Isomatic UK Weblog

This evening, as usual for a Thursday, we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, to see Brian White's Magna jazz band. Chez Chesterman replaced Pete Towndrow on Cornet, the remainder of the band being standard. The picture shows Chez with his new girlfriend, Carol White, surely not the daughter Brian never knew he had ? In addition to her pretty face, Carol is friendly and outgoing. She is a fine testament to the results of internet dating, enjoying the evening immensely and expressing great interest in my note-taking for this weblog.
Our favourite numbers were as follows:
1. Chez's great blues vocal 2:19 Blues AKA Mamie's Blues, listed as 'traditional' but claimed by Jelly Roll Morton. The link is to the version by Mamie Desoume, with an unmistakable Sidney Bechet in the background.
2. Alan Dandy's fine keyboard feature Relaxin' at the Touro, the theme tune of Muggsy Spanier and His Ragtime Band (as on this link), named for Touro Infirmary, the New Orleans hospital where Muggsy had been treated for a perforated ulcer early in 1938. He had been at the point of death when he was saved by one Dr. Alton Ochsner who drained the fluid and eased Muggsy's weakened breathing.
4. Chez's other vocal Lonesome Blues, a number about which I know nothing. The link is to a Louis Armstrong version.

Selina and I have won the raffle between us for the last two jazz nights at the Berrylands. The club was packed tonight so we did not expect to win for the third time against so much competition. Surprisingly, I had the first winning number so had the choice of prize. I took the Ma Rainey CD, coveted by Chez.

Labels: Jazz