Brian Carrick’s Algiers Stompers – Jazz on a Sunday

Photo: Valerie Bracken

Brian Carrick’s Algiers Stompers – Jazz on a Sunday

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Brian Carrick is an icon of the traditional jazz world, making regular visits to New Orleans, Sweden and the rest of Europe. This maestro of clarinet and saxophone hardly returns to his North-East home as his music is constantly in demand.

His ‘Algiers Stompers’ play the New Orleans dance music of Kid Thomas Valentine and an appearance in Castleton is one to cherish, as he leads a band of fine New Orleans learned musicians.

Trumpeter Derek Winters has played with the best and leads the line with a relaxed aplomb perfectly complemented by Carrick and Trombonist, Chas Hudson!

German born Gabrielle Gad in her quirky ‘Sweet Emma Barrett Dress Style’ plays a mean piano whilst a rhythm section of Bob Rowbotham on banjo, Dion Cochrane on drums and guest Jeff Kitson on double bass standing in for the indisposed Bill Cole were the ideal complement for a fine band.

The stomping sound of “The Most Wonderful Night of The Year” got the ball rolling for Carrick’s clarinet to drive ‘Boogalousa Strutt’. The gentle strains of New Orleans accompanied Carrick’s vocal “You Cant Be True Dear” and a Sunday slot of “Our Saviour is Watching” was played and sung by Gad backed by Hudson’s smooth trombone.

‘Rosetta, My Rosetta’ powered by muted trumpet, Kitson’s thumping bass with Carrick adding the vocal led the interval number of “Why Don’t You Bring It On Home To Grandma”, another Carrick vocal.

Set two got underway with Gad’s Honky Tonk piano and a Kitson solo on double bass supplementing Winter’s trumpet and Hudson’s trombone in “Memphis Baby”. “Kid Thomas” - no prizes for who wrote that - was sung by Gad with clarinet and trombone in close attendance.

“No Body Knows the Way I Felt This Morning” (the titles just get longer!), a slow lament for trombone, trumpet and clarinet, gave way for Hudson’s solo trombone and vocal with “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”.

The pace quickened with “Tap Room Special” stomping along with free style trombone, sax in full flow, piano flashing and trumpet on heat, and the bar beckoned with “Fly Away”. A neat front line finish to a rare winter vocal.

Off again with “ In Spain, They Say Si, Si”, followed by sliding trombone and rhythmic drumming backing Carrick’s vocal of “Send Me Some Lovin’”.

An old favourite “Clarinet Marmalade” with whirlwind piano, powerful trumpet and swinging clarinet slowed right down to Gad’s piano and vocal “Falling in Love Again” – a la Dietrich.

A stomping good arrangement of “My Blue Heaven” with swinging sax, trombone, powerful double bass beat, rhythmic drumming and Carrick adding an end vocal certainly gave the number a different feel.

The sweet clarinet of Carrick with notes of great clarity entertained with “Burgundy Street Blues” finishing with the long original vocal, which not having heard before, I found quite captivating.

It was home time, and Winters and the gang played out with “No-one to Go Home To”.
Who was he kidding?