Category Archives: Chez Chesterman’s Band of Brothers

‘Chez Chesterman’s Band Of Brothers’, 9th May 2014

CHEZ CHESTERMAN’S BAND OF BROTHERS’ entertained us at FARNBOROUGH JAZZ CLUB on Friday, 9th May 2014. Band leader CHEZ (trumpet & vocals) had booked JOHN CROCKER (clarinet), GEOFF COLE (trombone & vocals), ROY JAMES (guitar), TERRY LEWIS (double bass) and BILL FINCH (drums). Our evening began with the building refusing us entrance. Yes, you read correctly! The band could have played on the patio, but at the moment the weather is not compatible, plus we couldn’t even get access to the patio either! My whole week had been rather packed with stressful events (including neighbours telling me at 7.30am the house was billowing smoke out of the roof (the roof belonging to the house I was looking after!) Then, needing a carpenter to secure the broken door after a burglary, I was not ready for the fact we were locked out of our club. Obviously panics ensued, but the evening was saved by the kind heart of another key-holder (asleep when I called) rushing to our aid. The band rallied round and gave us all a beautiful evening, playing their hearts out. I tasted my own medicine and joined in, dancing my toes to absolute pain. I’m always saying your problems can be shelved for the evening when you come out to enjoy the music. Anyway, my first number to mention is ‘Smiles’, rather an apt number considering the beginning of the evening. Then came ‘Snake Rag’ and what a brilliant performance by all of them. Geoff, who has a wonderful voice, sang ‘I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket’ (famously sung by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the film ‘Follow the Fleet’) and with such a number, there was obviously audience participation. The next number to tell you about is ‘Savoy Blues’. It was introduced by Chez as written by ‘Kid’ Ory especially for Geoff. Is this an in-house joke, Chez? I rather think so, as that would make Geoff at least 100yrs old! Ha. However, the way Geoff plays that ‘bone, he certainly has the talent to be honoured by ‘Kid’. Frank Sinatra had a big hit with this next one, ‘Give Me Five Minutes More’. Again, there was lots of dancing, with the audience joining in once more, singing along with Chez. John added a remark about calling Geoff “One Direction Cole” when they played ‘Louisiana’. Don’t you just love the banter that goes on between musicians during ‘Live’ gigs, you don’t get that on many C.D’s. Louis Armstrong’s famed ‘St. James Infirmary Blues’ was sung by Chez and was absolutely fabulous – lots of dancing. They also played ‘Blue Bells Goodbye’ (a tune recorded by Ken Colyer). We did our line-dance to ‘Downtown Strutter’s Ball’. Afterwards, John called out he wondered where the ‘Roly Polys’ had gone to – ha, thanks for the compliment John, they were great dancers. If you want to hear more, they are at Welling Jazz Club lunchtimes, every first Sunday of the month.

Enjoy jazz – and don’t think it is old fashion to do so, most TV adverts are backed with jazz!!!!!

Diane & Keith

‘Blue Bells Goodbye’ – (m) Theodore F. Morse, (l) Edward Madden (1904)
‘Darktown Strutters Ball’ – Shelton Brooks (1917)
‘I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket’ – Irving Berlin (1936)
‘Louisiana’ – (m) James Johnson, (l) Andy Razaf & Bob Schaefer (1928)
‘Give Me Five Minutes More’ – (m) Jule Styne, (l) Sammy Cahn (1946)
‘Savoy Blues’ – Edward ‘Kid’ Ory (1927)
‘Smiles’ – Lee S. Roberts (1918)
‘Snake Rag’ – (m) Joe ‘King’ Oliver & Armand A J Piron (1923)
‘St. James Infirmary Blues’ – American Folk origin (18th century)

