Maine Street Jazzmen @ Rosie's.

Ray Harley (tpt), Herbie Hudson (tmb/hca/vcl), Jim McBriarty (clt), Malcolm Armstrong (pno0, Alan Rudd (bs), Tommy Graham (dms), Olive Rudd (vcl).

An acoustic first set due to mixing desk problems meant no Olive but, nevertheless, didn't stop the band putting in their usual stella performance with Ray Harley leading them through an array of Dixieland classics and on to the gloryland.

During the intermission the pub manager rigged up the house system which meant Olive was back in business and she stomped off with a rousing version of "All of Me" followed later by "I Double Dare You". Herbie, of course, also hogged the resuscitated PA with, among other things, "The Curse of an Aching Heart".

As a memento of Ray Harley's stay with the band they have recorded a CD "Fine & Dandy" which of course contains the title track sung by Princess Olive who also does the business on "I Can't Give You Anything But Love".

The disc was recorded live albeit not at Rosie's as Ian Hetherington replaces Tommy Graham on drums. At a fiver it is a snip and is available at gigs or via the band's website.

Coincidentally, I remarked today that the only thing missing from Tommy's drum breaks is an "Ool-ya Ool-ya" à la the late Lennie Hastings well, on the CD, I did detect such an utterance from Ian on, it may have been, "Jazz Me Blues".

A good afternoon, a good CD and I have it on authority that the Cumberland Bitter at £2 a pint is positively Nectarian.

Photos.

Lance.