Harlem Hot Stompers - Jazz on Sunday

Who said “There is No Business Like ‘Snow’ Business”? Someone certainly wrote a song which part titled “Have The Weather”. But snow and weather meant that “Jazz on a Sunday” only tempted the hardiest souls, but a sparse audience were warmed up by the intrepid Harlem Hot Stompers. Leader and reedsman Tony Foulkes resides in New Mills and I half expected a sledge or toboggan to come crashing through the stage door.

Into play with “Frogymore Rag” and the 1898 composition of “Smoky Mokes”, Foulke’s vocal of “Curse of an Aching Heart” was accompanied by the muted cornet of Bill Smith and a John Ronan trombone solo.

Two rarely played numbers - Clarence Williams’ “Log Cabin Blues” featured Dave Parr on brass bass and John Reade on piano whist Humphrey Lyttleton’s “Mezz’s Tune” blended Ian McCann’s guitar with front line melody.

An unusual arrangement of “Chimes Blues” whilst featuring Smith’s cornet solo gave way to the chimes of Reade’s piano. Different, and Reade also took the floor with solos in his inimitable style firstly “At a Georgia Campmeeting” and then “Someday Sweetheart” accompanied by bass and guitar.

To finish the set Smith’s vocal on the Deep South delicacy “Beedleumbum” with McCann’s banto, Foulkes scat with a full brass finish and a front line blast of “Shimmy Sha Wobble” who writes these strange titles?

Back refreshed, it was quite apt to restart with “Harlem Bound” – nice sound. Two occasional plays, Jimmy Noon’s “Four or Five Times” had Faulk’s in good voice, and a cornet/soprano sax duo, and “Mama I Want to Make Rhythm”, gave drummer Dave Berry the chance to lubricate his tonsils and wield the sticks.

“I Get the Blues When It Rains” had Smith in mellow vocal mood and Reade’s fingers caressing the tune, and Smith’s harmonica and cornet rendition of “Flow Sweet Afton” was well appreciated.

A slow arrangement for brass bass and guitar “Mama’s Gone, Good Bye” quickly switched to “Going to Chicago “ with Smith in full vocal with harmonica, a boogie piano, and Foulke’s bluesy sax.

With Bechet’s West Indian beat melting the snow for the “Old Bye and Bye” it really was bye bye but give yourselves applause, both band and fans - you deserve it.