Reporter: Tony Sheldon
Date online: 12/06/2008

Marauding over the border to Castleton came one of Yorkshire's top Jazz bands, The Yorkshire Stompers albeit with only two Yorkshire bred musicians in the line-up. Led by ex-Savannah trumpeter Tony Smith with the multi talented reeds virtuoso Frank Brooker on clarinet, tenor sax and vocals and young deputy trombonist Mike Pearson the Stompers produced an evening of memorable Jazz backed by a complementing rhythm section of Richard Speight on banjo, Terry Binns on drums and Antipodean athletics on the double bass of Annie Hawkins.

A long first set presented a programme of popular favourites with Smith vocalising on 'Sweet Substitute' and 'Trouble in Mind' with other highlights being solos and vocals from Brooker on 'Someday You'll Be Sorry' and 'In Spain, The Say Si Si' and a superb arrangement of 'Some Of These Days' with a fine Hawkins solo on bass and driving cameo solos by the front line.

Brooker started the second set with a 'Bono Sera' vocal and also led the way on 'When My Dreamboat Comes Home'. Banjoist Speight got his solo chance accompanying a Smith vocal on 'Everywhere You Go', Pearson soloed on trombone with 'It's Only A Paper Moon' and though providing a neat performance. I would have thought this number warranted a softer solo sound than provided by a trombone. An effective tenor sax and trumpet duo on the Bing Crosby favourite 'Please' was only surpassed by the driving trumpet and clarinet variations on Fats Waller's 'Aint Misbehavin' backed up by 'Some Misbehavin' on the double bass.

'Jambalaya', 'Give Me a Kiss' and a stunning finish with the late lamented Sandy Brown's 'Nothing Blues' with Smiths vocal chords, multi solos and a final number opportunity for Binns to show his gymnastics on the drums.

The Yorkshire Stompers
October 2002