We were expecting another brilliant evening ahead of us again with GEORGE ‘KID’ TIDIMAN’S ALL STARS’ on Friday, 18th September 2015 at our FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB. George is so full of fun and he and his band are so talented and so we were not disappointed. I had missed all the fun last time they were here, so I was expecting some special treatment from all of them this time (those extra kisses etc., hmmm!). Those poor stars who had to oblige me were obviously GEORGE (our ‘Kid’), plus DENNY ILETT on trumpet, TIM HUSKISSONon clarinet, ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo, JOHN SIRETT on double bass and BILL FINCH on drums. There was not too many of you in the audience, but none-the-less, those of you who came, created such an atmosphere with your whooping and dancing. We all loved ‘Southend Bob’ singing ‘Salty Dog Blues’. He has such a wonderful deep velvet voice and the song being such a fun song – I love how he finds them (a bit saucy though).
George (our ‘Kid’) sang brilliantly the next number, ‘I Want A Little Girl To Call My Own’, probably made famous mostly by Harry James. This was followed by ‘Kid’ Ory and Louis Armstrong’s ‘Canal Street Blues’, they certainly played their socks off to this one – all with fabulous solos. That lovely Latin number ‘Spain’ came next (I just love a Latin/American beat) certainly shows great playing by the ‘engine’ boys, John, Bill and ‘Southend Bob’.
George entertained us next by singing ‘The Old Spinning Wheel’ and of course we all joined in (mostly with ‘lah lah-ing, of course) and I noted a bit of ‘Hi Ho – Hi Ho’ echoed after George (not quite sure what I meant – will have to ask him to repeat it next time they are here!). We had a real treat with someone in our audience – namely Jan Smith. [Keith used to play drums with Jan’s hubby, Barney Smith (guitar) and Nobby Willett (banjo – which he played it sounding just like a mandolin)]. Jan sang a couple of songs, one being ‘Bill Bailey (Wont You Come Home)’, what a voice Jan has (a fantastic dancer too).
Our next bit of entertainment came from Bob (singing with his rich deep voice again) another one of his brilliant choices, ‘Alcoholic Blues’ – a song written during America’s prohibition time. George was fabulous on trombone (I’m not a musician, so could have been a joke about having to match Bob’s voice – but it was mentioned they played it in lowest register – Bbflat).
Probably my favourite song of the evening has to be ‘Stardust’. Denny excelled on trumpet of course. He played a wonderful introduction and then they all joined in with this fabulous ‘Hoagy Carmichael’ number. I will finish off with a mention of a lovely solo from Tim with ‘The Girls Go Crazy About The Way I Walk’, which was sung by George – of course the girls do George! Thanks for another delightful evening.
Diane and Keith