Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Corner House

Brian Bennett ( banjo ), Barry Soulsby ( clarinet, alto saxophone & vocals ), Laurence McBriarty ( trombone ), Fred Rowe ( trumpet & vocals ), Brian Sibbald ( double bass ) and Fred Thompson (drums and vocals ). ''Hotter Than That'', rather appropriately considering the non - stop sunshine, got things under way at the Corner House. ''Margie'' featured Fred Thompson on vocals and the following number, ''Pontchartrain Blues'', showed to good effect the soloing skills of the frontline; McBriarty (excellent plunger mute), Rowe and Soulsby. Fred Rowe, depping for Peter Wright, sang ''Mandy Make Up Your Mind'' and Barry Soulsby sang ''Everybody Loves My Baby''. Thompson took the vocals on ''Basin Street Blues'' with excellent solos from Soulsby on alto and Rowe on trumpet with sterling work from the boys in the engine room - bassman Brian Sibbald and banjo rhythm meister Brian Bennett. ''Isle of Capri '' featured Barry Soulsby's fluent clarinet playing followed by something of a hit for the Andrew Sisters, the Yiddish folk song ''Bei Mir Bist Du Schon''. The interval pint of Guinness went down well with the added delight of a free Corner House buffet. The raffle? Bottles of wine - they went to other homes. Fred Rowe resumed on vocals with ''Ace in the Hole''. Fred Thompson sang Louis' pension - provider ''Hello Dolly''. Fred Rowe played some great trumpet and sang on Shelton Brooks' ''Some of These Days''. Mr.R continued to exercise the larynx with a slow rendition of Johnny Mercer's ''Dream''. MC Bennett announced that Mr.R would sing the next one ''Big Butter and Egg Man'' until the band decided that drummer Thompson should take it; a great job he made of it too. ''Angry'' was a hoot (I've heard Fred Rowe sing this one with Rendezvous Jazz), Laurence McBriarty growled on trombone and Barry Soulsby played alto. Time flew. Mr.Bennett said we should be ''Goin' Home'' ; off we went into the still warm night. Russell