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

La Harpe Street Jazzmen have been gigging around Yorkshire for over thirty years and Castleton was delighted to welcome one of their rare forays over the border.

Led by their enigmatic trumpet player John Pashley with their Isle of Man based founder and reedsman Cliff Greenwood over on his monthly visit and their powerful young trombonist Eugene Farrar. The band's nice and easy style jazz was complemented by Richard Speight's banjo, Phil Kampen's bass and the smooth and relaxed drumming of Bill Evans.

Set one presented a good mix of favourites spirituals, marches and even rock 'n'n roll. Pashley's soft voice was used to good effect on 'Bourbon Street Parade' and 'Over In The Gloryland' and he sharpened his tonsils on 'Shake Rattle and Roll' in which Greenwood's driving sax directed the action. Evans vocalised smoothly on 'Whilst we Danced At The Mardi Gras' and a superb slow arrangement of 'True' brought excellent front line solos, Greenwood vocalising with sensitive muted trumpet and trombone.

In fact, I have never seen a band with a wider variety of instrument 'bungs' from looking like a 'Paper Cup' to a 'Goesunder' perhaps they were football agents in an earlier life!

The set finished in marching style with 'Eyes Of Texas' with Greenwood's clarinet and nice cameo solos on banjo, bass and drums.

Into the second session with 'Listen to The Mocking Bird', then Pashley sang the rarely played funky Jazz number 'It Aint My Fault' before introducing in his Yorskshire tones 'Anymn' for Sunday 'In The Upper Garden'. He finished the set vocalising on Fats Domino's 'Blueberry Hill' accompanied by Farrar's trombone and 'I'm Walking' - to the bar!

Pashley then introduced 'The Third Half' with 'Over The Waves', allowed Evans' gentle tones to shine in 'September In The Rain', had the audience joining in with his version of 'The Laughing Samba' before the brilliant clarinet of Greenwood brought the house down with 'St Philip Street Breakdown' ably complemented by excellent rhythm section accompaniment.

A multi solo finale of 'Panama' brought a fine and different performance to a close. Come back soon!

La Harpe Street Jazzmen
February 2003