The Savannah Jazz Band

Roger Myerscough and Bill Smith

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Jazz on a Sunday welcomed the Savannah Jazz Band comprising Bill Smith on cornet, Roger Myerscough on reeds and Sam Ellis on trombone together with Chris Mahoney on banjo and guitar, Brian Lawrence in on bass for the holidaying Tony Pollitt and their leader John Meehan on drums.

After opening with a lively and attention grabbing ‘Marching Through Georgia’ they gave us ‘Willie The Weeper’, which featured extended contributions from Meehan and Myerscough and was underpinned as was the case throughout the evening by the solid bass playing of Lawrence.

The first vocal offering found Myerscough on alto saxophone alongside trombonist Ellis supporting aspiring songbird Smith in ‘When My Dreamboat Comes Home’, they were again front and centre for ‘Dallas Blues’, Myerscough came to the microphone for ‘Carry Me Back To Old Virginny’ and the set ended with the audience in overdrive clapping along in time to ‘Blame It On The Blues’.

The second set began with Mahoney on banjo and ‘Yearning Just For You’ then the clarinet of Myerscough interspersed with the distant and plaintive cornet of Smith gave voice jointly to Duke Ellington’s ‘Creole Love Call’. Myerscough switched back to alto with Smith now on blues harmonica for the swinging spiritual ‘Lord, Lord, Lord’, then it was full throttle again and King Oliver’s ‘Dippermouth Blues’.

The tempo assumed a samba beat with Ellis, Myerscough and the rhythm section conjuring up a festival atmosphere with Smith back at the microphone for Paul Simon’s ‘Take Me To The Mardi Gras’, followed by a superbly crafted rendition spotlighting Myerscough on clarinet and also featuring an outstanding banjo solo, from Mahoney, of the George Lewis classic ‘Burgundy Street Blues’. The set came to an end to the sound of a nineteen thirties jug band ditty ‘Beedle Um Bum’.

The final set kicked off in fine style with two old favourites to wit ‘Redwing’ and ‘Girl Of My Dreams’, then Mahoney again assumed vocal responsibilities with the lilting and evocative ‘Lousiana Fairytale’.

Drummer Meehan was especially prominent in ‘1919 March’ as was also the case with ‘I Got The Key To The Highway’. With Smith on vocals and on harmonica allied to highly effective contributions from Myerscough on alto, Ellis on trombone and from the walking bass of Lawrence it was blues at its best.

As another thoroughly enjoyable evening sadly neared its end leader Meehan was finally let loose to demonstrate the full extent of his skills in an extended drum solo during ‘Washington and Lee Swing’ before, as has become their custom, the band saw the audience on its way with Ken Colyer’s ‘Going Home’.

Jazz on Sunday programme