Bournemouth Bluebird Jazz Club
Bands
This is a list of Bands we who have played at Bluebird
Bands
Acoustic jass is based in the Southampton - Bournemouth area and travels throughout the south and south east of England.
This jazz band has been established over twenty five years providing high quality musical entertainment at many events and functions.
The tunes in this dixieland jazz bands extensive repertoire are well known jazz standards, blues, the great American songbook and the popular music of the early twentieth century. These tunes were made famous by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, all played in the New Orleans jazz style, music to entertain all ages.
People hire traditional jazz bands because the tunes they play have a beginning a middle and an end which audiences like to listen to in a concert, for dancing or for background music.
The musical instruments, Trumpet, Clarinet, Banjo and Sousaphone(Tuba or Brass Bass) are acoustic and not dependent on electricity which makes this jazz quartet versatile, the band can easily move from one place to another, however, unless it is a procession, they don't walk and play at the same time.
Bernie Murtha (clarinet and alto sax)
Tony Hurst (trombone)
Chris Newman (keyboard)
Peter McCurrie (bass)
George Skidmore (banjo and guitar)
John Hall (drums)
Blue Tides is an 8 piece band based in the Dorset/Hampshire area of England It were first established in 2002 when guitarist and arranger Stephen Godsall got together with drummer Anthony Climpson
The sound is a luminous combination of flute, saxophone, brass, guitar, bass and drums
With three distinctive vocalists they play songs from the Great American and British Songbooks plus exciting original arrangements.
The musicians are :
Stephen Godsall - guitar,vocal
Anthony Climpson - drums
Mark Wootton - bass, vocal
Wendy Orpwood - vocal, percussion
Diane Annear - flute, piccolo
Angharad Miller - trumpet, flugelhorn
Janet Cooke - alto/tenor saxophone,clarinet
Matt Sturgeon - trombone
Anita Somner - flute.
The combination of two reed players works well and has sounded great throughout the recorded history of jazz and swing music. One only has to think of the Jimmy Noone Apex Club Orchestra in the 1920s, the Mezzrow/Bechet Quintet, the wonderful saxophone duets of the likes of Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster and the Soprano Summit of Bob Wilbur and Kenny Daverne in the 1970s, to understand the popularity of the format. For this group, reed players Chris Walker and Tony Carter (pictured below) are backed by the superb rhythm section of Greg Painter on piano, John Seaman or Peter McCurrie on double bass and John Bell on drums plus clarinet at times. Chris and Tony introduce the show with anecdotes and occasional jokes and all the arrangements have been carefully crafted to create just the right treatment of each song. You can be sure that the audience will leave at the end of the concert with a spring in their step and a song in their hearts.
Easy Street Five Is a highly skilled, professional band of musicians who have created an exciting new show “Mardi Gras Memories” which Introduces authentic New Orleans Mardi Gras tunes plus some new originals. This highly experienced band also has an extensive repertoire of Jazz, Blues, and Swing numbers. Easy Street Five features three musicians of the well-known and popular Pedigree Jazz Band which, now with its new repertoire and members, promises exciting, enjovable performances to its audiences
Inspired by the music of the revival, the "Golden Eagle" plays New Orleans jazz the way it was meant to be played, that is, with a powerful and melodic front line and a hard driving rhythm section. They have been described as "The band that has the New Orleans bounce", "An excellent dance band" and "A band that will reach the heights of popularity". These comments and many more like them has helped the band secure bookings at many of the countries leading jazz establishments and festivals as well as numerous private and corporate functions.
The standard line up is:
Kevin Scott. Tenor banjo/Leader
Alan Cresswell. Clarinet
Malc Murphy. Drums
Chris Thompson. Double Bass
Tony Karavis. Cornet
Roy Stokes. Trombone
James Emmetts' Ragtime Revellers, comprises:
Michael White - trombone
Oleg Zaremskyi - soprano sax and clarinet
Graham Majin - tenor sax and vocals
Steff Emmett - washboard
James Emmett - tuba or sousaphone.
Traditional Jazz has seen many revivals over the last 50 years. The first being in the 50s with the likes of Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen and again in the 1970s with bands that topped the charts such as The Temperance 7.
Today, James and the gang are proud to present the Ragtime Revellers! Initially formed in 2012. James Emmett had a vision to bring live traditional good time jazz back into the public eye and into the gardens and organisations of all those who love live music. This band attracted the greatest club attendance of 2022
John Maddocks (reeds, vocals)
Tom Connor (trumpet)
Simon Wyld (trombone)
Chris Satterley (keyboard, vocals)
Andy Dickens (guitar, vocals)
Peter McCurrie (string bass, tuba, sousaphone)
John Hall (drums).
