Ye Olde Whyte Lyon
Locksbottom, BR6 8NE Public House – built 1626 Shepherd Neame Brewery..

We had the lovely band, Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces. The wonderful thing about trombone player Bob is he loves to differ his program and sings some great songs. The band had super trumpeter, Mike ‘Magic’ Henry. It is not surprising that Mike was one of the trumpeters chosen by the great Chris Barber to play for his World-famous ‘Jazz and Blues Band’. Yep – he hit that incredible top ‘C’ note! Even the non-jazzers Club Members, who usually stay at the bar, came to listen to one of his solos and some of them actually stayed on. Paula Jackman played both clarinet and tenor sax, along side of Mike, superbly. Graham Collicott, our lovely ol’ pal, who tries so hard to play drums as good as Keith!!!! I’m only joking, he is actually just a bit better than Keith, ha ha. Chris Newman was on Piano, who kindly filled in for Hugh Crozier, had such wonderful lyrical sound. Someone requested a solo of ‘Baltimore Todolo’ a ragtime number, (giving the guys a break) just a real treat. Finally, I must mention Steve Smith, who played lovely double bass. He also filled in at the last minute. We have known him for some years, so we knew he was very capable of doing a fantastic job and would be unfazed. (He was with the ‘Mardi Gras JazzBand’ two weeks ago).
With a line-up like that, It was sure to be a winner.
Diane & Keith
Farnborough Jazz, Kent
‘Baltimore Todolo’ was composed byJames Hubert ‘Eubie’ Blake (1910)
Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces are playing on Sunday, 19June2022 2pm-5pm here at Farnborough Jazz. Bob, who plays trombone, has booked to play with him, ‘Magic Mike’ Henry on trumpet (I know it’s Mike ‘Magic’, but I like it), Paula Jackson on clarinet, Steve Smith on double bass, Graham Collicott on drums and Chris Newman on piano, (Chris was with us a while back, 2015 to be precise (when we were next door) – fares from GOSPORT, Hampshire, where he is on the Committee of the Gosport Jazz Club. What a distant to travel aye, makes even our Ken’s ‘short’ journey from Brighton to our club seem easy ha ha. Bob started off this year for us, being an old friend and so it goes without saying it’ll be a good one, so don’t be scared – just get there! We have to get you out of yourselves and back into our way (please). It always takes a new place time to appear ‘normal’. We are slowly gaining new young people, so it would also be nice to see our ‘old friends’ loyally supporting us, before there is no room for you.
(I still promise not to kiss you – well maybe Keith wont promise).
Diane – and Keith
Bob Dwyer, trombonist & singer of ‘Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces’ at Farnborough Jazz Club on 30th January 2015. Photo by Mike Witt.
Graham Collicotte plays drums with Bob Dwyer’s Bix & Pieces at
Farnborough Jazz Club on 29th January 2016. Photo by Mike Witt.
We had a lovely audience for Mardi Gras JazzBand on Platinum Jubilee Sunday (5th June 2022). The band members worked hard themselves, mustering up a few friends. Plus a few of our own friends, some young people, who had often seen Keith’s posters and decided to come, plus old friends who bought extra raffle prizes that certainly added to the fun, due to me still trying to work the raffle machine (you had to be there to understand). Rob’s guys were brilliant, somehow there was a difference between how they sounded in the past. Keith and I both felt it. Was it because of the long Covid lock-downs? Were they all forced to practice more? I don’t mean they were bad before, I just noticed a certain relaxed beautiful togetherness. Please take that as a wonderful compliment guys. I loved the fact that the Social Club members all popped in to say what a great band, some remaining to watch.
Diane and Keith
FARNBOROUGH JAZZ – 2022
Each first & third Sunday Monthly (2–5)
At FARNBOROUGH SOCIAL CLUB, KENT
SUNDAY AFTERNOON 5th JUNE 2022
WE WILL BE CELEBRATING
OUR HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II’s
OWN PLATINUM JUBILEE
WITH MUSIC FROM
MARDI GRAS JAZZ BAND
Presented by
ROB PEARCE – trombone
LEIGH HENSON – trumpet
JOHN ELMER – reeds
RICHARD SIMMONS – piano
STEVE SMITH – d bass
PAUL BAKER – drums
Mardi Gras Jazzband .show off their crazy socks at the request of Diane at Farnborough Jazz Club, Kent 1st March 2019. L2R Pete Clancy, John Ellmer, Leigh Henson, Rob Pearce, Paul Baker and John Stewart. Photo by Mike Witt.
ENJOYING THE TASTE OF
NEW ORLEANS‘ FUN
(19jun2022
BOB DWYER’S BITS & PIECES)