LES HANSCOMBE’S TAILGATE JAZZ BAND entertained us at our Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on 10th October 2014. Unfortunately, they had a horrendous journey to us, taking an hour to get over the QE2 Bridge, caused by road works. BRIAN GILES was to have been on trumpet, but did not make it due to personal problems. However, the rest of the band were band leader LES, who plays magical trombone, BRIAN HART on reeds, BRIAN STAPELY on drums (yep, would have been three Brian’s!), DEREK PRING on sousaphone, plus OLLIE BENSON on banjo & guitar. Although our old friend Brian Giles was missing, the band were superb.
LES HANSCOMBE’S TAILGATE JAZZ BAND at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent), 10th October 2014. leader LES, who plays magical trombone, BRIAN HART (reeds) BRIAN STAPEL (drums) (yep, with Brian Giles, it would have been 3 Brian’s!), DEREK PRING (sousaphone) and OLLIE BENSON (banjo & guitar. Photo by Mike Witt
It was very difficult for them, because they had chosen the repertoire to include a trumpet, but you wouldn’t have guessed, they were so relaxed. The numbers they chose to play instead (at short notice) was wonderful and again, has made it difficult for me to choose what not to include in this newsletter (I don’t like to give too much of their repertoire away). However, here is a little insight into the evening. I missed the name of their first number, so I begin with ‘Saratoga Swing’, a super Duke Ellington number. This was followed by ‘Exactly Like You’ sung by Ollie. I noticed Brian (H) played tenor sax and with Derek on sousaphone, made it a fabulous number. As for ‘Georgia’, Les sang it beautifully and was a lovely one to include. It brought on a few dancers. Then Les sang ‘I’ve Got a Feeling, I’m Falling’, which brought practically everyone onto the dance floor, being a lovely 1920’s tempo. ‘All God’s Chillun Got Rhythm’ was another fabulous 1920’s sound and on came our line-dancers, well, all three of us! But then ‘My Dear Mr Shane’ (Oops sorry, that is my title for the song) or to give its correct name ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Shon’ did bring on our line-dancers, excluding me (are they trying to tell me something, ha). I was jiving with Steve – phew, pretty fast stuff, especially as it was featuring Brian (S) on drums (fabulous).
LES HANSCOMBE’S TAILGATE JAZZ BAND at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent), 10th October 2014. leader LES, who plays magical trombone, was joined by BRIAN HART (reeds) BRIAN STAPEL (drums) (yep, with Brian Giles, it would have been 3 Brian’s!), DEREK PRING (sousaphone) and OLLIE BENSON (banjo & guitar). Trumpeter John Longley kindly ‘sat in’ on a few numbers. Photo by Mike Witt.
Trumpeter John Longley was in our audience, who has his own band, the ‘Halstead Hotshots’ and plays regularly (this and every 2nd Tuesday each month, 2.00-4.00pm) at the Cock Inn, Halstead, Kent. Anyway, he joined the band for a few numbers, one being ‘When It’s Darkness on the Delta’. John sang and showed he also has a super voice. I just loved the following Glen Miller number, ‘Little Man Who Wasn’t There’. What a fabulous number, sung by Les. We were nearing the end of the evening, so they chose to play ‘Get Out Of here and Go On Home’ (again sung by John) and if the band thought they were going on home, they had another think coming, because the audience yelled for “more”. Of course they did give more, playing their hearts out with ‘Dallas Blues’. So there, you’ve got it, another Friday evening of ‘live’ jazz which was certainly enjoyed by everyone present. We do have so much fun dancing which keeps one fit AND you can forget all problems of the week, so why not join us next Friday. We have that hugely popular band ‘Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces’ back again.
Signing off –
Your hosts,
Diane & Keith.