Back to Bishopstone ...

About this time last year we made our return to Bishopstone after the world had begun to recover from The Great Plague - remember Covid? Could we ever forget? In our blog on that occasion, we referred to three striking impressions arising from our gigs here - the welcome familiarity of the same faces in the audience (many at the same tables!), the resounding (at times raucous!) reception given to us by the good folk of Bishopstone, and (not least!) the excellent catering by the many volunteer helpers, which included a meal for us hungry jazzers - a sure way to guarantee our next return visit!

It was therefore something of a very enjoyable 'action replay' of our previous visits, and it certainly didn't seem like a year since last time. Needless to say, Mike Denham was careful not to repeat last year's programme, just in case some of the audience had been making notes at the time, or had exceptionally good memories! Trevor was in his usual fine form with a couple of Bechet numbers, the better known being Petite Fleur, a resounding Top Twenty trad jazz hit for Chris Barber back in 1959 - we actually prefer Trevor's version because we're totally biased, but we wouldn't dream of telling him. As Hamish was unfortunately indisposed and had to remain back at the ranch, Keith took on vocal duties with some whimsical lyrics from his fine repertoire, and Pete provided the obligatory comedy moment by managing to get a 'foreign object' lodged in his trombone bell just in time for A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square ... duly renamed as A Nightingale Wheezed ...

Thanks for being such a great audience, all you Bishopstoners! We look forward to our next visit, which is already scheduled as these lines are published!