The WirrOrleans Jazz Band

Bret Schroeder, The WirrOrleans Jazz Band

The WirrOrleans Jazz Band were back at again Jazz On A Sunday on Sunday 6 September, led by John Blackman on drums with Andy Henderson on cornet and flugelhorn, Harold Troughton on reeds, guest Derek Galloway on trombone, Dave Fischel on piano, Bert Schroeder on banjo and Keith Allcock on bass.

They opened in fine style with a rousing interpretation of ‘Back Home Again In Indiana’ after which Andy took the microphone for ‘Exactly Like You’.

The perennially popular standard ‘Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans’ came next then Derek, deputising for absent regular Andrew Mackenzie, assumed the aforesaid’s vocal persona as well for ‘Doctor Jazz’.

Andy Henderson was to the fore in a fine interpretation of blues number ‘Careless Love’ then after Harold took the lead on alto and vocal for ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’ everybody was up and eagerly ‘Original Dixieland One Step’ (-ping) off to the bar.

The second set found the ensemble suitably watered and ‘Strutting With Some Barbecue’, Derek was back on song and off to ‘Hindustan’, banjoist Schroeder and reeds man Troughton assumed that mantle for ’When You And I Were Young Maggie’ and ‘Deed I Do’ respectively. After another long time favourite, ‘Tin Roof Blues’, came what was to prove the highlight of the evening’s entertainment, to wit ‘Sweet Georgia Brown’ – this proving memorable by reason of some frantic ‘scat’ singing which was found to have emanated not from nominal vocalist Galloway and his bandfellows but rather from the electric piano of the eclectic David. Back in the real world set two ended with a foray into big band territory and Troughton up front on tenor sax with ‘Christopher Colombus’.

The third and final set kicked off ‘At The Jazz Band Ball’, followed by the haunting ‘Creole Love Call’, then echoes of Ken Colyer and of an early Louis Armstrong with ‘Too Busy’.

Finally, Fischell was in Ellington mode for ‘Take The A Train’, drummer Blackman treated the audience to his “Acker Bilk” with ‘Buona Sera, Galloway responded by going all “Fats Waller” by way of ‘Ain’t Misbehaving’ and proceedings came to an end with the band’s accustomed sign off number ‘Basin Street Blues’.