Top summer of music at Jazz On A Sunday
ONE of the more engaging eccentricities of the Jazz On A Sunday calendar is that its summer seasons have a tendency to begin in May.
This year proved no exception, with summer kicking off by way of visits first from one of its regulars, the Manchesterbased Harlem Hot Stompers, followed, making a southward foray from his self-imposed exile in Scotland, by a longtime favourite, New Orleans-style trombonist Dave Donohoe and his band.
June saw three gigs within the month.
First up was one of Jazz On A Sunday’s earliest Band of the Year winners, trombonist and blues harmonica player supreme, Herbie Hudson and his Maine Street Jazzmen, with vocalist Olive Rudd.
Next came The Tame Valley Stompers who, in conjunction with Bolton’s Dixie Beats, had obligingly agreed to a switch of dates when the band originally scheduled had to cancel.
Finally, to end the month, we welcomed world famous trumpet player Digby Fairweather, who was supported on this occasion by an ‘old, old friend’ of his and of Jazz On A Sunday, Frank Brooker, on reeds.
They were joined by some considerably younger, newer friends in the form of The Three Bears, namely Tom Kincaid on piano, Jim Swinnerton on bass and Jack Cotterill on drums.
This offering differed somewhat from the club’s usual bill of fare, but proved no less enjoyable and was worth every penny of the £7 admission charge.
July found three bands visiting. There was ‘good time’ jazz, courtesy of Emily Bacon’s Good Time Gang, fresh from their the Keswick Jazz Festival success. There followed, four days later, a Jazz On A Sunday first - a Thursday performance ‘by popular demand,’ featuring the John Hallam/Amy Roberts quintet - echoing surely the renowned Wilbur/ Davern Soprano Summit partnership.
Then, to finish, what is best categorized as ‘fun time’ jazz with the mix of electronic/acoustic, gospel/country/railroad blues, hokun, semi-skiffle and novelty-cum-popular songs from the 1920s and 1930s that characterised The Jake Leg Jug Band.
Traditional Jazz it most certainly was not, but fun it definitely was.