Great Northern Jazz Band - Jazz on a Sunday

Date published: 06 October 2009

Dennis Armstrong, an archetypal Yorkshireman with many years of cornet playing, committed moving to Bristol in 1996, but he makes regular short tours to the north with his Great Northern Jazz Band, managed by Chester based pianist Malcolm Hogarth and an annual visit to Castleton fits nicely into the schedule.

Armstrong is meticulously professional in planning his programme and it was no surprise that his band performed a three set presentation of seven numbers each set. He can sound quite abrupt to us ‘meek Lankies’ but the ever increasing attendees enjoyed fine musicianship and great variety and the afficianados would have noted Armstrong’s attention to detail.

Highlights of the first set included the music of Bunk Johnson, Armstrong vocalising “Franklin Street Blues” contrasting with the piano driven “Dusty Rag” an up-tempo clarinet solo and vocal by Peter Curtis with “Ace in the Hole” gave way to a slow and soulful “Poor Butterfly”. Sunday wouldn’t be Sunday without a spiritual and “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” brought the rush to the bar.

The second set started in reflective mood with a tribute request of “Just a Little While to Stay Here” led by Armstrong who then raised the decibels with “Down in Honky Tonk Town”. A very hot “Wolverine Blues” had the place jumping, slowing to the superb vocal tones of drummer Warren Latham in “If I Could be with you One Hour Tonight”.

The spotlight then turned back to the clarinet and vocal of Curtis with “I Had a Dream” with the set finishing with a sprightly “1919 March” with John Howlett’s trombone in fourth gear.

“Red Wing” got the final set off in great style receding into the gentle clarinet and vocal of Curtis with “Sleepy Time Gal”. “Joy Ride” penned by pianist Malcolm Hogarth was given his inimical boogie treatment very well received, and a moving rendition of “The Old Rugged Cross” with the integral rhythm section of Any Maynard’s banjo, Isabel Toner’s string bass and Warren Latham on drums provided the perfect blend.

A Hoagy Carmichael sounding Latham gave us the joys of “Riverboat Shuffle” before Armstrong led the band out with the highly apt “Now is the Hour”.