MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS have been appearing at our FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on and off for many years now and were back to play again for us on Friday 6th November 2015. Band leader, BRIAN GILES (cornet) had booked TIM HUSKISSON on reeds, LES HANSCOMBE on trombone & vocals, ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo & vocals, CHRIS MARCHANT on drums and DEREK PRING on double bass. I did tell you this was another line-up who would delight you and they did just that. Let me tell of some of the wonderful tunes they chose to entertain you with. One of their first numbers was ‘All the Girls Go Crazy About the Way I Walk’, which certainly put smiles on everyone’s faces. They followed up with a great dancing tune (of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band & Louis Armstrong’s fame), namely ‘Buddy’s Habits’, certainly lots of fun. There was plenty of dancing to ‘Cushion Feet Stomp’, followed by that foot-stomping number of Ken Colyer’s, ‘Postman’s Lament’ (sung by Bob). What about ‘Hiawatha Rag’ made famous by Acker Bilk and Terry Lightfoot – I must mention that one. The place was buzzing by that time and Bob, with his rich baritone voice sang ‘I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues’, what a great voice he has. A few of us had fun with ‘The Charleston’, which is one of the favourite tunes for the gang to perform our ‘Charleston’ style line-dance. Maybe not all of our audience enjoy us doing it, but they put up with it because everyone who takes part have so much fun (you don’t even need to know how to do it, we just all try – ha!) The band actually intermingled the tune with ‘Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone’ – which is a number that Keith and I often sing to each other (perhaps just the title line only, ha) I wonder why. The last number to mention is a good old favourite of many bands who play here, the one I call ‘My Dear Mr Shane’, actually called ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Shon’. They all played fantastically, but I particularly jotted down that Les was great on trombone and Chris on drums – what a number to end on. Unfortunately, Mike was away on holiday, so no photos this week. Sorry Mahogony’s, there will be some next time. Next week we have Brian Carrick’s Algiers Stompers.
Your hosts,
Diane & Keith
‘All the Girls Go Crazy about the Way I Walk’ – Kid Ory (1945) disputed earlier by Buddy Bolden (1944)?
‘Bei Mir Bist Du Shon’ – (m) Sholom Secunda, (l) Jacob Jacobs (1932). Re-written by Sammy Cahn &Saul Chaplin (1937)
‘Buddy’s Habits’ – Arnet Nelson & Charles T Straight (1923)
‘Cushion Feet Stomp’ – Clarence Williams & Louis Katzman (1927)
‘Hiawatha Rag’ – (m) Chas N Daniels aka Neil Moret (1901), (l) James O’Deo (added 1903)
‘I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues’ – Harold Arlen Ted Koehler (1933)
‘Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone’ – (m) Sam H Sept & Bee Palmer, (l) Sidney Clare (1930)
‘Postman’s Lament’ – Jonny Wiggs (1952/1961?)
‘The Charleston – (m) James P. Johnson, (l) Cecil Mack (1923)