY MCCALLUM on banjo (who was with The Chris Barber Big Band for 22years), plus PAUL NORMAN on drums. I missed the first number, but my first note was of the tune ‘1919 March’, a rousing number that we all recognise when it is played and has been played by so many top bands, although I was unable to find out the true origin, hence ‘traditional’ for composer and date. If anyone can enlighten us, please email any information, thanks. The band continued with an ODJB famed number, ‘Clarinet Marmalade Blues’, another rip-roaring number too. Following on, both Johnny and Andy gave great performances to ‘See See Rider’ (or ‘C.C. Rider’). [Alan and Johnny both featured with Django Reinhardt famed number, but have to update later – wonderful stuff. Another number, which John H sang to, was ‘All the Girls Go Crazy about the Way I Walk’. Paul’s brilliant drum solo resulted with his drum stick flying out of his hand, through the air, hitting John H in the chest at such a force, nearly leaving us without a trombonist- ha! (Of course John was ok). ‘Ciribiribin’ followed, which they dedicated to me (nice). Bill had read my write-up about its composer Jack Lawrence (with Harry James) – see our newsletter 15Nov2014. I wrote ‘brilliant’ against the next number to mention. It featured Alan, namely ‘Saint Phillip Street Breakdown’. Likewise the next Sidney Bechet number, ‘Dans les Rues d’Antibes’, they all played marvellously. [This number brings back fond memories of when Keith played with dear and talented friends, Mack White and Charlie Connor]. The last number I wish to mention featured Bill. He is such a lovely unassuming person, which shone out big time, when he played flugelhorn to Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘Stardust’. It is a beautiful song and Bill gave it wonderful justice. Their next date with us will be 3rd October 2014.

Trad jazz – always fun – keep it ‘Live’!

Diane & Keith

‘All the Girls Go Crazy about the Way I Walk’ – Kid Ory (1945) disputed earlier by Buddy Bolden (1944)?
‘Ciribiribin’ – (m&l) Harry James & Jack Lawrence (1939) (based on melody by Alberto Pestalozza -1889)
‘Clarinet Marmalad’ – Larry Shields & Henry Ragas (1918)
‘Dans les Rues d’Antibes’ – Sidney Bechet (c1952)
‘See See Rider’ (also ‘C.C.Rider’) – Ma Rainey & Lena Arant (1924)
‘Stardust’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael (1927), (l) Mitchell Parish (with Hoagy) (1929)
‘Saint Phillip Street Breakdown’ – George Lewis (c1950?)
‘1919 March’ – traditional