Isomatic UK Weblog

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where Brian White's Magna jazz band is resident. In addition to the normal Pete Towndrow (cornet, flugel horn), Alan Dandy (keyboard) and Rex Bennett (drums), there were three deps.; John Barnes (C-melody sax ?, clarinet, vocal, pictured), Mike Pointon (slide trombone, vocals) and Terry Lewis (string bass). Peter Winn informed us that John was playing a C-melody sax; I have some difficulty distinguishing the type with the bend after the mouthpiece from a tenor.
There were many great numbers but I will just mention:
'Carnaval' by Luis Bonfa, my favourite Bossa Nova composition;
The lovely 'Kiss to Build a Dream on' by Burt Kalmar, Harry Ruby, and Oscar Hammerstein II, which Mike Pointon informed us was used in a film starring Mickey Rooney and featuring Louis Armstrong;
Alan's solo feature 'Heliotrope Bouquet' by Scott Joplin & Louis Chauvin, perhaps the most beautiful of all ragtime numbers and our request.
Selina won the raffle yet again. Although it was only third prize, it was the one she wanted so thank you to the winners of the first and second prizes who had prior choice.
John Barnes received a great welcome to the Berrylands; Frances kissed him on the lips!

Labels: Jazz