Bill Phelan’s Muskrat Ramblers, 3rd October 2014

BILL PHELAN’S MUSKRAT RAMBLERS’ provided our entertainment at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday, 3rd October 2014. The musicians with band leader BILL PHELAN (trumpet & flugabone) were ALAN CRESSWELL (clarinet), JOHN HOWLETT (trombone), ANDY LAWRENCE (double bass), JOHNNY MCCALLUM (banjo), plus PAUL NORMAN (drums).

This happy band has been a big favourite with you on previous appearances and once again, they maintained that popularity contest. Lovely to see the party of ten new people arrive, brought by a couple who visited us a few weeks ago. We’d love to see you again, you are great dancers. The band usually starts off with their signature tune, but for a change, they decided to play ‘Royal Garden Blues’, an equally happy number. The next number I wish to mention is ‘See See (or CC) Rider’. It was the number to bring out plenty of dancers. ‘Bugle Boy March’ followed on and was another great tune to dance to.

Bill Phelan's Muskrat-Ramblers, featuring Alan Cresswell playing 'Petite Fleur' at Farnborough Jazz  Club, Kent.  3rd October 2014. Photo by Mike-Witt.

Bill Phelan’s Muskrat-Ramblers, featuring Alan Cresswell playing ‘Petite Fleur’ at the Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent.
3rd October 2014. Photo by Mike Witt.

Alan was featured next, playing his wonderful rendition of ‘Petite Fleur’, what a player. They finished the first section with a brilliant performance of ‘Hiawatha Rag’. I was glad they chose to do ‘Ciribiribin’ again, (see my notes about their gig with us on 15 November 2013), because they do play it with great feeling and what about ‘Bourbon Street Parade’! It was sung by Johnny and is such a grand number, bringing smiles to everyone’s faces. A must to mention is Bill’s feature on flugabone, namely ‘Star Dust’, so melodic. Bill plays it how it should be done, beautifully (sorry not to have a picture of him too).  It is so difficult to decide to cut out numbers that have been played so well, but my last choice is ‘Canal Street Blues’. I’m sure they were playing over time, we were all enjoying ourselves I didn’t notice the time and no-one wants to end a happy evening. The number is such a jaunty one, we were all up dancing, so ending on a high.

Bill Phelan's Muscrat Ramblers at the Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent. 3rd October 2014.  Photo by Mike Witt.

Bill Phelan’s Muscrat Ramblers at the Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent. 3rd October 2014.
Photo by Mike Witt.

Bill Phelan's Muskrat Ramblers, again featuring Alan Cresswell at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent. 3rd October 2014. Photo by Mike Witt.

Bill Phelan’s Muskrat Ramblers, again featuring Alan Cresswell at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent. 3rd October 2014. Photo by Mike Witt.

Thanks again guys for entertaining us.

Next Friday’s band is Les Hanscomb’s Tailgate Jazz Band, so see you all then.

Trad jazz – always fun – keep it ‘Live’.

Diane and Keith

P.S. ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is back and although enjoyable, it is still irritating to hear them play pop music for Latin American dances. How do they expect the stars to learn to dance and put the oomph into a dance with the wrong rhythm or even the tempo! Please organisers, you obviously tell the band to play pop, you’ve got it wrong. Also, can you show your audience how to clap ‘OFF THE BEAT’? Now I know how irritating I was to band leader, Jeff Hatton, who many years ago, taught me how to clap ‘off the beat’. (There, I’ve got that off my chest!)

‘Bourbon Street Parade’ – Paul Barbarin (c. 1953)

‘Bugle Boy March’ – Francis Meyers ((1907)

‘Canal Street Blues’ – Joe ‘King’ Oliver (1923)

‘Ciribiribin’ – (m&l) Harry James&Jack Lawrence (1939) (based on melody by Alberto Pestalozza -1889)

‘Hiawatha Rag’ – (m) Chas N Daniels aka Neil Moret (1901), (l) James O’Deo (added 1903)

‘Petite Fleur’ – Sidney Bechet (1952)

‘Royal Garden Blues’ – Clarence & Spencer Williams (1919)

‘See See Rider’ (or ‘C.C. Rider’) – Traditional [see Ma Rainey & Lena Arant (1924)]

‘Stardust’ – (m) Hoagy Carmichael (1927), (l) Mitchell Parish (with Hoagy) (1929)