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RECITAL REPORT for Monday April 18, 2011

The evening started with the usual welcome from Grant, our chairman, who said that he thought it was time to change the price of the Raffle tickets to 1 strip a pound instead of 2 strips as previously. After some discussion it appeared this was the best option of the various suggestions made.

Grant then gave us the sad news that John Charman was currently in Hospital and it was hoped that as soon as any information was available we would get an up-to-date as to the problems, and the meeting agreed that their ‘Best Wishes’ should be passed on. Before moving to our first presenter Grant apologised in advance for having to leave the meeting at the interval and said he hoped that David Seal would ‘step into’ the chairman ‘shoes’ in the second half of the evening.

Our first presenter this evening was Don Lewis with his programme ‘Tunes From the Archives’.  Don’s walk-on track was LET’S MISBEHAVE / Vocalist Jane Seidel with a Session Band, which was a Cole Porter number from 1938, and it was to be the start of an unusual and different selection of tunes. Don then introduced I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS / Claud Bampton and his band with Sir George Shearing on piano and vocal by Joe Brown, with the information that Claud’s band were all Blind musicians (apart from Claud and Joe), what an achievement? Don then gave us one of his ‘Stories’ which climaxed with COLONEL BOGEY / Syd Lawrence and his orchestra, and this was followed by I DON’T WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON FIRE / Susannah McCorkle with a session band. We then heard PENT UP IN A PENT HOUSE / Fats Waller and his Rhythm recorded at Abbey Road studios and including Edmundo Ros on Drums and George Chisholm on Trombone, followed by GIVE ME A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON / Louis Armstrong and a group featuring Jack Teagarden, from the 1951 film ‘The Strip’. We were then invited to guess the singer of IT HAD TO BE YOU / The Steve Race quartet with singer Pet Clark at the age of 19, this was followed by DO I LOVE YOU ? DO I ! / Peggy Lee with the Sir George Shearing quintet from the album ‘Beauty and the Beat’. We then had an unusual track WRAP YOUR TROUBLES IN DREAMS / Dick Hyman dueting with Oliver Jackson from the album ‘Shut Yo’ Mouth’ by Slam Stewart and Major Mule Holley. Coming more up-to-date we had I SAW YOU LAST NIGHT AND GOT THAT OLD FEELING / Dame Cleo Lane and the Sir John Dankworth orchestra recorded at their 40th anniversary concert just days before Sir John died; and Don’s final offering took us back to a 1931 recording YOU CAME TO ME FROM OUT OF NOWHERE / The Teddy Wilson orchestra with vocal by Lena Horne and featuring the Trombone of Benny Morton. So once again our thanks go out to you Don for another varied selection and don’t leave it too long before returning with some more of your choices.

The next presenter Roy Rouse was welcomed back to the society to present On The Swing Shift and we were treated to a nice swinging opener LET’S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE / Nelson Riddle and his orchestra; and that was followed by a 1942 Andy Gibson arrangement of WASHINGTON WHIRLIGIG / Charlie Barnet and his band. We then heard COCKTAILS FOR TWO / Tommy Dorsey and his band; after which Roy offered a track from an album he had very little information about but he just ‘liked it’ I WON’T DANCE, DON’T ASK ME / Pete Herbolzeimer and his band. This was followed by WHEN I FALL IN LOVE / Richard Maltby and his concert orchestra, recorded whilst ‘on the road’ at a New Year’s Eve party in 1957. We were then introduced to Roy’s featured artist of the session Mel Torme with Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass and the recital title ON THE SWING SHIFT, recorded in 1995. Then from 1955 we heard a Gerry Mulligan arrangement of BYE,BYE, BLACKBIRD / Elliot Lawrence and his band which featured many fine musicians of their time, followed by a 1951 version of YOU’RE THE CREAM IN MY COFFEE / Les Brown and his Band of Renown, a particular favourite of Roy’s. Moving to 1994 we had IT’S AWFULLY NICE TO BE WITH YOU / Frank Capp and Juggernaut, and now 1959 for TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT / Buddy Bregman and his orchestra, featuring many well known musicians of their day. The final track was from 1954 I CAN DREAM CAN’T I / Billy May and his band, which was one of the travelling bands last concerts. As David Seal then reminded us it had been an excellent recital and far too long since Roy’s last visit and urged him to come back before too long.

After the raffle, we played four requests in our feature “Requests and Things”  THE GOOD EARTH / Woody Herman and his orchestra for Dave & Sheila Holloway; I’M GETTING SENTIMENTAL OVER YOU / Kurt Edelhargen and his orchestra for Derek Edwards; DOUBLE SHOT / Erskine Hawkins and his orchestra for John Smith. Before the last request we had our TWO OF A KIND feature starting with Derek Edwards ‘Favourite Dance Bands’ item  DIXIE LEE / Jack Jackson and his orchestra with Jack himself on vocals, then John Charman’s ‘Glenn Miller Time’ item SENTIMENTAL ME / Glenn Miller and his orchestra with vocal by Dorothy Clare. The final request was a self indulgence for David Seal who introduced a memoriam for the late Johnny Pearson with EXOTICA / Oscar Brandenburg (aka Johnny Pearson) and his orchestra, as used during the days of the ‘Test Card’ in the 50’s.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                           

Our programme for May features recitals by Pete and Maureen Meadows  followed by the "All Things Jazz" and "Requests and Things",  to send you home happy.

Doors open at 7.15pm and the programme finishes at 10.15pm.