SARAH SPENCER’S TRANSATLANTIC JAZZ BAND made their annual appearance at Farnborough on Friday 13th September 2013. SARAH is a brilliant New Orleans tenor sax player, who must have a huge pair of lungs. What a strong performance she gives. The band are more than her friends, they are an extension of her ‘family’, so it is a joy to see them all perform together. Sarah moved to live in America some 15years ago. Since 2009, she has made an appearance at Farnborough during her annual tour back home. As I said last week, she has a wonderful dynamic personality and her playing certainly depicts this. Since the first time Sarah appeared with us back in ‘Badgers Mount Jazz Club’ days, she has played at The Purcell Rooms in London’s Festival Halls, plus world-wide festivals and of course, USA. STEVE GRAHAM was on trumpet (who was with ‘The Panama Jazz Kings’), GEOFF COLE was on trombone (who was with Ken Colyer’s Band and his own Red Hot Five Band), ANNIE HAWKINS was on double bass (was a founder member with Max Collie’s Rhythm Aces, also with Ken Colyer and Sammy Rimington Bands), ANDY MAYNARD on banjo (was with New Orleans Echoes) and CHRIS MARCHANT on drums (was with Frog Island Jazz Band). The band, I know, thoroughly enjoyed themselves, playing some great number. I think it was Steve’s first appearance here at Farnborough. His trumpet playing was beautiful and a delight to welcome. The first number I noted was ‘Mobile Stomp’, to which I remarked ‘Really full on and hot – fantastic’! ‘Get out of Here and Go on Home’ was another number with a great beat and we had a few dancers appreciating it too. Naturally they played Ken Colyer’s big hit from 1956, namely ‘All the Girls Go Crazy about the Way I Walk’, marvellous! They followed on with lovely numbers called ‘Under the Bamboo Tree’, ‘I’m With You Where You Are’ and ‘On a Coconut Island’. I managed to film their last number, ‘I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream’) and if the band don’t object, I will try to load it on this website. It is good enough for you to enjoy musically, although the film is still too dark to see. (Update – Video can be found on Youtube as follows: http://youtu.be/GrVCB5cWxek )
What an evening, I just loved it all.
Diane and Keith