Friday 27th January 2023 - Mojo Webb Band
What a fantastic start to the 2023 gig season! A capacity crowd in our favourite club venue, the fully restored and reconstituted Condong Bowlo, with one of our favourite guests, the Mojo Webb Band. The threatened storm didn’t eventuate, except on stage, where Mojo picked, strummed, sang and blew his heart out, supported as ever by J. B. Lewis on bass, Coogie Timms on drums and back-up vocals, and our club’s own Peter ‘Scrubby’ Hurcombe sitting in on guitar whenever Mojo felt inspired to blow his harp down the mic.
Even the caterers were new, and received the only standing ovation ever given to kitchen staff when compere Scrubby invited members and visitors to show their appreciation. All in all a great night, with promise of more to come.
Even the caterers were new, and received the only standing ovation ever given to kitchen staff when compere Scrubby invited members and visitors to show their appreciation. All in all a great night, with promise of more to come.
Thursday 17th November 2022 - Warren Earl Western Swing Band
What a superb foot-stomping final gig for the year! All the nostalgia of the post-War US honky-tonks and dancehalls, courtesy of steel guitar wizard Warren Earl at the head of a talented six piece that recreated the magic of Bob Wills and the musical phenomenon that was Western Swing. Classics of the genre such as ‘Right or wrong’, ‘That was before I met you’ and ‘Honeysuckle Rose’ were blended with pure country favourites like Ray Price’s evergreen classic ‘Crazy Arms’ and the haunting Hank Williams creation ‘I’m so lonesome I could cry.’ These boys had it all in their pockets!
In addition to the melodic strains of the steel guitar, the line-up was augmented with ‘spot on’ percussion from Pete Wilkins, tight base lines courtesy of former Slim Dusty sidesman Rod Coe, fiddle intercessions from Mat Lydon, and virtuoso guitar licks from promising star of the future Sam Sanders, who’d just completed his Year Twelve exams! Vocals from Diego Zaragoza, playing a rhythm guitar that looked as authentic as it sounded, completed the overall experience, and you were either dead or stone deaf if the music didn’t get your feet tapping all by themselves.
The next gig, in January 2023, sees us back at Condong with the Mojo Webb Band for another step back in time, and members’ feet are already twitching in anticipation.
In addition to the melodic strains of the steel guitar, the line-up was augmented with ‘spot on’ percussion from Pete Wilkins, tight base lines courtesy of former Slim Dusty sidesman Rod Coe, fiddle intercessions from Mat Lydon, and virtuoso guitar licks from promising star of the future Sam Sanders, who’d just completed his Year Twelve exams! Vocals from Diego Zaragoza, playing a rhythm guitar that looked as authentic as it sounded, completed the overall experience, and you were either dead or stone deaf if the music didn’t get your feet tapping all by themselves.
The next gig, in January 2023, sees us back at Condong with the Mojo Webb Band for another step back in time, and members’ feet are already twitching in anticipation.
Thursday 27th October 2022 - The Session Band
They battled down a dark highway, through a hailstorm, in dense traffic, but ‘The Session Band’ survived it all to give us one of the best shows we’ve ever enjoyed, before putting their instruments into their travel bags and heading back north.
Peter Uppman (front man and horns), Jo Bloomfield (keyboard), Russell Bayne (guitar) and Pat Robbins (drums and backing vocals) pulled out all the steps in a programme that contained everything from era standards such as ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’ and ‘A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square’, through favourites from artists such as Elvis, Max Merritt and Neil Diamond, all the way to a supercharged version of the Johnny Cash signature ‘Folsom Prison Blues’.
It’s a mark of the true professionalism of this outfit that although attendance numbers were lower than usual, they performed with the same enthusiasm as if they were on stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Thanks for a superb show, people, and come back soon.
Peter Uppman (front man and horns), Jo Bloomfield (keyboard), Russell Bayne (guitar) and Pat Robbins (drums and backing vocals) pulled out all the steps in a programme that contained everything from era standards such as ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’ and ‘A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square’, through favourites from artists such as Elvis, Max Merritt and Neil Diamond, all the way to a supercharged version of the Johnny Cash signature ‘Folsom Prison Blues’.
