The Fire Hose 1 Jazzmen in Castleton

Denis Goodwin, Mike Dexter, Richard Slater

The Fire Hose 1 Jazzmen, a band inspired by American 1950s Dixieland combo Firehouse Five Plus Two were in Castleton again on Sunday 22 June. Led by banjoist par excellence Mike Dexter they had Dave Leithead on trumpet, Matt Palmer on reeds, Richard Slater, deputising in a front line capacity for the absent Dave Crossley, on trombone although reverting to his rhythm section persona on tuba as required, in company with boss man Dexter, Malcolm Hogarth on piano and Dennis Goodwin on drums.

Avoiding the likes of ‘Blaze Away’ and ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’ they kicked off instead with ‘Fidgety Feet’ before doffing their helmets to Fire House Five Plus Two by way of ‘Tuck Me To Sleep In My Old Kentucky Home’ with aspiring songbirds Palmer and Slater understandably prominent here, Slater albeit having quickly evidenced his brass band credentials as he switched seamlessly across from tuba to trombone.

Palmer’s clarinet proved especially suited to the jazz standard ‘Tin Roof Blues’ with Leithead’s trumpet and Hogarth’s piano in support and the same three gave us ‘Everybody Loves My Baby’ with Slater, back on the ‘brass bass’ now, ‘oompahing’ away alongside.

A leisurely cruise for the over fifties on a ‘Slow Boat To China’ found Palmer aboard and abroad vocally with pianoforte accompaniment from Hogarth and to finish the first set came a further ‘nod’ in the direction of their ‘inspiring lights’ with ‘Doctor Jazz’

That style of playing was maintained as the second set began with an ensemble rendition of ‘That’s A Plenty’ with banjo player Dexter to the fore; Slater assayed the vocal/trombone possibilities of ‘Up A Lazy River’ in the company of Leithead and of Palmer who had switched now to baritone sax; it was back to the firehouse, where ‘group singing’ was ever the order of the day, and ‘I’m Gonna Charleston Back To My Old Home In Charleston’, the tempo slowed right down for a superb Leithead solo in ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’, picked up speed for Slater on trombone to lead from the front on a ‘Muskrat Ramble’; went into overdrive and then some with Hogarth and drummer Goodwin at full throttle on a ‘Joy Ride’ before Palmer and Leithead came forward to close it with ‘Baby Face’

Group singing was to remain in vogue as the third set began with ‘Bare Necessities’ from the Disney film ‘Jungle Book’. ‘Hiawatha Rag’ followed; there was ‘Ice Cream’ then Palmer soloed spectacularly on ‘St Philip Street Breakdown’ before preceded by novelty number ‘My Cutie’s Due At Two To Two’ the evening’s entertainment ended by way of a rumbustious ‘Tiger Rag’.