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The Big Bear Stompers came into being in 1989 and achieved a considerable following. A variety of events brought about disbandment in 1997 followed by seven years of hibernation. Now the band has re-emerged with five of the original members and is currently blowing a breath of fresh air onto the UK jazz circuit.
Modelling themselves on the West Coast bands of Lu Watters and Turk Murphy, the Bears also draw inspiration from that wellspring of classic jazz of the 1920s. They do, however, have their own individual approach to this interesting and often ignored repertoire.
Much of the credit for this is due to the Bears' driving force - bandleader, guitarist, banjoist and vocalist, Dave Moorwood. Since his early days playing Skiffle, Dave has progressed and developed into a first class rhythm man and a highly talented arranger. As well as running the Bears, he leads his Rascals of Rhythm, a sparkling, drum-less quintet, which is building a fine reputation on the jazz circuit.
This CD was recorded live at Lains Barn, near Wantage in the Oxfordshire countryside. It benefits from the added bonus of a distinguished guest - American trombonist, Jim Maihack. As a sideman in the Turk Murphy Band, and later as the leader of the famed Rosie 0' Grady's Good Time Jazz Band in Florida, Jim's credentials fit the bill perfectly. He is clearly comfortable with the band, providing the perfect ensemble trombone part, peppered with some red hot solos.
Mention must be made of the first class trumpet team. Ben Cummings is a great find - a young performer who has an instinctive understanding of early Armstrong. His musical partner Tony Davis, for many years a mainstay of the popular Midlands-based Zenith Hot Stompers, is also clearly fluent in the language of Louis. Together with Jim they make a formidable brass team.
Mike Wills soars on both clarinet and soprano saxophone. Steeped in the Blues, he is another musician completely at home in the classic era.
Perry Lock is a rarity. A two-handed player with real lay-it-down, sporting house sound, such as you could hear back in the Speakeasy days of Prohibition.
Solid rhythmic support is provided throughout the session by Geoff Hull on sousaphone and Tony Isaacs on washboard, blocks and cymbal. Both performers know exactly what to play and what to leave out. With Dave's banjo added, the rhythm team succeeds in generating the appropriate driving pulse in a convincingly period style.
Chanteuse Judy Eames is featured on a selection of interesting and seldom-heard songs from that crossover period of classic blues and black vaudeville. She has just the right voice for this material, and I particularly enjoyed her duet with Dave Moorwood on, 'You Ain't The One'. This is what 'good-time' jazz is all about.
With music including pieces by Morton, Oliver, Bennie Moten and Richard M Jones, this is a refreshing session of hot jazz performed by musiaans who love the idiom and put it across with enthusiasm and excitement. Catch them live if you can - you won't be disappointed!
John Petters - June 2005
Photographs by Brian Robinson