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

The visit of the Howard Allen Dixie Landers provided a gig within a gig. Reedsman Howard Murray and bass guitarist Pete Smith were stuck in a motorway jam so the ‘The Quarteteers’ got the show on the road with a neat arrangement of “Indiana”, followed by the vocal of trombonist Terry Brunt in “Carine, Carina” with the muted trumpet of Billy Edwards, a piano solo from Alf Kiernan with the backing drumming of Moe Green. Brunt led the band in “All Of Me”, and “Basin Street Blues” provided a Brunt/Edwards duo and green soft solo. In “Honeysuckle Rose” with the foursome integration of the absentees.

Bert Allen leads the band on vocals and got the squad going with “Avalon”, “Baby Won't You Please Come Home”, and “Jazz Me Blues” Both With Kiernan solos finished off the first set.

Back in the groove the alto sax of Murray featured in “Bourbon Street Parade”, and Edwards led Armstrong’s “Knee Drops” with a neat duo for piano and drums. “Misty” was given Murray’s Tenor Sax treatment and Smith’s bass guitar was prominent in “That’s A Plenty”, before Allen ended a short second set with a nice rendition of “Blue Turning Grey Over You”.

Into the final straight with a trio of muted trombone, piano and drums backing Allen’s vocal of “China Town, My China Town”, “Tin Roof Blues” brought chord changes and mini cameos as the front line saw Murray perform with both clarinet and sax.

It was time for Greens ‘Drumtastic’ as his expertise with percussions took full stage, Octogenarian Edwards showed his well honed talent with the solo “Give Me A Kiss To Build A Dream On”, Allen’s popular “Exactly Like You” gave way to Brunt’s trombone and vocal “St James Infirmary Blues” in his own inimitable style.

Vocalising “Sunny Side Of The Street” and “I Double Dare You” Allen led the band out into the cold night air. As for the 'band within the band' – I enjoyed it!

Howard Allen Dixie Landers
The Flying Horse Hotel
Sunday 16 December 2007