Richard Leach (tbn), Gordon Whitworth     (tpt), George Huxley (rds), Dennis Mowatt (bs) Brian Mellor (bjo/gtr)

Val's camera gave up the ghost this month and despite all the photo's she thought she took none found their way onto the disc, so here is the 'pictureless' review.

Half an hour before start time the club was buzzing with conversation and clinking of glasses as the audience milled around the bar or perused the literature advertising some of the many festivals and events upcoming for 2009.

The band, having set up, also made for the bar or circulated, chatting to old friends and acquaintances. Richard, resplendent in his smart yellow ‘Bandleader Shirt’ was immediately nicknamed ‘Primrose’ by club photographer Val (good job they’re old friends).

Many of us had heard this combination before and knew what to expect but even so the experience of the band sounding off was as thrilling as ever. The powerful, definitive trumpet lead, clarinet soaring above and trombone swooping between, all driven by the solid beat of bass and banjo, combined to produce an exiting climax to ‘The Original Dixieland One Step’ .

‘Who needs a warm up!’ said Richard and right he was.

And what a varied programme we enjoyed - numbers from the Hot Five repertoire with ‘Cornet Chop Suey’  featuring Gordon’s trumpet and Richard’s ever popular version of ‘Ory’s Creole Trombone’ where Dennis’s bass notably made up for the lack of drums.

With George in the line up we can always expect some Creole influence and tonight it came via ‘Ce M’sieu Qui Parle with its typical Creole rhythm and beautiful solo clarinet on a slightly faster that usual version of ‘A Bientot’. A bass and guitar duet to compliment the clarinet gave this number a very Quartier Latin feel. Later in the programme there was more Bechet influence with some tight ensemble work and soprano sax plus trombone chords behind Gordon’s trumpet as they wooed the dancers on ‘Coal Black Shine’A nod towards vaudeville brought us  ‘Carry Me back to Old Virginia’  with  ad lib vocals by Gordon some minstrelsy banjo picking from Brian and a cheeky Edwardian flavoured vocal duet to  ‘Dapper Dan’ by Gordon and Richard which brought out the dancers.  Ellington’s Cotton Club reign was remembered with muted trumpet and growling soprano on ‘Shout ‘em Aunt Tilley’ with its lilting rhythm and a fine solo from Dennis.
After some technical discussion (regarding key we believe) some folk song with  Brian’s vocal version of ‘Delia’ and Brian again in fine voice for ‘Let the Light from the Lighthouse’ which had the audience clapping in time and the band ensemble over Brian’s driving banjo revealed deep New Orleans roots.

The New Orleans flavour was evident with feet tapping in time to ‘Salutation March’ with a classic N.O. marching band sound, clarinet over trombone melody, breaking into up tempo to end. We could have been in a salon in the Crescent City hearing Brian play ‘The Entertainer’ with some supersonic banjo picking backed by Dennis’s bass and, as Brian explained, leaving out most of the mistakes which Joplin had written into the original! The effect of watching the intricate finger work was almost hypnotic but missed by the dancers who were busy bouncing to the ragtime rhythm
Some standards? - well, how about ‘After You’ve Gone’ to a different sound from the rhythm section with bowed bass and acoustic sounding guitar reminiscent of some early 1920s recordings. ‘Georgia’, dedicated to Derek’s new granddaughter - Georgia, had Mr Huxley taking up his plastic alto sax to give the front line a lovely warm, smooth texture over the bass and guitar backing.
‘Three Little Words’ with muted trombone and George still on alto prompted the comment who does George sound like on alto sax? Well.... like George !
Richard’s vocal rendering of ‘Louisiana’ provided a great finale to the session played by a band whose exuberance and spontaneity avoid the trap of trotting out all the old traditional numbers on a conveyor belt.
Perhaps if Louis’ Hot Five had played Pershore in the 20s, we may have had an experience very similar to this!!

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