It’s a mark of the true professionalism of this outfit that although attendance numbers were lower than usual, they performed with the same enthusiasm as if they were on stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Thanks for a superb show, people, and come back soon.
Thursday 29th September 2022 - Hint Of Swing Big Band
A near-capacity crowd and an 18 piece ‘big band’ occupying almost a quarter of the venue room made for a tight squeeze, but only added to the ambience as one happy memory after another was revived for those in attendance. During their first set alone, they delivered classics such as ‘Satin Doll’, ‘Hallelujah I just love him so’, ‘How high the moon’, ‘One note samba’, ‘On the sunny side of the street’, and ‘Take the A train.’
It takes skill and dedication to ensure a note-perfect performance by so many talented and dedicated instrumentalists, augmented by two superb vocal stylists, and the best indication of how well this gifted ensemble went down with their audience was the fact that virtually nobody left after the raffles were drawn.
Thank you ‘Hint of Swing’, and thank you to those who made it possible. It gets better every month, and it’s only a pity that the next gig is still four weeks away.
It takes skill and dedication to ensure a note-perfect performance by so many talented and dedicated instrumentalists, augmented by two superb vocal stylists, and the best indication of how well this gifted ensemble went down with their audience was the fact that virtually nobody left after the raffles were drawn.
Thank you ‘Hint of Swing’, and thank you to those who made it possible. It gets better every month, and it’s only a pity that the next gig is still four weeks away.
Thursday 25th August 2022 - Todd Hardy Swingtet
On one of the coldest nights of the year we were eager for some hot jazz, and the Todd Hardy Swingtet certainly didn’t disappoint. This six piece ensemble of talented musos, led by an experienced trumpeter who knows the best when he hires them, gave us two hours of swing, hardbop and a few hard to define but easy to listen to arrangements of their own. Those who like to warm their hearts with favourite standards weren’t left out either, with classics such as ‘I can’t give you anything but love,’ ‘Mood Indigo’, ‘I’m beginning to see the light,’ ‘Ain’t Misbehaving,’ and ‘Take the A Train’ flooding the room with nostalgia.
To finish the show, they gave us a lengthy rendition of ‘Route 66’ that was three times longer than the original score, during which each instrumentalist gave us at least two solos, then we wandered back out into the icy air with the reminder that good jazz can be an electric blanket for the soul.
To finish the show, they gave us a lengthy rendition of ‘Route 66’ that was three times longer than the original score, during which each instrumentalist gave us at least two solos, then we wandered back out into the icy air with the reminder that good jazz can be an electric blanket for the soul.
Thursday 30th July 2022 - Bags Of Groove Band
Those of us who overcame the cold, COVID, potholes and natural inertia to make the effort to attend our July gig thought that all our Christmases had come at once as soon as ‘Bags of Groove’ opened up their first set. Led by vibraphonist Dave Kemp, it was an evening of jazz the way that it was meant to be, and if you closed your eyes you could have been in Sydney’s Basement, London’s Ronnie Scott’s or the Green Mill in Chicago. Not bad for downtown Murwillumbah!
Dave displayed his music credentials as he interspersed each number with fascinating facts about the construction and history of the vibraphone and some of its famous exponents such as Milt Jackson and Lionel Hampton. Equally spellbinding, playing several forms of reed instrument, was his wife Catherina, with his father in law Glen Shepherd on keyboard. A tight backline of Phil Jack on bass and Pete Neville on drums kept the ‘groove’ faultless all evening, and we ventured back out into the icy late chill with hearts thoroughly warmed by the best jazz to be heard north of the Big Smoke.
