Howard Allen Dixielanders - Jazz on a Sunday

Jazz on a Sunday was in full swing at the sports centre when kinder weather attracted a healthy attendance for the visit of the Howard Allen Dixielanders.

Led by Bert Allen with vocals and intros and multi reedsman Howard Murray, the gig got into the mood with “At The Jazz Band Ball”.

“Tishamingo Blues” brought in all the musicians with a neat arrangement, before Allen took the mike with “Bourbon Street Parade” accompanied by the trumpet power of Wirral octogenarian Billy Edwards, and “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home”.

“That’s a Plenty” had ebullient trombonist Terry Brunt sliding around with bass guitarist Pete Smith and Moe Green on the drums.

Ellington’s “Squeeze Me” had Mary Strong featured with Alf Kernan’s piano, Murray on baritone sax and Brunt adding the vocal before Allen brought up the first break accompanied by driving trumpet, baritone sax and boogie piano on “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone”.

This popular band plays far too infrequently, and most numbers received rapturous applause. Allen put the second set in motion with “Sweet Sue” then all left the stage to Moe Green for five minutes of “Drumtasia”.

Armstrong’s “Kneedrops” featured sensitive trumpet and alto sax, giving way to Murray’s tenor sax with a bossanova solo on “Girl From Ipanema”.

“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” had the gang in full swing, then a change of mood with Allen’s plaintive call of “I Can’t Believe You’re Not In Love With Me” – you can’t win ‘em all Bert!

Into the last 40 minutes , and Allen had found “Dinah” with vibrant trombone in tow and then a nice arrangement for Edwards on harmonica with trombone and tenor sax.

Murray’s soft alto sax fused Allen’s dreamy vocal “Stars Fell on Alabama”.

Back to the power play as the front line drove “Tuxedo Cha Cha”.

“Mood Indigo” had the mellow sounds of muted trombone and bass guitar and the gig finished with Allen leading out the gang with a rumbustious “China Town”.