‘Chez Chesterman’s Band of Brothers’, 24/01/2014

CHEZ CHESTERMAN’S BAND OF BROTHERS’ were at our Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) on Friday, 24th January 2014.  The guys in the band were trumpeter/vocalist and leader CHEZ, with GEOFF COLE on trombone & vocals, ROY JAMES on banjo & guitar, TERRY LEWIS on double bass and BILL FINCH on drums.  Our crowd was somewhat diminished for one reason or another, but not enough to spoil the evening.  Chez and Geoff played their ‘socks off’, to which we tip our hats to, including the rest of the band.  There was plenty of dancing going on, albeit some numbers were just listened to.  They put on a good repertoire and here are a few numbers to give you a feel of the evening.  The first number I jotted down was called ‘Down in Honky Tonk Town’, with Geoff (who has a great jazz voice) singing and Roy playing banjo.   King Oliver’s ‘Riverside Blues’ was another tune that lured the dancers on.  Chez (who also has that wonderful unique jazz voice) sang the next number (plus a few of us in the audience too), called ‘Down by the Riverside (Study War No More)’.  Some of you will know folk singer, Peter Seeger had a big ‘hit’ with this number in 1956, with his slightly changed lyrics and of course you may be aware, he died this Sunday (27th) at the age of 94yrs.  Back to our jazz, the next numbers I jotted down were ‘Bugle Boy March’, ‘A Kiss to Build a Dream On’ (Roy played guitar) and ‘The Sheik of Araby’, all fabulous numbers.  Then Chez sang to a beautiful ballad called ‘I Can’t Sleep’, and all the dancers (and non-dancers) came out to dance.  The writer of this wonderful tune (‘Montana’ Taylor) never enjoyed fame, disappearing from the spotlight (twice) for years at a time, dying at the early age of 51yrs, in 1954 (I say “play it again please Sam”).  Geoff sang and Roy played guitar to the next number called ‘Oh Lady Be Good’.  Then Fats Waller’s number ‘Fair and Square In Love’, sung by Chez, was their last number and so our dancers all came on the dance floor.  So many of you thanked Chez, saying how much you enjoyed the evening.  It is so nice for musicians to be told afterwards, it makes their evening complete and helps them on their long journey home.

You have no need to read this bit, but before I close, I wanted to mention a weird thing that happened whilst preparing this newsletter!   As you know, weird things often happen to me – of course just coincidences (or is it just that I am weird – well no need to agree so readily!)   First of all, I was chatting to the band (having had lots of little mishaps), I mentioned having seen Anthony Newley’s (1961) play ‘Stop the World, I Want to Get Off’.  I recalled not understanding the meaning then, even though I found it very clever and funny (Anna Quale’s debut I recall).  Anyhow, I visited Les Hanscombe’s Tailgate Jazz Band on ‘Youtube’  to prepare for next week’s newsletter.  Pay a visit and you will hear Les announcing the number ‘Don’t Give up the Ship’ (they have a CD named by this title).  Les says this number apparently was to be called ‘Stop the World, I want to Get Off’, but it was too long a title.  Visit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86HCWRK2R0M&list=PL7E111545F36F589E (Tune No: 7, recorded at Harwich Electric Palace Cinema -Harwich).  Creepy aye?  I haven’t mentioned the play in years!  By the way, I fully understand the meaning of the play now!  Hmmm!

Oh wow, another one!!!!  I came back to finish this newsletter this morning (Thursday).  Last Friday morning, I bought two DVD’s (digressing, one I mentioned on the mike – reading out ‘Daddy Long Legs’ which says ‘Contains no sex, violence or bad language’, now that’s a rarity aye?  Joyful called out “I bet Keith won’t watch it”!  I watched the other DVD (‘South Pacific’) last night.  What is weird you ask?  Well, I have just realised I saw that film (& play) in 1958 – the year I thought I had seen Anthony Newley’s play (standing corrected this a.m. to 1961).  The composers of ‘South Pacific’ were Rodgers & Hammerstein.  What’s so weird, you are asking?  The band played and I chose to jot down ‘A Kiss to build a Dream on’ – composer? – Oscar Hammerstein II.  Are they all trying to get in touch with me!!!!!!  Chez’s band returns here on 9th May 2014.