Dave displayed his music credentials as he interspersed each number with fascinating facts about the construction and history of the vibraphone and some of its famous exponents such as Milt Jackson and Lionel Hampton. Equally spellbinding, playing several forms of reed instrument, was his wife Catherina, with his father in law Glen Shepherd on keyboard. A tight backline of Phil Jack on bass and Pete Neville on drums kept the ‘groove’ faultless all evening, and we ventured back out into the icy late chill with hearts thoroughly warmed by the best jazz to be heard north of the Big Smoke.
Thursday 30th June 2022 - Harry Lynn And The Warblers
A lovely laid back, nostalgic trip down memory lane for our June gig, as Harry Lynn and the Warblers took us, cabaret style, through the song books of some of the great composers. Led by Harry himself on keyboard, with Les Kafoa on drums and John Edwards on bass, accomplished vocalists George Harvey and Beth Hamilton played musical mikes for two and a half hours of reworked standards that included ‘Dancing Cheek to Cheek’, ‘Don’t get around much any more’, ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’, ‘Georgia on my mind’ and ‘Summertime’.
The temporary venue of Murwillumbah Golf Club provided a perfect setting with its comfortable lounge, adjacent bar and delicious dinner menu, and the appreciative audience lapped it all up as they sang along.
The temporary venue of Murwillumbah Golf Club provided a perfect setting with its comfortable lounge, adjacent bar and delicious dinner menu, and the appreciative audience lapped it all up as they sang along.
Thursday 26th May 2022 - Mojo Webb Band
Another great night, despite a few changes. A different venue, a different night of the week, and it wasn’t raining for once. A capacity crowd turned out for one of the Club favourites, Mojo Webb, whose authentic blues sound filled the room with energy and much-needed uplift. The back of the stage resembled a guitar shop, and after Mojo demonstrated how good each of them sounded he switched to harmonica, leaving Club Committee member Peter ‘Scrubby’ Hurcombe to demonstrate his own guitar mastery of the blues format, to the delight of the already ecstatic crowd. We certainly got our ‘Mojo’ working!
Many thanks to Murwillumbah Golf Club for playing temporary host while our usual venue gets dried out. Your club premises are a delight, and the food service is excellent.
Many thanks to Murwillumbah Golf Club for playing temporary host while our usual venue gets dried out. Your club premises are a delight, and the food service is excellent.
Friday 28th January 2022 - BlueSkillet Rovers
A foot-stomping start to 2022, with the welcome return of The BlueSkillet Rovers, a lively six piece, augmented on this occasion by Club Committee member Peter ‘Scrubby’ Hurcombe, sitting in on guitar due to the temporary absence of their regular six string sidesman.
Their music is best described as ‘eclectic’, which is a convenient word to describe what might be more accurately identified as ‘Bluegrass jazz-infused blues with a rockabilly flavour’, and their visual presentation was just as authentic. Even the lead vocalist’s 1920s look microphone resembled a leftover from ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and the ‘down-home’ wisecracking between band members between numbers added to the overall experience.
A great night, and a taste of the year to come. COVID? What COVID?
Their music is best described as ‘eclectic’, which is a convenient word to describe what might be more accurately identified as ‘Bluegrass jazz-infused blues with a rockabilly flavour’, and their visual presentation was just as authentic. Even the lead vocalist’s 1920s look microphone resembled a leftover from ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and the ‘down-home’ wisecracking between band members between numbers added to the overall experience.
A great night, and a taste of the year to come. COVID? What COVID?
Friday 26th November 2021 - Peter's Pick
A fitting end to a difficult year, as a group of local musos came together to reconfirm how much talent lies in the Northern Rivers. Former Club President, current Committee member, bass player and music teacher to generations of Murwillumbah students, Peter McLaughlin assembled an impressive line-up that partly reprised his days in Sydney’s famous Bourbon and Beefsteak as he called up drummer Kevin Collins and vocalist Lesley Rose to play the memories.
The addition of Glen Shepherd on keys, Joes Travers on guitar and Jake Bryant on sax guaranteed a wallow through nostalgia as the ensemble worked their way through the standards songbook, while throwing in the occasional surprise such as Edith Piaf’s signature ‘La vie en rose’.
