Yorkshire Stompers - Jazz on a Sunday

You could say that the visit of the Yorkshire Stompers to Jazz on a Sunday was “fair dinkum”, as the Jazz Club hosted two visitors from the Victoria Jazz society all the way from Melbourne- that to say Australia not Derbyshire.

Margaret and Doreen were staying with one of our fans in Rochdale and very welcome they were too. In fact Margaret had a great resemblance to the late great Beryl Bryden.

On a glorious hot evening, our resident dancer had been partaking of her home made punch and her movements in close proximity to the band certainly made the music hotter than ever. Leader and trumpeter Tony Smith, having only returned from a Cruise the night before, must have thought he was still in the Tropics.

Deputising on reeds was David Hepworth, leader of the Silver Leaf Band and in the absence of antipodean bass player Annie Hawkins (unfortunate in the circumstances). Phil Campen did the honours.

With the aptly titled “In the Good Old Summer Time”, the gig got into its stride, moving along with “Fidgety Feet”.

The trombone of Andy Hillier and the sax of Hepworth provided the music for Smith’s vocal of “I Get the Blues when it Rains” as the reincarnation of Josephine Baker hit the floor.

A well structured arrangement of “Bogalusa Strutt” gave way to drummer Terry Binns vocal of “Tishomingo Blues” - I think it is near Huddersfield - with the rhythm section of Richard Speight on banjo, Campen’s double bass and the accompanying drumming of Binns driving the tune.

Superb solos on clarinet, trombone and double bass brought up the first break with a swinging version of “Magnolia’s Wedding Day”.

With the room buzzing, Smith’s vocal and trumpet solo got the gig back in motion with “The Heebie Jeebies”, followed by a nice arrangement with muted trumpet and clarinet in a rarely played number, “Working Man Blues”.

“Ain't Misbehavin” brought a fine trombone solo from Hillier with cameo pieces on double bass, guitar and drums. Trumpet and clarinet power play drove “At a Georgia Camp Meeting”, and an Aussie request had Smith in fine voice with “I Double Dare You” and a neat sax solo from Hepworth.

The vocal and drums of Binns with audience participation finished the set with “Digger, Digger Do” - crazy!

Into the final ‘half’ and Hepworth’s clarinet led off with “Deed I Do”. Quiet man Speight was then given the limelight for his guitar and gentle vocal with “Sugar”. Hillier then went on a trek around the extremities with trombone returning to vocalise on “Sheik of Araby”.

“That’s my Desire” with a dreamy vocal and trumpet strains from Smith faded away as power play trombone and trumpet crafted a joyous arrangement of “It’s Only a Paper Moon”.

It was then the turn again of Binns’ rounded ‘Huddy’ vowels to belt out “Frankie and Johnnie” with banjo, double bass and raucous sax, before the band played out with the decibels rising in “Climax Rag”. It was a sure a hot night!