Roger Marks, Chris Walker & The Pedigree Jazzband’s ‘Tribute to Trad’, 8may2015

ROGER MARKS & CHRIS WALKER’s ‘Tribute to Trad Jazz’ with THE PEDIGREE JAZZBAND played for us in Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) as part of their 2015 tour to the South East on Friday, 8th May 2015. Leader, ROGER (trombonist) travels from Devon and co-leader, CHRIS (clarinettist) travels from Dorset.  The rest of the gang were GRAHAM TREVARTON on trumpet, KEN AMES on banjo, TONY MANN on double bass and COLIN LARN on drums.

ROGER MARKS (trmb) & CHRIS Walker (clt) 'Tribute to Jazz' with Pedigree Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) 8th May 2015. Band  was   GRAHAM TREVARTON (trmpt), KEN AMES (bnjo), TONY MANN (d.bass) & COLIN LARN (drm). Photo by Mike Witt.

ROGER MARKS (trmb) & CHRIS Walker (clt) ‘Tribute to Jazz’ with Pedigree Jazz Band at Farnborough Jazz Club (Kent) 8th May2015. Band were GRAHAM TREVARTON (trmpt), KEN AMES (bnjo), TONY MANN (d.bass) & COLIN LARN (drm). Photo by Mike Witt.

They were here last year (19th September), with this special show, which gives little tit-bits of information about the music being played. It happened to be my son-in-law’s birthday, so my family all turned up. They loved the information given on intros to numbers, giving them so much insight into everything. I loved the first number, a Rossini one, but played based on the Dutch Swing College version of ‘William Tell’, a great start. There were some wonderful numbers in between, but will mention next their special tribute to much-loved Acker Bilk, who passed away 2nd November 2014 (and must surely be with that very special band in the sky).  The number was ‘Blaze Away’. [I remember singing a version of this number at our Saturday morning pictures at the ABC Plaza at Catford back in late 40’s!  What fun that was. I felt sorry for the man who had to open the doors to let us kids in – he had to quickly stand back against the wall behind the door – or be trampled upon – flattened – ha!]. Back to our jazz, Graham sang the next one, ‘Lord, Lord, Lord, You Sure Been Good to Me’.  Oh yes another great jazz voice and a number for the dancers, being a great tempo. Blow me, another great jazz voice, in the shape of Ken. He sung Tommy Dorsey’s ‘Tight Like That’ (another Louis Armstrong hit).   I wrote no comments about ‘Sukiyaki’, although it wasn’t necessary as I put three ticks against it – says it all, doesn’t it (except to mention Kenny Ball had a hit with it).  Next came ‘The Drunken Song (There’s a Tavern in the Town)’ traditional, but copyrighted by William H. Hill in 1883. It was sung by Rudy Valée in 1934. He couldn’t stop laughing during the first recording, so had to record it again. However, the laughing version became the hit. You can find both on YouTube. I think we performed our line-dance to the next one, a Judy Garland hit, ‘Easter Parade’.  Roger then featured with ‘Mack, the Knife’ (both Louis and Bobby Darin had hits with this one).  He was brilliant and of course backed by their sturdy ‘engine’. Another tribute to Acker came by way of Chris playing superbly to ‘Summer Set’. Then what a brilliant drum solo from Colin with ‘I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream’ – whew, super and saw the evening completed in a fantastic way from all the lads (and audience of course).  Thanks you so much for a very entertaining evening.

Keep it up guys.

Diane and Keith

’Blaze Away’ – Abraham ‘Abe’ Holzmann (1901) (possible tribute to President Theodore Roosavelt?)
‘Easter Parade’ – Irving Berlin (1933)
‘I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream’ – Howard Johnson, Billy Moll & Robert King (1927)
Lord, Lord, Lord, You Sure Been Good to Me’ – Traditional Gospel song
‘Mack, the Knife’ – (m) Kurt Weill, (l) Burtolt Brecht (1928)
‘Sukiyaki’ – (M) Hachidai Nakamura, (l) Rokusuke Ei (1961)
‘Summer Set’ – Acker Bilk and David Collet (1959)
‘The Drunken Song (There’s a Tavern in the Town)’ – traditional
‘Tight Like That’ – (Tommy Dorsey/Hudson Whittaker)
‘William Tell’ – Gioacchino Rossini (1829)

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