That was the last Club gig for 2021, but COVID willing we’ll be back in January 2022. In the meantime, have a great Xmas and a safe New Year, and see you on the dance floor.
The addition of Glen Shepherd on keys, Joes Travers on guitar and Jake Bryant on sax guaranteed a wallow through nostalgia as the ensemble worked their way through the standards songbook, while throwing in the occasional surprise such as Edith Piaf’s signature ‘La vie en rose’.
That was the last Club gig for 2021, but COVID willing we’ll be back in January 2022. In the meantime, have a great Xmas and a safe New Year, and see you on the dance floor.
Friday 29th October 2021 - Scrubby And Friends
A wonderful celebration of our release from the latest lockdown, surrounded by old friends and being serenaded by some of the finest musos on the North Coast.
In the back line, Toby Baron on drums and Robert Renfrew on bass. Both men brought impressive track records over with them from the UK, with Toby even being able to boast a link with the 60s icons The Kinks. Then the consummate Martha Baartz on sax, with a list of guest appearances for famous artists whose names would fill your autograph book.
On trombone, the seemingly inexhaustible ‘Trombone’ Kellie Barnett, who can go in one breath from a rasping trombone glissando to the most powerful female vocal offering to be heard anywhere on the planet. Then, gluing it all together with guitar skills that must have been acquired one dark night at a crossroads, our own Peter ‘Scrubby’ Hurcombe, whose slide guitar blues riffs should be recorded and employed as the Northern Rivers anthem.
Due to COVID restrictions, entry numbers were limited, but we could have filled the venue twice over. It will be no different next month, when we welcome ‘Peter’s Pick’, and we can’t wait.
In the back line, Toby Baron on drums and Robert Renfrew on bass. Both men brought impressive track records over with them from the UK, with Toby even being able to boast a link with the 60s icons The Kinks. Then the consummate Martha Baartz on sax, with a list of guest appearances for famous artists whose names would fill your autograph book.
On trombone, the seemingly inexhaustible ‘Trombone’ Kellie Barnett, who can go in one breath from a rasping trombone glissando to the most powerful female vocal offering to be heard anywhere on the planet. Then, gluing it all together with guitar skills that must have been acquired one dark night at a crossroads, our own Peter ‘Scrubby’ Hurcombe, whose slide guitar blues riffs should be recorded and employed as the Northern Rivers anthem.
Due to COVID restrictions, entry numbers were limited, but we could have filled the venue twice over. It will be no different next month, when we welcome ‘Peter’s Pick’, and we can’t wait.
Friday 30th July 2021 - Fiona Boyes
Wow, wow and wow again! A perfect antidote to the gloom and depression of COVID, as Fiona Boyes leaped out of the traps and played her heart out, risking dislocated fingers as she demonstrated her mastery of one eclectic guitar after another, one of which had only three strings but in her hands sounded like an orchestra.
From Chicago, down through Mississippi and into Louisiana, the music was as authentic as ’gaitors and moonshine, and never once let up. Fiona interspersed her musical miracles with reminiscences of the places she’d visited on her US tours, from the haunting post-Katrina New Orleans to the dodgy juke joints where the singers risked being electrocuted by their microphones.
Two and a half hours later, the audience members were still glued to their seats, ‘chair dancing’ as Fiona called it. Definitely an act to be re-booked once COVID regulations permit the Club to admit larger numbers.
From Chicago, down through Mississippi and into Louisiana, the music was as authentic as ’gaitors and moonshine, and never once let up. Fiona interspersed her musical miracles with reminiscences of the places she’d visited on her US tours, from the haunting post-Katrina New Orleans to the dodgy juke joints where the singers risked being electrocuted by their microphones.
Two and a half hours later, the audience members were still glued to their seats, ‘chair dancing’ as Fiona called it. Definitely an act to be re-booked once COVID regulations permit the Club to admit larger numbers.
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© 2017 Tweed Valley Jazz And Blues Club Inc
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