Bourbon Street Roof Raiders

Rochdale’s Jazz on Sunday had never previously seen the “Bourbon Street Roof Raisers” but they had certainly heard them by the end of the evening! With the front line led by the larger than life powerhouse trumpeter John Percival, the first two numbers indicated the raw and raucous beginning of Jazz; but the mood changed with a smooth performance of “Black and Blue” with soft muted tones of Lynsay Taylor’s trombone, Percival’s trumpet and Ted Watton’s clarinet. Percival and Taylor shared the vocals as Bolton’s Dixie Landers entertained an appreciative audience! “Sweet Sue”, “My Blue Heaven” and “Five Foot Two” were given the Percival treatment along with strong trumpet and heavy beat in the presentation of “Dr Jazz”. Taylor received blended accompaniment with the popular “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans”.

The second set began with “That’s A Plenty” featuring the banjo of Alan Riley, the helicon (brass bass) of Dave Haslam and the drumming of Dave Moore. The difficult “Chimes Blues” brought out a neatly constructed duo of Percival and Taylor. “All of me” and “Dinah” found the lubricated tonsils of Percival with Watton on sax and Riley on guitar. And the interval arrived with a blasted out “Royal Garden Blues” with Moore’s drum solo going into overdrive!

Percival opened up the last offerings singing “New Orleans” followed by a nice arrangement of “China Boy” with Watton’s clarinet solo, muted trumpet and trombone. “King of the Swingers” let Percival loose again, and then came “Shine” with Haslam’s helicon deep notes and all the time quiet man Geoff Hale on double bass in the background.

And so to the finale with the Saints medley and every bandsman given the opportunity to musically inform us that “Mama Don’t Allow” - who’d have thought it.

Bourbon Street Roof Raisers
The Broadfield Hotel
Sunday 22 October 2006