The Yorkshire Stompers - Jazz on a Sunday

The Yorkshire Stompers at Jazz on a Sunday.

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The Yorkshire Stompers rode into town to an enthusiastic welcome by appreciative fans. Led by veteran trumpeter (his words) Tony Smith, the band included Phil Campen on double bass due to the indisposition of Aussie Annie Hawkins – get well soon Annie – and the increasing aficionados were treated to a performance par excellance.

Opening with the melodic tones of “Smiles”, Campen was given an early chance to shine with “Original Dixieland Onestep”. “Barefoot Boy” brought a wistful vocal from reedsman Frank Brooker, complemented by Smith’s trumpet and some excellent muted trombone from Andy Hillier.

Full front line power attacked “Bogalusa Strutt” with Brooker on sax changing to clarinet backing for drummer Terry Binn’s vocal in “Tishamingo Blues”. Brooker’s clarinet was again to the fore as the band played out the set with “High Society”.

Brooker’s vocal with “Someday You’ll Be Sorry” got the gig back on track, before a neatly constructed arrangement of “Perdido Street Blues” featured Smith’s muted trumpet, and an opportunity for Richard Speight on banjo.

“Creole Belles” took us back to 1858 with gentility, before Armstrong’s “Give Me a Kiss to Build a Dream On” introduced a neat guitar solo whilst driven by Brooker’s sax.

“Chicago Bus” provided a good duo for trumpet and clarinet and Smith’s trumpet led the front line into the interval with the driving “Shout ‘Em Aunt Tilly”.

Suitably refreshed the Stompers stormed into a ten number third set with Smith’s vocal giving us all the “Heebie Jeebie Blues”, slowing down for Speight’s vocal in dreamland “Until the Real Thing Comes Along” with Brooker’s plaintive sax. “Ory’s Creole Trombone” was given the complete treatment by Hillier, softening with mutes to accompany Brooker’s vocal rendition of the popular “Breeze”.

Binns’ Huddersfield tones sang out “Digger, Digger Do, Digger Do Do” bringing Castleton’s own little waif Catherine to the floor as the front line’s equilibrium began to falter.

Bechet’s “Moulin à Café” found Brooker’s clarinet the perfect vehicle, whilst in contrast “At a Georgia Camp Meeting” brought a fine front line projection yet providing an interlude for Campen’s talent on double bass.

The Sunday spiritual “Higher Ground” sung with feeling by Brooker and fused with the melancholy sounds of trumpet and trombone led to the grand finale big sound of Sandy Brown’s “Nothing Blues” sung by Smith and fired by bluesy sax driving trumpet and the rhythmic sounds of banjo, bass and Binn’s drum solo.

Smith led the band out with the ‘outroductions’ and a great evening was had by all.