Pedigree Jazzband – Chris Walker’s ‘ A Salute to Trad Jazz’, Easter Friday 25th March 2016

Pedigree Jazz Band Personnel in front of Marston's van

Last Friday, 25th March 2016 was Good Friday and we had CHRIS WALKER’s ‘A Salute to Trad Jazz’ with PEDIGREE JAZZBAND to make it good.  We were the last event of theirs on this tour to the South East.  It is surely nice to know they still wish to include Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on these tours.  Leader, CHRIS (clarinettist) has a slightly different line-up from the 2015 gang. This time, it was GRAHAM TREVARTON on trumpet, cornet, vocals, TONY MANN on trombone, KEN AMES on double bass, (new man) JOHN NODDINGS on banjo & guitar and COLIN LARN on drums.  It was nice to welcome John to Farnborough), in fact to see them all again, to what was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.  A great big thanks must go out to their Sponsors, The Marsdon’s Brewery, for again sending us a pack of their Pedigree Beer, for our raffle, very thoughtful.   Chris makes these tributes interesting by giving little bits of obscure info’ about the tunes they play.  Their first number was ‘Bourbon Street’ and I recall the front line boys singing together, wonderfully too.  I am not always able to hear everything said, being ‘on the door’, but I did hear Chris say the next tune, ‘Livery Stable Blues’, was possibly the first recording (by The Original Dixieland Jass Band) to sell a million copies, establishing jazz as popular music.  Now I recall we did a line-dance next, well two of us did – well it was a very fast number and but Jackie and I enjoyed being tested – ha.  Sorry, I missed what it was called.  Chris was featured next and he dedicated his number to Monty Sunshine, which, of course, was ‘Petite Fleur’.  Chris did a beautiful job too.  [Keith and I saw Monty at Fort Halstead (just up the road to us), some 25 or so, years ago, when a friend of ours (Dick) arranged for him to guest with a band there, does anyone remember the band?].  Monty died November 2010.  Obviously being Easter, they had to play ‘Easter Parade’, a song (& film) I just loved and sang (as a little girl), harmonising with my sister, June.  ‘Sukiyaki’ came next and a dedication to Kenny Ball, what a wonderful number and delightfully played by Graham too.  Tony was featured next, with that lovely tune made famous by Nat King Cole, ‘Autumn Leaves’ and yes, he was superb.  I think we were all quietly singing it.  Another two numbers were dedicated to Kenny Ball and gave Graham a chance to show again what he could do.  The first number was ‘I Love You, Samantha’ and what a lovely job he did  The next number has to be possibly their best number of the evening – the next morning, Keith and I still recalled how amazingly they played it.  The number was ‘Midnight In Mosco’.  Kenny died in March 2013 and it seems like yesterday.  Their dedication to Acker Bilk was ‘Summer Set’, played so lovely.  Chris said he had the wonderful memory of visiting Acker in his home, just two weeks before he died in November 2014 (again that seems like yesterday).  They finished the evening with ‘The World is Waiting for the Sunshine’.  Oh Chris – great clarinet solo – well just wonderful solo’s played by all of you and a fantastic moment (or ten) of Ken playing his drums, what a mind-blowing solo by him.  Thanks Chris and all of you, for a marvellous tribute show.  Play on………..  It is a shame a great many of our regulars missed the evening, I’m sure being Easter and family commitments.  So sorry, unfortunately no photos, as Mike was away too.  At least we have their own photo, to show who they are.

Your hosts for an evening of ‘live’ jazz,

Diane and Keith

‘Autumn Leaves’ – Joseph Kosma, (l) Jaques Pravért (1945)
‘Bourbon Street Parade’ – Paul Barbarin (c. 1953)
‘Easter Parade’ – Irving Berlin (1933) he originally composed it in 1917 as ‘Smile and Show Your Dimple’
‘Livery Stable Blues’ – © Ray Lopez & Alcide Nunez (1917) – (disputed by Original Dixieland Jazz Band
‘Midnight In Mosco’ – Vasili Solovyov-Sedoi, (l) Mikai Matusovsky (1955)
‘Petite Fleur’ – Sidney Bechet (1952)
‘I Love You, Samantha’ – Cole Porter (1956)
‘Sukiyaki’ – (m) Hachidai Nakamura, (l) Rokusuki Ei (1961)
‘Summer Set’ – Acker Bilk & Dave Collett (1960)
‘The World is Waiting For Sunrise’ – (m) Ernest Seitz, (l) Gene Lockhart (1919) Seitz conceived in (1904)