MAHOGANY HALL STOMPERS entertained us here at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday, 13th March 2015 and everyone showed they really enjoyed the music and banter that was created by band leader BRIAN GILES (cornet) and the boys. Brian had booked TIM HUSKISSON on reeds, REX O’DELL on trombone & vocals, ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT on banjo & vocals, CHRIS MARCHANT on drums and EDDY JOHNSON on double bass. I asked for everyone to come with dance shoes to the fore, for a wonderful evening of happy jazz. Well you judge for yourselves – cos yes, we had fun. For a start, Brian (with his lovely Yorkshire sense of humour and accent, not forgetting his cornet playing) is always a joy and manages to bring a great choice of tunes to play. They don’t often play repeats, unless especially requested to do so, but still managing to choose great favourites. Their first number, sung by Bob, was ‘Cake Walking Baby’, one loved by most bands and a favourite of dancers too, due to its jaunty tempo.
Mahogany Hall Stompers at Farnborough Jazz Club on 13th March 2015. Leader BRIAN GILES (crnet), TIM HUSKISSON (rds), REX O’DELL (trmb&vocs), ‘SOUTHEND BOB’ ALLBUT (bnjo&vocs), CHRIS MARCHANT (drums) & EDDY JOHNSON (d.bass). Photo by Mike Witt. (tap on photo to bring up sharp picture)
Mahogany Hall Stompers at Farnborough Jazz Club on 13th March 2015. (LtoR) Chris Walker (drums), Tim Huskisson (clarinet), Brian Giles (trumpet) & ‘Southend Bob’ Allbut (banjo). Photo by Mike Witt.
I’ve got to mention ‘One Sweet Letter From You’, because I jotted down ‘great clarinet playing from Tim’, well he is terrific. My next jotting was Rex singing ‘Everywhere You Go’. Rex is another talent we are lucky to enjoy at Farnborough – am I gushing? Sorry! Well, I can still gush some more, because the next song ‘Just Squeeze Me’, brought on the dancers – in fact the dance floor was packed. That’s just what I like to see. Rex sang the next number too, ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love’ (I’m sure he never has – he’s too nice – ha). Then we came to the dance floor to enjoy our line-dance to ‘Moose March’, really fabulous. Next came everyone’s favourite by Bob, ‘I Wanna Be A Dog’. He composed his own version and is not allowed to go home now, without singing it for us and yet, still there are people who haven’t heard it – it’s a real fun number.
Chris Marchant (drums) & ‘Southend Bob’ Allbut (banjo) of Mahogany Hall Stompers at Farnborough Jazz Club, 13Mar2015. Photo by Mike Witt.
Rex followed on with singing a mixture of ‘The Charleston’ tunes and we loved performing our line dance again to this. Well, it is a great tune for the dance. More and more people are joining in – it’s a little bit of fun, nothing fancy and nothing intricate, just beaming faces from the dancers. I put two big stars against the next song ‘I’ve Got Them Too Good To Be True Blues’, because there were some brilliant solos from everyone. It was strange they played the next number ‘When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam’, because it was played by last week’s band and I hadn’t written their newsletter, till after this evening. It is always weird like that, just how tunes do follow on by chance, when you think how many millions of popular jazz tunes there are to choose from. But then that is what is wonderful about composers – to think they can still come up with something ‘new’. So please come back for more, won’t you? The Martyn Brothers with their magic are here next Friday AND wowie, don’t get too excited, one of our raffle prizes will be an Easter Egg, now we’re spoiling you – ha.
Keep jazzin’
Diane and Keith