Diane and Keith

‘Down By the Riverside (Study War No More)’ – traditional/Gospel song first published 1918
‘Bugle Boy March – Francis Meyers ((1907)
‘Do What Ory Say’ – Kid Ory (1945)
‘Down In Honky Tonk Town – (m) Chris Smith, (l) Charles Mccarron (1916)
‘Fair and Square in Love’ – Fats Waller (1938)
‘A Kiss to Build a Dream On’ – (m) Harry Ruby & Oscar Hammerstein II, (l) Bert Kalmar, (1935)
‘I Can’t Sleep’ – Arthur ‘Montana’ Taylor (1929)
‘Oh Lady Be Good’ – (m) George Gershwin, (l) Ira Gershwin (1924)
‘Riverside Blues’ – Thomas A Dorsey & Richard M Jones (1923)
‘The Sheik of Araby’ – (m) Ted Snyder, (l) Harry B. Smith & Francis Wheeler (1921)

Chez Chesterman’s Band Of Brothers, 13/12/2013

CHEZ CHESTERMAN’S BAND OF BROTHERS at the Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent on Friday, 13th November 2013 were wonderful.  The dance floor was packed for most of the evening.  I said last week “ooh, what a fabulous line-up”.  They were leader and trumpeter CHEZ, with JOHN CROCKER on clarinet & sax, GEOFF COLE on trombone, ROY JAMES on banjo, ANDY LAWRENCE on double bass and BILL FINCH on drums.   There was tons of dancing and fun (and Keith, having said last week “and drinking – his is a pint” did have some of you oblige him, cheeky, isn’t he!)  The evening began with that great number called ‘Should I Reveal’ (recorded in 1931 by Mitja Nikisch Tanz Orchester), which brought on the dancers immediately.  Chez sung the next song ‘Down by the Riverside’, accompanied by many of us (my cousin-in-law, Bill and I were certainly harmonising together – he belongs to a ‘Barber-Shop’ choir), plus again there was plenty of dancing.  Chez reminisced about the next number called ‘Baby Doll’, which was from the first X-rated film he had seen (of the same name).  He was too young and so he remembers borrowing his mum’s eyebrow pencil, drew a line over his lip and managed to get in (I’m sure it didn’t fool anyone)!  He recalls something about nightwear???  I don’t know what he is talking about.  Our Len called out ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ ha!  Again, dance floor full.  By the way Chez, you can buy the film from Amazon, staring Carroll Baker, although probably quite tame now!  Another number they played was ‘My Blue Heaven’ sung so well by Geoff and you’ve guessed it, the dancers were out again. The next number ‘2:19 Blues’ (also known as ‘Mamie’s Blues) was recorded by Jelly Roll Morton in 1937.  Jelly had said it was among the very first blues number he had ever heard (1902).  Chez sang it for us, plus he played a muted trumpet, beautiful.  Now the next number was Kid Ory’s ‘Savoy Blues’ a great number he produced in 1937 and of course Geoff gave it great credit.  Next to mention was ‘Exactly Like You’.  This number got us all up to do our line-dance to.  It was probably too fast, but certainly a lot of fun (I hope all our audience appreciate our fun too)!!!!  Now the next number was a corker.  It was called ‘Fisherman’s Blues’ and certainly not a blues.  Lovely to dance to.  I think the last number I must mention, was I think their last number too.  ‘Shimmy Sha Wabble’.  Oh I can tell you, my feet were aching after that dance and I was (as is usual) definitely ‘done for’ the next day as well.  I have to say this band is brilliant and fun too.

Keep Smiling.

