ChezChestermanBandBrothers 4/10/13

CHEZ CHESTERMAN’S BAND OF BROTHERS appeared at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent on Friday, 4th October 2013.  Trumpeter CHEZ, was joined by JOHN CROCKER (clarinet & sax), JOHN FINCH (trombone), JIM DOUGLAS (guitar), TERRY LEWIS (double bass) and BILL FINCH (drums).   Last week, I said you cannot go wrong with great names such as these and I said to get your butts down here and enjoy a fabulous evening.  I also said that If you know anything about jazz, you will know there will be plenty of top class entertainment in store for you to dance the night away and I was right, so let me tell you how it went.  The first number I noted was ‘High Society’.  I adore that number and of course the film.  It is just such a happy number. Then came ‘Heart of My Heart’ (sung by Chez) and ‘Breeze’, a lovely old standard, but cannot find out who wrote it, so will return to update there.  Chez also sang ‘Dinah’, with John C playing sax, oh what musician aye?  The next number was a beautiful Acker Bilk oldie called ‘Goodnight, Sweet Prince’.  John C was with Chris Barber’s Band and when Acker guested with them, John and he would share the spot on clarinet.  I must ask John if he did to this number, it isn’t played that often – mores the pity (Chez tells me the Danish band ‘Papa Bue’s Viking Jazz Band’ introduced it to England).  The next tune ‘Down by the Riverside’, was sung by our audience (with Chez joining in – seriously, of course it was the other way round).  ‘Weary Blues’ is a brilliant up-tempo tune (not depicting its title) and was/is marvellous to dance to.  John F was featured with the next number ‘I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with me’ and brilliantly too.  The last number I noted was ‘Careless Love’.  This was made famous by Buddy Bolden, played at a jaunty tempo, good for slower jiving to.  To end this evening’s write-up, I must talk about Terry Lewis.  He was playing this evening, but we know him from way back before the club house was extended.  Do any of you remember George Howden and his Hotshots appeared here, with three (one being Terry) of his six piece band?  The other three had gone to Farnborough in Hampshire!  Realising they were in the wrong place, they turned around and made their way back to us in Kent.  They walked in (about 9.45pm) to a huge cheer and stepped up without a break to play their hearts out, that’s musicians for you.  Lovely memories.

Cheers,

Diane and Keith

P.S. Chez’s Band is back at Welling 1st Sunday of the month from. 3rd November 2013.

‘Breeze’ – to be updated
‘Careless Love’ – W.C. Handy (©1921) Obscure origins (first association – Buddy Bolden Band (circa 1890’s)
‘Dinah’ – (m) Harry Akst, (l) Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young (1923)
‘Down By the Riverside’ – Gospel song (first published 1918)
‘Goodnight, Sweet Prince’ – Gene Fowler, (Acker Bilk 1960)
‘Heart of My Heart’ – Ben Ryan (1926)
‘High Society’ – (m & l) Cole Porter (1956) (& additional l) Susan Birkenhead
‘I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love With Me’ – (m) Clarence Gaskill (l) Jimmy McHugh (1925)
‘Weary Blues’ – (m) Artie Matthews, (l) George Cates & Mort Green (1915)