at the Sherborn Inn, October 30, 2012
Swing Times Five
A sparse but impressive crowd braved the rainy remnants of Sandy at the Sherborn Inn on Tuesday to hear Jeff Hughes’s Swing Times Five, with vocalist Debby Larkin.
Jeff is the ‘front line’ for this group, but aptly aided by pianist Ross Petot, Dan Weiner guitar, with rhythm Pete Tillotson on bass and Dave Didriksen drums.
Jeff played one of his ‘new’ instruments, a 1940 King Master Model cornet – fabulous tone, sounding like a trumpet in the hands of this master.
They started with a Benny Carter tune When Lights Are Low. Jeff paid Tribute to two composers, Leo Robbin and Ralph Rainger who wrote a whole passel of tunes. Delving into those Jazz Decades, they continued with Love Is Just Around The Corner,
Touching on Halloween, I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You. Debby came up with a first for this band, Billie Holiday’s Miss Brown To You, originally produced by John Hammon on one of the first mixed bands:
Miss Brown to you — Billie Holiday 1935
Promotor and producer John Hammond had organized this first studio session to record Billie Holiday. He made pianist Teddy Wilson in charge of the orchestra. A fine band was created with Benny Goodman clarinet. Roy Eldridge trumpet, Ben Webster tenor sax, John Truehart guitar, John Kirby bass and Cozy Cole drums. Another classic it became! (Bob Erwig on YouTube)
Debby puts heart and soul into her songs, No Moon at All, Old Devil Moon, I Put a Spell on You, What a Little Moonlight Can Do, I Wished on a Moon.
Dan Weiner was featured backed by the rhythm section, intuitively building his solos on Lullaby of the Leaves, and adding some fine Hawaiian guitar in Blue Hawaii.
Joining the band, one of New England’s renowned reed men, Arnie Krakowsky’s tenor sax raised goose bumps on this audience!
Jeff listens as the sound of Arnie’s sweet tenor sax envelops the room.
Then the room definitely got hotter with Deb’s hubby, Jeff Stout, and the arrival of Craig Ball clarinet, who just happened to have their instruments with them.
Real HOT! Beyond The Blue Horizon. Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered with Deb on vocal. Fabulous!
Ross Petot’s fabulous piano playing was featured on Star Eyes, with fine backing from the rhythm boys, Pete and Dave.
The band joined Debby and all of us congratulating Lynn and Bob Sickle on their 45th wedding anniversary – with Lynn’s favorite tune – All of Me.
The last set had sparks flying, with Jeff on cornet leading a new front line, Arnie tenor sax, Jeff Stout trumpet, Craig on clarinet: If I Should Lose You, Thanks For The Memories(written by Leo Robbin and Ralph Rainger for The Big Broadcast of 1938, starring Bob Hope).
Easy Living, Moanin’ Low – Craig Ball’s high notes hit the ceiling! We wanted more, more of this fantastic music. But unfortunately the evening was coming to an end.
The flaming HOT music attracted a couple of ladies who had been dining in the Pub Room. They stopped by the door on their way out, asking “What kind of music is this?” I explained that it’s called ‘Swing’, and gave them some cards to New England Traditional Jazz so they could find it again.
I love this music. After more than forty years, it’s still full of surprises and never gets dull, and it keeps getting better and better!
Swing Times Five and Friends promised – We’ll Meet Again. And we will, and bring along more friends, now that the last of Hurricane Sandy has finally moved on!