Frank Brooker

Frank Brooker often ventures over from the White Rose and his expertise on clarinet and saxes is well admired, but his fellow Yorkies must have ‘visa problems’ as they were all first timers to ‘Jazz on Sunday’.

‘Happy Chappies’ they certainly were and it did not take long for the enthusiasm of the musicians to involve the passions of the audience who were applauding with an ever increasing crescendo.

The chappies ‘choir’ got the ball rolling with “When You’re Smiling”, followed by Greg Wadman’s American cornet a la Bix Beioebecke giving his interpretation of “Sugar”.

Banjo maestro Jim Wright, a frontliner, vocalised with Isle of Capri – for the Rochdale connections – and Brooker’s vocal with accompanying clarinet gave us “Ace In The Hole” with the help of the manic drumming of Rod McNamara.

“To Miss New Orleans” brought out of the soft vocal and tenor sax tones of Brooker interspersed with a neat cornet/banjo duo, and a special arrangement of “Columbus” provided variations of style with muted cornet, abundance of tenor sax and solos on banjo and Brian Crossland’s double bass.

Suitably imbibed, Wright admitted “I May Be Wrong”, before an unusual arrangement of Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” led by a clarinet solo with rhythm section, and cornet interlude. I would have preferred tenor sax with this number.

Wadman’s muted cornet led “Humph’s Bad Penny Blues” and Brooker’s sensitive treatment of Bechet’s “Petite Fleur” even silenced the pint pots.

To finish off set two, we heard popular numbers with Wright’s banjo and vocal in full flow with Formby’s “When I’m Cleaning Windows” Frank Ifields “I’m Confessing That I Love You” featuring the tenor sax, and a nice jazz arrangement and frontline “Beverley Sisters” with “I’m Sitting On Top Of The World”. Yes the chappies were happy with some demented drumming by Mac on the attack.

These guys are good, they ‘gel well’ and there was always going to be entertainment plus all the way. Wadman’s cornet variations lead Brooker into an Armstrongesque vocal of “Aint Misbehavin”, Johnnie Dodds “Oriental Man” brought the best out of Wright's banjo whilst “Twelfth Street Rag” opened with the cornet muted, with cameos on banjo, bass and McNamara’s stick drumming.

Brooker’s vocal and clarinet coupled with Wadman’s powerful cornet drove “Basin Street Blues” and “Dr Jazz” before a superb evening ended with the West Indian summer sounds of “St Thomas”, calypso drumming powerful cornet and lazy percussions sounds. You could have heard the applause on the motorway!