Post 568: THE STAMFORD STOMPERS - AN UPDATE

The Stamford Stompers. have been a busy little band since they were formed in July 2014. They have played at many wedding drinks receptions, birthday parties, rural events and summer bandstand concerts in the parks. They also continued their outreach work, taking our music to the people in shopping centres, as in this video, filmed in November 2017: CLICK HERE TO VIEW.

That performance was in the county town of Lincoln, but they also greatly enjoy entertaining the shoppers and tourists visiting their architecturally-beautiful home town of Stamford.

You may watch them here - on an exceptionally hot day - playing some relaxed jazz in a park bandstand: CLICK HERE.

Performing at the Centenary Church in Boston, Lincolnshire, before a large audience on 18 July last year, they received a standing ovation.

At a wedding, Summer 2019.

As you can see, the band normally has four players, though their singer Helen also performs when a vocalist is required:

Performing for the High Sheriff's Reception at Burghley House

You can hear The Stamford Stompers playing Yes, Sir, That's My Baby  by clicking here. For a video of them playing Has Anybody Seen My Girl?, CLICK HERE.

And for the band's website, click here.

Post 214: A TUBA SKINNY STREET PERFORMANCE

One morning in April 2015, Tuba Skinny had agreed to play some street music ('busk', as we say in England) on Royal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. But when Shaye Cohn showed up, nobody else had arrived. Undeterred, she took out her violin and started to play all alone.

A few minutes later, Jonathan Doyle, the great clarinet player, arrived and joined her. So the two of them played as a duet, improvising a fast 12-bar blues in the key of D.

But it wasn't long before five other members of Tuba Skinny arrived. Shaye switched to her cornet, and away they went, giving a concert that witnesses told me was absolutely brilliant.

Here is one of the tunes filmed by the great video-maker digitalalexa at the time:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW.
When I heard about this concert, I was bitterly disappointed to have missed the performance. I was in New Orleans but happened to be in a different part of the City at the time.

But my friends David Wiseman and Bill Stock, both from England, were there and told me about it. Bill took the pictures above and kindly let me have them. He gave me this additional background to the story:

The busk was on Friday, the first main day of the French Quarter Festival. At his hotel in North Rampart Street, Alan Bates bumped into Todd, complete with tuba. Todd was visiting his Mum who was staying at the same hotel. He confirmed TS would be out in Royal Street from 11am.  Alan phoned me and we rallied the troops. We set off in search but were disappointed that there was no sign of the band at their usual spots. I then saw Jon Doyle on his bike, pedalling fast along Royal. We  flagged him down and he said that Shaye had called the band to the corner of Royal and Bienville Street. And that is where the story started. Their usual spots had been taken by other buskers but Shaye had obviously carried out an early recce to  find this location.

Things got better for me. A few hours later I saw Tuba Skinny playing in a Frenchmen Street bar. I also attended two more of their concerts.

Post 48: TRANSPORTING INSTRUMENTS IN NEW ORLEANS

One of the fascinating things about being in the French Quarter of New Orleans, as I was for two weeks in April 2015, is that you can't walk more than a hundred yards down Royal Street or Bourbon Street without seeing musicians coming to or returning from performances on the streets or in the bars and clubs.

It is virtually impossible to take a car into the French Quarter and find somewhere to park cheaply, so most of them have found other enterprising ways of transporting even the bulkiest instruments and equipment. The bicycle is a very important tool in the kit of most musicians. Trailers are often fitted. Those fortunate enough to live close by may be able to walk to work, carrying their instruments like the gentleman with the sousaphone in the fourth photo below.

Photo of Barnabus Jones, courtesy of Bill Stock

Marla Dixon
Photo by Elena Davletova

Yes, a lot of effort goes into
getting the show on the road.