Dennis Armstrong's Oliver Band - "Joe Oliver's Music"
Catalogue Note:
Here is another superb band which happened by chance. At the 2003 Bude Jazz Festival the informal duo session of Dennis Armstrong and Jon Penn, one evening at The Bencoolen Inn, gradually grew in number, until by 11.30pm it had become an eight-piece band playing “Joe Oliver’s Music”. Now, three years on, I am delighted to have recorded their first CD. As the excellent sleevenotes say - “The band plays arrangements based on, but not constrained by, the original Oliver recordings”. I must pay tribute to Dennis and his superb second cornet player Chris Mercer for the many hours they have rehearsed in order to capture the special two-cornet sound of the Oliver band. The other fine band-members are:- Phil Wall clarinet, Bob Dwyer trombone, Jon Penn piano, Geoff Over banjo, John Bayne double bass and bass sax, Rodger Hanley drums. The tunes are:- Froggie Moore Rag, Working Man Blues, Chattanooga Stomp, Where Did You Stay Last Night, Some Of These Days, Jazzin’ Babies Blues, Mandy Lee Blues, Mabel’s Dream, Sweet Lovin’ Man, Weatherbird Rag, Sobbin’ Blues, I’m Going Away To Wear You Off My Mind, Riverside Blues, Room Rent Blues, New Orleans Stomp. (63 min)
