Saturday's programme began earlier than in previous years. Friday's late night jam session didn't deter festival-goers from making an early Saturday morning trip to the 'flicks'. At 10:00am Doc Bastide presented the second of three film screenings and the 'cinema' (actually a small meeting room) was full to capacity to see - and hear - Louis Armstrong on screen.
At noon Martin Wheatley looked at Jack Hylton's output during 1921-23 in a set titled Jack Hylton - the Early Years . Assisted by yet another star-studded line-up, including Jan Kaiser and Torstein Kubban, trumpets, the elegant trombonist Alistair Allan, local heroes Emma Fisk, violin, and Phil Rutherford, tuba.
Glenn Miller's Small Band - the Uptown Hall Gang wasn't merely 'the music of', rather a more focused presentation featuring small combos from within Miller's wartime band and their radio broadcasts. Pianist Martin Litton did the research, duly presenting a most entertaining hour-long programme with trombonist Dan Barrett centre stage.
Caribbean Clarinets did what it said on the tin. Michael McQuaid looked at largely forgotten names of the instrument, including Alexandre Stellio and Eugène Delouche, both from Martinique, although generations apart. The musicians on stage with McQuaid included Martin Wheatley (banjo, guitar), himself a keen student of the music. Roy Eldridge afforded Enrico Tomasso the opportunity to blow some red hot trumpet 'Little Jazz' would have been proud of. Heckler's Hop - Young Roy Eldridge swung and roared, Tomasso ably assisted by the reeds of Richard Exall, David Horniblow and Mauro Porro, pianist Martin Litton, string bassist Richard Pite and ace American drummer Josh Duffee. A cracking set.
The afternoon's set piece occasion ensured all seats were occupied, no one, but no one, wanted to miss this one. Italian star Mauro Porro led an all-star ensemble in an hour long performance of Cotton Club Ellington. The set list for Ring Dem Bells - Duke Ellington 1929 - 31 was based upon the arrangements of Claus Jacobi and the much-missed Keith Nichols. Magisterial, swinging, this Ellington set would vie for the highlight of the weekend. It's worth noting all participants: Torstein Kubban, Mike Davis, Malo Mazurié (trumpets), Graham Hughes and Dan Barrett (trombones), David Horniblow, Matthias Seuffert, Claus Jacobi (reeds), Mauro Porro (piano), Josh Duffee (vibes), Félix Hunot (banjo, guitar), Henry Lemaire (string bass), Nick Ward (drums), Nicolle Rochelle (vocals). A truly memorable occasion.
Souvenirs of A.B - Arthur Briggs & Al Bowlly contrasted sharply with what had gone before, but none the worse for that. In the early twenties Arthur Briggs was working in Europe, Al Bowlly in Africa and Asia. They joined forces in Berlin during 1927 and it was this period which inspired Claus Jacobi to present a half hour programme drawn from their collaboration. Imagine Frenchman Malo Mazurié Briggs and, of course, Spats Langham as Bowlly. It worked well.
To close the afternoon's entertainment, we were treated to a most welcome CJP first, the 'first' being Cia Tomasso leading a set. In fact, singer Cia co-presented I Hear Music - Billie in the Late 30s alongside her father, Whitely Bay veteran, trumpeter Rico Tomasso. The impressive Lorenzo Baldasso sat in the reeds, pianist David Boeddinghaus, who knows a thing or two about Billie Holiday, was on board, the French pairing of guitarist Félix Hunot and bassist Henry Lemaire were nothing short of tremendous, the whole thing topped off by drummer Josh Duffee. Cia Tomasso is one to watch and hear, that's for sure. Russell
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