BARRY PALSER’S SUPER SIX, entertained us again at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent on Friday, 11^th September 2015. Well, that was certainly an understatement, because they were all tremendous. BARRY, on trombone &vocals, was joined by PETE RUDEFORTH on trumpet, JOHN CROCKER on clarinet & tenor sax, TONY PITT on banjo and JOHN TYSON on drums. Unfortunately, HARVEY WESTON couldn’t make it. However, Barry managed to get the brilliant ANDY LAURENCE (with his double bass), to hotfoot over to join us.

Phew, what a band – John (C) was 35yrs with The Chris Barber Band, with Pete still currently playing with them. John (C)  has also played for Elton John, plus guested with Kenny Ball and Ken Colyer Trust Bands. Also, Pete’s career has  included working with such bands as  Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, The Temperance Seven and George Melley, just to mention a few.   Tony has played with Alex Walsh, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Alan Elsdon, Mike Cotton, Phil Mason, Laurie Chescoe and Terry Lightfoot Bands and, of course, Andy was also with the latter Band.

Barry, who has always run his own band, is such a strong and likeable character and has always produced the best out of his ‘Stars’.   He also has a special ‘extra’ that gives him a band to be proud of and that is Bridget, his wife.  I believe Bridget travels to all the gigs, helping with the sound equipment and makes sure everything runs smoothly.  Quite an asset.

Now to get back to the evening.  It was so hard to choose what to mention, from so many wonderful tunes (I don’t like to give a band’s complete repertoire away for playing at other places).

Anyway, our evening began with that rousing popular tune, ‘Bourbon Street Parade’, a must to mention. Another fabulous number to add is ‘Black and Blue’ – oh wow, so beautifully played.

Then John (C) sang ‘All Of Me’,  obviously he did it proud. Not to be out-done came Pete singing ‘Nagasaki’,  Actually, I shouldn’t have said that, because no one tries to outdo anybody! We then had John (C) performing his special – ‘Honeysuckle Rose’, yes a honey of a performance (John mentioned it was his second favourite tune, his first being ‘happy birthday’ ha.) As it happened, we had two birthday boys in the audience! The next number was requested by one of them (Bob), being ‘Kate Walking Baby’, sung by Barry. He apologised to me for not being able to perform it as well as he had done in the past, in other words, legs akimbo, much to our audiences’ laughter, but he can’t get his legs too far off the ground now-a-days. We all did our line-dance to the next song, being ‘Riverboat Shuffle’ (originally named ‘Freewheeling’). So many of us joined in this week, including male participants (much to the enjoyment/amusement of one chap’s other half).

Next came Pete’s special, which was ‘Stardust’. He plays a beautiful trumpet and we heard some superb banjo solos from Tony too. ‘Ace In The Hole’ is one that is always loved by our audience – joining in with such gusto (I think even Pete was surprised at this and enjoyed hearing us all).  We also enjoyed the next number, ‘Mama Don’t ‘low’. Everyone excelled with playing their solos and this is when I can give special mention to the ‘engine boys’. The exciting drums of John (T) – wow – and of course Andy on d.bass – tremendous and of course Tony on banjo. They tagged on a bit of ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ for a little bit of fun. I know I have mentioned too many of their tunes (sorry Barry, but you did sing it – Satchmo style)), but I must mention your last number, ‘What a Wonderful World’ and yes, you were all given such an ovation. No wonder these guys were chosen to play with our famous bands, they are all individually brilliant themselves.

I said I was really looking forward to Friday, as had I missed the band the last time they were here, (said I had actually missed three weeks, which hadn’t happened in 25yrs). Well I hadn’t missed it. However, I have decided to complete newsletters as they come, beginning with this week and then backtrack on the others, otherwise I shall begin to lose the plot. I am starting to get forgetful (I get Keith to tell me his name everyday – ha). Actually, I do believe it is due more to doing too much and hopefully not due to old age, well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

Keep jazz ‘live’ and you also help keep yourselves young too.

Your hosts, Diane and Keith

‘Ace in the Hole’ – Louis Panico & Elmer Schoebel (1926)

‘All Of Me’ – (m&l) Gerald Marks & Seymour Simons (1931)

‘Black and Blue’ – (m) Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller & Harry Brooks, (l) Andy Razaf (1929)

‘Bourbon Street Parade’ – Paul Barbaran (1949)

‘Cake Walkin’ Babies’ – (m) Chris Smith & Clarence Williams, (l) Henry Troy (1925)

‘Honeysuckle Rose’ – (m) Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller, (l) Andy Razaf (1929)

‘Mama Don’t ‘low’ – American Folk Song

‘Nagasaki’ – (m) Harry Warren, (l) Mort Dixon (1928)

‘Stardust’ – (m) Hoagie Carmichael, (l) Mitchell Parish (1928)

‘What a Wonderful World’ – (m&l) George David Weiss & Bob Theile (1967)