Classic Swing live up to the band's name and its eponymous signature tune composed by Tommy Moran especially for the band. They swing in the classic style associated with small groups, personified by the various Ellington offshoots and those bands within a band such as Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven, Bob Crosby's Bobcats and Basie's Kansas City Seven to mention but a few.
After they'd opened with the aforementioned Classic Swing, Jim McBriarty sang Sweet Sue and Olive gave out with Almost Like Being in Love and a lovely version of Only Trust Your Heart. When not singing she gees up the crowd to applaud the soloist which we do - we'd be terrified not to!
Juan Tizol's Perdido had solos all round including one from Alan on bass. "Showtime" Gray sang The Nearness of You, cool and laid back á la Chet and Olive took the set out with When Your Smiling. Only five were smiling after the raffle - I wasn't one of them...
The second set opened with Love For Sale and a drum solo from Ian Stocks. Jim sang Red Allen's I Never Slept a Wink Last Night which turned out to be a different tune to Sinatra's I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night, before, all the way from Hong Kong, bandleader, disc jockey, trumpet player and vocalist Colin Aitchison, joined the band and Olive sang You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams. Olive also sang At Last - complete with verse which scored her Brownie points galore.
Colin returned, complete with plunger mute for Jeep's Blues - pure Ellington with everyone assimilating the Ducal mood. To finish off an enjoyable afternoon, Olive, Colin and the "boys" went out on Doctor Jazz.
It all happens again next Friday. Lance
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