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

John Pashley's La Harpe Street Band is entertainment personified with Pashley's quirky leadership and catchphrase of a performance in 'three halves', unique on the Jazz scene. At Castleton, this tight knit outfit includes their ex reeds player Cliff Greenwood now domiciled in the Isle of Man with exciting trombonist Eugene Farrar backed by their blended rhythm section of Richard Speight (Banjo), Phil Campen (Bass) and Bill Evans (Drums).

A fine mixture of traditional, rags and blues were given the La Harpe treatment with vocals shared by Pashley, Greenwood, Farrar and Evans - there were many highlights with superb arrangements of Fats Domino's 'I'm Walkin' and the rarely played 'The Last Mile of the Way'- a Sunday spiritual with Greenwood's superb clarinet solos on 'Burgundy Street Blues', 'St Philip Street Breakdown' and 'Over the Waves'.

The hot evening diminished the audience but the hot jazz sent the devotees away happy and alert to face the week ahead!

La Harpe Street Band
6 July 2003