The Richard Exall/Amy Roberts Band

Jim Swinnerton on bass

The Richard Exall/Amy Roberts Band visited the Newtown National Club for a concert which by general consent turned out to be one of the highlights of Jazz On A Sunday’s 2013-2014 season to date.

With Chris Barber Big Band member Amy Roberts on clarinet, on alto and soprano saxophones and on flute, her co-leader and fellow Barber Band member Richard Exall on clarinet and on tenor sax, supported by Henry Botham on piano, Jim Swinnerton on bass and John Watson on drums the session kicked off in fine style with ‘Sweet Sue’ before Richard took the microphone for the first time with ‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter’.

The Lester Young composition ‘Lester Leaps In’ followed, featuring Richard and Amy on tenor and altos respectively, after which their twin clarinets took us on a ‘Sentimental Journey’. A latin beat asserted itself with an inventive samba interpretation of jazz standard ‘Avalon’ showcasing Amy on flute, an animated Richard on maracas and a percussive John on drums and the first set ended with both principals back on saxophone and Richard again taking the mike for ‘Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby’.

Set Two began with another Exall vocal ‘I’m Crazy About My Baby’, Amy then soloed on flute with ‘Pennies From Heaven’, picked up her clarinet for the samba sounds of ‘Tico Tico’, retaining it to trade with him note for note Benny Goodman style on ‘If I Had You’ after which came the swing number ‘Bernie’s Tune’ with Amy back on flute and Richard on tenor There was an unaccompanied piano solo ‘Milenberg Joys’ from the excellent Henry Botham and finally with Richard switching to clarinet and Amy to alto the popular standard ‘Limehouse Blues’.

The third and final set began with another favourite ‘High Society’ with Botham on piano, Swinnerton on bass and Watson on drums all prominent, Exall was again at the microphone with ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ then the rhythm section evoked the thrust of the pistons and drumming of the wheels in his attention grabbing arrangement of saxophonist Earl Bostic’s big band classic ‘Night Train’. Amy attracted the ovation of the evening with a stunning solo flute interpretation of the bossa nova ‘Black Orpheus’ and they wound up the evening celebrating the manifold attractions of ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’.