Reporter: Tony Sheldon
Date online: 12/06/2008

The Pendle Jazzmen are still an unsung band – they have residency in Great Harwood but are happy to play gigs when invited! Whilst big names attract, the lesser known bands are often gems waiting to be unearthed, and on this return visit, the boys form the ‘witch’ country played a superb selection despite the stifling heat which was calling out for Handel's water music!

Led by Ian Royle one of the best trumpeters in the business – the jazzmen tend to play more popular tunes than hard jazz classics. Royle’s trumpet shone through on “Oh Baby” and accompanying vocals in “Hard Hearted Hannah” – “Stars fell on Alabama” – Really nice and plaintive muted Sounds in “Christopher Columbus”.

Joining the front line, the exuberant trombonist Eddie Taylor accompanied himself with vocals in “All Of Me” ”Bye Bye Blackbird” and “It Has To Be You” with a great arrangement of “Rosetta” backed by the rhythm section of Mike Reddin (guitar), Frank Lowe (bass) and Arthur Taberner (drums).

Lowe also lubricated his vocal chords with “Aint Misbehavin'” and “I Cant Give You Anything But Love” The quiet man on the clarinet Dave Ellison was given the spotlight solo with “Roses of Picardy” with a neat rhythm blend in the background.

Plenty of front line bounce in the not often played “Stumbling”, a sung bash "At the Jazz Band Ball" and a great arrangement for frontline and Reddin's Banjo in "Washington and Lee Swing" The band played out with “Farewell Blues” and as they say up in Pendle – “ A reet good do”!

The Pendle Jazzmen
The Broadfield Hotel
Sunday 11 June 2006