The John Maddocks Jazzmen are mainly from Dorset and Hampshire. The band has been in existence for 47 years. John had previously enjoyed success with The Black Bottom Stompers a band which he formed whilst a very young man in London.
The Jazzmen have their own sound brought about mainly by the unique style of John himself. John was originally inspired by the fine clarinettist Johnny Dodds, but John is his own man and encompasses influences from all over the traditional jazz spectrum. Personnel changes have been few over the years but one or two in the band can still claim to have been at least twenty five years younger when they first joined. The Band is well known for its drive and cohesiveness and the inclusion of some seldom heard tunes in the repertoire. The band continues to be popular for all kinds of functions throughout the UK including most of the most of the major jazz venues and festivals, also toured extensively in Holland, Germany and Belgium. There have been broadcasts and many CD issues.
The Old Thumper Hot Five is sponsored by The Ringwood Brewery and is a five piece traditional Dixieland band comprising Trumpet, Clarinet, Piano, Bass & Drums. All the musicians live in the Solent area and have worked together in a variety of combinations over many years. So you can expect good, foot tapping, danceable hot jazz in the traditional style from this very local band.
The Usual Line up is:
Chris Walker (Clarinet/Saxophone)
Andy Chislett (Trumpet & Flugel Horn)
Jon Bell (Drums)
Greg Painter (keyboard)
Peter McCurrie (Double Bass)
Chris Walker's Pedigree Chums is a new band in 2025, based on the former Pedigree Jazz Band. The selection of numbers includes a selection of Jazz, jive and swing. A wide variety of sounds can be expected from
Chris Walker (clarinet, alto and baritone saxophone)
Tim Eyles (trumpet)
John Noddings (banjo, guitar)
Peter Maxfield (double bass)
Sy Gorelick (drums).
The new band continues the influence of some of the great names that created the original music in the southern states of America.
The Quartet of the Hot Club of Bournemouth playing a swinging selection of Hot-Club & Gypsy Jazz to transport you to the golden age of Gypsy Swing! Expect a selection of classics from the era of Django Reinhardt, along with contemporary tunes in the Hot Club style. Based in the Bournemouth area, the musicians are Simon Newton (Guitar/Vocals), John Belben (Guitar), Gill Tolliday (Violin) & Ray Russell (Double Bass).
You are all welcome to enjoy an evening of superb traditional New Orleans Jazz and dancing with the Solent City Jazzmen. Embracing their years of experience and skill the Jazzmen recreate the intimate atmosphere of an old Orleans Jazz club, so you can revel and dance the night away to those wonderful classic tunes.
The Solent City Jazzmen are:
Trumpet: Cuff Billett
Trombone: John Wiseman
Clarinet and Saxophones: Tony Carter
Piano: Chris Satterly
Banjo: George Skidmore
Double Bass: Ray Goold
Drums: Peter Littleproud.
The Sunset Café Stompers are one of the top UK jazz bands and play the music of the golden age of jazz … great melodies from Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington… and the band's wide repertoire also features songs made famous by artists as diverse as Patsy Cline, Marilyn Monroe, Fats Domino… Beneath it all lies that enthralling pulse - the sound of New Orleans. Great feet tappin' music! The band includes :
Mike Denham - Keyboard and leader
Trevor Whiting - Clarinet plus Tenor, Alto and Soprano saxes
Steve Graham - Trumpet and/or Cornet
Pete Middleton - Trombone and arranger
Keith Hall - Banjo and Guitar
John Coad - Drums.
Tim Eyles Mardi Gras is a band whose music is a mixture of New Orleans to jump jive and spirituals. The band members are normally
Tim Eyles, vocals/trumpet
Chris Walker, clarinet/saxophone
Peter Maxfield, double bass
Andy Daniels, piano
John Bell, drums.
Trudgeons Trad Jazz Troubadours is a Bristol-based band, started by Joseph Trudgeon as a cross generational project. The philosophy is based around bringing young and old jazz musicians and their audience together whilst preserving the musical traditions of 1920s and 30s. The band comprises:
Joseph Trudgeon - Guitar and Vocals
Ceri Williams - Trumpet
Trevor Whitting - Reeds
Gus Dolding - banjo and Clarinet
Mike Kennedy - Double bass
Paul Archibald - Drums.
Megs Etherington(trumpet)
Tony Carter (Reeds)
Ken Ames (Guitar)
Peter McCurrie (string bass)