Reviews

If you thought you heard thunder in Newport on Sunday what you were actually hearing was the sound of stomping feet and rapturous applause as the Big Bear Stompers entertained the audience at the latest concert put on by Newport Jazz Club.

The Stompers were led by banjoist and vocalist Dave Moorhead, a graduate of the Terry Lightfoot band, who introduced each number putting it in it's historical context. During the concert the band dipped deep into their repertoire of traditional jazz in the style of trumpeter Lu Watters and his Yerba Buena Jazz Band who led a trad jazz revival in San Francisco in the 1940's. Numbers were drawn from the songbooks of King Oliver, Bessie Smith and Bix Beiderbecke and with a front line comprising two trumpets, clarinet and trombone the sound of the 1920's when the songs were first heard was beautifully re-created.

The next concert is on Sunday 26 May and features modern jazz from the Tom Millar Quartet.Tickets can be reserved by 'phoning 730601 or Bill Wills on 523879. The concert is at the Apollo Theatre and starts at 3.00pm.