The Wabash Jazz Band

Mark Challinor, The Wabash Jazz Band

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The Wabash Jazz Band, long established, is a five piece outfit led by banjo player Mark Challinor, without a drummer, which sometimes tests the resolve of some Jazz fans!

All established musicians with veteran trumpeter Ged Hone, accomplished trombonist Mike Pembroke and taking the place of indisposed reedsman Mike Haylor, clarinet maestro Eric Newton.

Completing the line up is ex Tommy Burton bass player, Richard Vernon.

A varied first set included neat interplay between trumpet and banjo, plaintive clarinet and integral double bass in "Ponchetrain Blues", Hone vocalising the spiritual "I Said I Wasn't Going to Tell Anybody", a nicely constructed "Down Home Rag" and Challinor singing the Burton favourite "You Meet the Nicest People in your Dreams".

Off again with "Montmatre", Pembroke's trombone then drove "Wolverine Blues", and Newton's clarinet solo interspersed with piece for banjo and double bass gave a nice sound to "Am I Blue".

"Royal Telephone" found Challinor in good voice, then Pembroke tested his tonsils and trombone with "After You've Gone" and the set finished with the audience encouraged to join in with "oh You Beautiful Doll".

"That Teasing Rag" set the final set in motion, before Hone vocalised a trip to "Coconut Island".

Challinor's banjo and Vernon's double bass gave their own interpretation of "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise" whilst Hone's muted trumpet drove the popular "Davenport Blues".

Newton's clarinet gave a neatly crafted version of the much requested "St Philip Street Breakdown" and the band played out with a not so weary "Weary Blues".

13/05/12