A66 Road Trip Part 1 - Frank Brooker's Happy Chappies @ Darlington Jazz Club November 3.

Frank Brooker (clt/ten/vcl); Greg Wadman (tpt/vcl); Jim Wright (bjo/, gtr/vcl;) Phil Kampen  (bs); Rod “Animal” McNamara (Dms).

Dixie Jazz with the emphasis on fun! Not just content to keep feet tapping with their own brand of swing music they feature some of the greatest jazz favourites. Labelled the “Harbingers of Hokem and Hilarity” they have just recorded their first CD “Keep on Smiling". Several numbers with an African sound added to an eclectic mix of styles from this pro band

      An appreciative audience of long time regulars to the club stayed for three 45 minute sets.

 I Won’t Dance, That's a Plenty, Singin' the Blues, Louisian-i-a, When I’m 64, Skokiaan, I’d Climb the Highest Mountain, Windows, My Buddy, Jumping at the Woodside   

On Treasure Island, The Martinique, Isle of Capri, Bad Penny Blues, Mandela, Corrina Corrinaa, I May be Wrong, Stomping at the Savoy, Bloodshot Eyes, Seven Come Eleven

     Treme song, Lily of the Valley, Creole Jazz, Route 66 (A66 was the bands road home!) Weatherbird Rag, Oriental Man, Rockin' Chair, St. Thomas, That’s my Home

This band lives up to what it says on the tin – they (and the audience) go home as Happy Chappies.

John T.