Diane & Keith

‘Baby Doll’ – Kenyon Hopkins (1956)
‘Down By the Riverside’ – Gospel song first published 1918
‘Exactly Like You’ – (m) Jimmy McHugh, (l) Dorothy Fields (1930)
‘Fisherman’s Blues’ – ‘Champion Jack’ Dupree (1945)
‘My Blue Heaven’ – (m) Walter Donaldson, (l) George A. Whiting (1924)
‘Savoy Blues’ – Edward ‘Kid’ Ory (1927)
‘Shimmy-Sha-Wabble’ – Spencer Williams (1917)
‘Should I (Reveal Exactly How I Feel)’ – (m) Nacio Herb Brown, (l) Arthur Freed (1931)
‘2:19 Blues’ (also known as ‘Mamie’s Blues) – (composer(s) & year unknown (pre 1902) (l) Jelly Roll Morton (1937)

ChezChestermanBandBrothers 4/10/13

CHEZ CHESTERMAN’S BAND OF BROTHERS appeared at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent on Friday, 4th October 2013.  Trumpeter CHEZ, was joined by JOHN CROCKER (clarinet & sax), JOHN FINCH (trombone), JIM DOUGLAS (guitar), TERRY LEWIS (double bass) and BILL FINCH (drums).   Last week, I said you cannot go wrong with great names such as these and I said to get your butts down here and enjoy a fabulous evening.  I also said that If you know anything about jazz, you will know there will be plenty of top class entertainment in store for you to dance the night away and I was right, so let me tell you how it went.  The first number I noted was ‘High Society’.  I adore that number and of course the film.  It is just such a happy number. Then came ‘Heart of My Heart’ (sung by Chez) and ‘Breeze’, a lovely old standard, but cannot find out who wrote it, so will return to update there.  Chez also sang ‘Dinah’, with John C playing sax, oh what musician aye?  The next number was a beautiful Acker Bilk oldie called ‘Goodnight, Sweet Prince’.  John C was with Chris Barber’s Band and when Acker guested with them, John and he would share the spot on clarinet.  I must ask John if he did to this number, it isn’t played that often – mores the pity (Chez tells me the Danish band ‘Papa Bue’s Viking Jazz Band’ introduced it to England).  The next tune ‘Down by the Riverside’, was sung by our audience (with Chez joining in – seriously, of course it was the other way round).  ‘Weary Blues’ is a brilliant up-tempo tune (not depicting its title) and was/is marvellous to dance to.  John F was featured with the next number ‘I Can’t Believe That You’re in Love with me’ and brilliantly too.  The last number I noted was ‘Careless Love’.  This was made famous by Buddy Bolden, played at a jaunty tempo, good for slower jiving to.  To end this evening’s write-up, I must talk about Terry Lewis.  He was playing this evening, but we know him from way back before the club house was extended.  Do any of you remember George Howden and his Hotshots appeared here, with three (one being Terry) of his six piece band?  The other three had gone to Farnborough in Hampshire!  Realising they were in the wrong place, they turned around and made their way back to us in Kent.  They walked in (about 9.45pm) to a huge cheer and stepped up without a break to play their hearts out, that’s musicians for you.  Lovely memories.

Cheers,

Diane and Keith

P.S. Chez’s Band is back at Welling 1st Sunday of the month from. 3rd November 2013.

‘Breeze’ – to be updated
‘Careless Love’ – W.C. Handy (©1921) Obscure origins (first association – Buddy Bolden Band (circa 1890’s)
‘Dinah’ – (m) Harry Akst, (l) Sam M. Lewis & Joe Young (1923)
‘Down By the Riverside’ – Gospel song (first published 1918)
‘Goodnight, Sweet Prince’ – Gene Fowler, (Acker Bilk 1960)
‘Heart of My Heart’ – Ben Ryan (1926)
‘High Society’ – (m & l) Cole Porter (1956) (& additional l) Susan Birkenhead
‘I Can’t Believe that You’re in Love With Me’ – (m) Clarence Gaskill (l) Jimmy McHugh (1925)
‘Weary Blues’ – (m) Artie Matthews, (l) George Cates & Mort Green (1915)