Dave Stradwick (trumpet)
Graham Wiseman (trombone)
Bernard Stutt (clarinet)
Phil Durell (banjo)
Peter Clancy (string bass & sousaphone)
John Hall (drums).
Algiers Strut, always a good number to start a session, introduced us to this band from Sussex, Surry, Hampshire and other exotic southern realms. A freewheeling front line floating over a rock steady, fairly heavy beat suggested that this was going to be a band for dancing. The King Oliver influence was very noticeable with the inclusion of Canal Street Blues, where a few bars of Rock Around the Clock illustrated the very tenuous similarity between the two tunes, and a beautifully no frills version of Jackass Blues. More Oliver as the bouncy Snake Rag left our dancers needing a rest so Graham took over the bass whilst Peter took front of stage to croon His Eye is on the Sparrow with, unusually for a trad band, good use made of an echo chamber.
The dancers took the floor again as Silver Bells brought the breezy ensemble work which British trad bands do so well, and Graham put on his best Al Bowley voice together with echo chamber and muted trumpet from Dave for a soothing version of Dreaming the Hours Away.
This band certainly appealed to the dance department and here they were again as Peter proved his sousaphone playing to be equally as nimble as his bass on Dans Les Rues D’Antibes and 1919 March.
All evening, it had been noticeable that Bernard held great respect for the folk poet of New Orleans Jazz, George Lewis and now his solo tribute by way of Burgundy Street Blues, backed by the rhythm section (a.k.a. the Bernadettes!) followed the original fairly closely to create a rather wistful atmosphere before Dave paid his tribute to our own jazz giant, Humph, in his Parlophone days with a rocking Bad Penny Blues to give the dancers a final workout.
Out came Phil for his solo spot with Mabel’s Dream, again a glance back to the King Oliver era, possibly referring to Mabel Normand, a fast living star of silent movies and a contempory of the King.
Ellington’s Creole Love Call was the subject of much friction, between him and King Oliver who maintained that it was a plagiarism of Camp Meeting Blues but tonight’s version was entirely Duke inspired with the three horns doing justice to a number really scored for a bigger front line.
And what best to end the night from a band who had us dancing, toes tapping, faces smiling, and created an atmosphere of fun and humour all wrapped up in some genuinely serious jazz?
Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet! – thanks Kings
Peter Farrell
