Derek Galloway’s Bunters Imperials

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

Derek Galloway’s Bunters Imperials is a band which likes to entertain. Galloway plays brash trombone, is a member of the temperance seven (certainly not society) and has a droll line of patter.

The band plays a mixture of Jazz tunes and 'standard' songs with a predominance of vocals shared amongst the musicians.

Set one opened with “Porters Love Song to a Chambermaid” and ended with “Come to me my Melancholy Baby” sung by bass man John Muskett – could it be the same girl?

Galloway’s voice was heard to the fore in “If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight”, “When You’re Smiling” with trombone and the rhythmic drumming of Brian Woods and “Pennies From Heaven" accompanied by Dave Pogson’s trumpet and an alto sax cameo from Gerry Owen. "Muskrat Ramble" brought Malcolm Horne’s banjo into play, and it was Owen's vocal of “Old Green River” with banjo and drums bringing the first break.

The Imperials have a good blend and nice tight sound and a mix of ballads and blues formed the main programme of set two. "Shakin' and Breakin'" similarly featured the clarinet and vocal of Owen followed by Galloway's gentle vocal of "Louisiana Fairytale" with instrumental cameos par excellence! Horne's banjo led Galloway into the popular "Sheik of Araby" and his guitar rifts drove the tuneful “Spain”.

Pogson got on the vocal trail with “You’re Nobody Til Somebody Loves You”, and a powerful frontline gave all the right nuances to “St Louis Blues”.

The third set produced neat jazz arrangements to popular ballads which brought a few murmurs from the jazz purists, but you cant please all of the people all of the time; variety is the spice of life!

After my cliché ridden paragraph it’s the music that counts and the set began with “Who’s Sorry Now”.

Muskett with guitar support sang "When You Wish Upon a Star" - I could hear Disney applauding - and it was then Horne’s turn to lubricate the tonsils with “It Happened On The Beach at Bali Bali”.

Galloway’s voice took over with “I'd Like To Get You On a Slow Boat to China” with multi instrumental cameos, and “The Very Thought of You” with muted trumpet, alto sax and his own trombone.

The Band played out with Owen taking the vocal in “Some Day, You’ll Be Sorry” and a below par attendance exited to the cold night air.