(Review by Lance/photo from T.J. Muller's archives).
Last Saturday night I was watching the review Café Society Swing in a London theatre. It told the story of the Café Society night club that flourished in New York either side of World War 2. Tonight I was back there, or so it seemed! This was Hoochie's Sunday Night Stomp and it was a delightful and enlightening experience.
You want young guys blowing trad/swing? Look no further than tonight. Some folk despair at young, ultra talented musicians, playing '50s hard bop - what they will make of these equally young, equally talented musicians playing Dixieland beggars belief! However, Beethoven still seems to be hanging on in there in the classical world so why shouldn't Bix and Bird continue to provide fodder in the jazz world?
Last Saturday night I was watching the review Café Society Swing in a London theatre. It told the story of the Café Society night club that flourished in New York either side of World War 2. Tonight I was back there, or so it seemed! This was Hoochie's Sunday Night Stomp and it was a delightful and enlightening experience.
You want young guys blowing trad/swing? Look no further than tonight. Some folk despair at young, ultra talented musicians, playing '50s hard bop - what they will make of these equally young, equally talented musicians playing Dixieland beggars belief! However, Beethoven still seems to be hanging on in there in the classical world so why shouldn't Bix and Bird continue to provide fodder in the jazz world?
This was a happy session - Good Time Jazz played with enthusiasm and no lack of technique. The dancers had taken over the floor before the band started - jiving, jitterbugging, lindyhopping, bopping and rocking to vintage sounds from the '20s to the '50s.
It was educational watching the dancers react to the music - listening and interpreting - becoming a part of it.
Never thought I'd see young persons dancing to the Dipsy Doodle in 2013!
Trumpetman Muller leads by example blowing a powerful lead and soloing with panache as well as throwing in a few vocals although most of the words were provided by the trumpet player's sister Iuthe. She looks and sounds not unlike the legendary, late, Sheila Giles. The rest are in there pitching with Djangolic touches from guitar and violin, booting tenor sax, mellow trombone, effective pedal steel, bass and a drum kit that looked as if it might have begun life in the Confederate Army whilst marching through Georgia. Paul Archibald applied his technique to it with much skill and he couldn't have sounded better on the latest Gretsch kit!
Amazingly, this was their first public performance as the Honky Tonk Jazz Band although they have also played as The Dixie Six and the Gramophone Jass Band as well as an association with Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra so not entirely unfamiliar with each other!
A fitting end to the year.
Lance.
Amazingly, this was their first public performance as the Honky Tonk Jazz Band although they have also played as The Dixie Six and the Gramophone Jass Band as well as an association with Rob Heron and the Tea Pad Orchestra so not entirely unfamiliar with each other!
A fitting end to the year.
Lance.
3 comments :
The Hoochie came up trumps again ...having first got hooked On Rob Heron & TP Orch there, & loving the monthly Sunday stomps, we could not resist this nite ...Muller & the guys did a great set, espec the lively end numbers ....its such a treat to see the place jumping & all those fab dancers enjoying the music...keep up the good work Hoochie !
We sure had a ball; it won't be the last they see of us, that's for sure!!
Oly Clarkson of the After Hours Quintet
Wandered into Hoochie expecting our usual lashings of soul and funk last sunday night. After the initial shock of hearing a trad jazz band on stage I have got to admit we enjoyed the music and the energy of the dozens of young people on the dance floor..Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
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