New Orleans Delight

Summer in the city proved the wisdom of having just one 'Jazz on Sunday' at Castleton in September but the quality well made up for any Jazzers suffering from withdrawl symptoms. With the first visit of the Scandinavians from Denmark and Sweden playing the slow lazy rhythms of New Orleans but with a band title of New Orleans Delight, their music was every bit true to their calling.

A seven piece outfit which highlighted their talented rhythm section with several 'solos' plus their prominent soft slide trombone virtuoso Bengt Hansson.

Opening up with 'Have You Ever Been Lonely' they followed that with a well blended multi-solo 'One Sweet Letter From You' with not a 'beat' out of place. Guided through their British tour by guest trumpeter Derek Winters who has also accompanied the band on their home soil. An unwelcome 'bug' persuaded him to leave his vocal talents in the 'box' tonight though!

The first set also provided a couple of duos in the number 'Begonia' with bandleader and clarinetist Kjeld Brandt partnering both Winters and Hansson, whilst drummer Claus Lindhardt was given his freedom in 'Let's Go Down to Orleans'.

A short second set opened with the popular spiritual 'Royal Telephone' and then presented an unusual number and arrangement of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' - they got 'hammered' for that - we were then privileged to listen to a superb rendition of the hymn 'He Touched Me' with clarinet intro, muted trumpet, soft trombone and elegant rhythm with pianist Goran Magnusson, Eding Lindhardt on banjo and traditional bassist Stefan Karfve.

And so to the final set, and dedicated to newly weds Ted and Margaret - 'Oh You Beautiful Doll' then a great version of 'Beautiful Ohio' - clarinet intro and solo with aerobics! 'Lily of the Valley' with neat changes of tempo, a march around the club with prominent drums (seated) and a finale of 'When the Saints Go Marching In' or should it have been 'When the Saints Go Marching Out'!

New Orleans Delight
7 September 2003