Jazz on Sunday - The Funky Butt Hall N’Awlins Jazz Band

Photo: Valerie Bracken

Frank Brooker, The Funky Butt Hall N’Awlins Jazz Band

Formed recently and under the leadership of bassist Annie Hawkins The Funky Butt Hall N'Awlins Jazz Band were Jazz On A Sunday's guests at The New Town National Club, Nixon Street, Castleton on 28 June.

In addition to Annie they had Arthur Stead on trumpet, Frank Brooker on reeds, Jeff Milner on trombone, special guest Ian Wynne on piano, their MC Richard Speight on banjo with Barry Wood on drums.

As Jazz On A Sunday's very own in house MC, chairman Tony Sheldon, is wont to enthuse, “what can you say about this band?” What is one to say about this one? What indeed?

It was, by common consent among a largish audience, something pretty special. This was authentic New Orleans, “brassy, broad and aggressively dramatic” as it has been described, by way, in the first set, of riproaring renditions of 'Algiers Strut' and 'Rip 'Em Up Joe' and an equally arresting 'Franklin Street Blues', punctuated by a pair of vocal offerings from Messrs Milner and Brooker respectively, demonstrating their alleged linguistic capabilities, with 'Chinatown My Chinatown' and 'In Spain They Say Si Si'.

Marches have of course always been at the heart of the New Orleans tradition and set two began with one of the foremost among them, namely 'The Bugle Boy March'. Then the tempo eased, first as trumpeter Stead took the microphone with 'My Wild Irish Rose', then for 'Brahm's Cradle Song' and, after insanity was briefly restored via another New Orleans street parade number 'Whooping Blues', he was back again to end the set and serenading us with 'Magic Is The Moonlight'.

Predictably the final set kicked off in barnstorming fashion too, this time with 'I Can't Escape From You' followed by 'Canal Street Blues'.

There was time also for an audience singalong to wit 'Beer Barrel Polka', Brooker stepped forward for his final song of the evening 'When I Come To The End Of My Journey' and the era of the speak-easy was noisily recalled with 'Give Me A June Night' before Funky Butt Hall brought things to a close with 'Now Is The Hour'.