"... Now here's something to enjoy and by golly I do enjoy this, it's homegrown jazz of a high order . . .  [ plays track from CD ]  . . .
Yes , that was the Plymouth based Armada Jazz Band led by the outstanding trombonist Roger Marks and with impassioned trumpet by John Shillito, contriving to bring both a blues and a latin feeling to a song from my youth which I still cherish, Red Sails in the Sunset.
That comes from a CD of the same name on Raymer Jazz.
Let me give you the rest of the personnel, because that's a good band - Ken Rennison was on tenor, John Whitlock guitar, Bob Jarvis bass guitar, and Denny Hutchinson on drums."
Humphrey Lyttleton, "Best of Jazz", BBC Radio2, 30 April 2001

click the below to hear a sample

Roger Marks has done it again! This new CD, named after track 6, presents a combination of good 'trad' tunes and pop tunes from the past. The trad tunes are 'Redwing', 'Make Me a Pallet on the Floor', and 'Black Cat on the Fence', the last mentioned being a bete-noire for Johnny Bastable who hated playing it when called upon to do so by Ken Colyer! 'Red Sails in the Sunset' is given an unusual treatment, played with a subtle latin rhythm.
Roger's arrangement of 'When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful' - is wonderful. Two of the tracks are originals which provide a local flavour: John Whitlock's 'Wild Goose Chase' (it must refer to a pub!) displays his adept banjo playing and the evocative 'On The Moors', by Ron Purver gives Ken Rennison an opportunity to show off his tenor sax.
Throughout, this is good listening. John Shillito, singing as good as ever on four of the tracks, uses 'This Year's Crop Of Kisses' to feature his trumpet virtuosity, whilst on the Armstrong favourite 'What A Wonderful World', John and the band produce a version which captures all the nuances of this popular tune. Roger Marks shows his prowess on a superb version of 'Brazil'.
All is held together by the metronomic rhythm section of John Whitlock (bjo/g), Bob Jarvis (el.b) and Denny Hutchinson (dms). Wonderful stuff !
Recorded at two live performances in February this year, Raymer Sound has captured the feel of the sessions. Listen out for the band's banter before 'My Bucket's Got A Hole In It'. Musicians' humour to the fore !
Well done Roger & Co - another winner.

John Leonard

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		TRACKS	MUSICIANS
	1	Redwing	Roger Marks - trombone / leader
	2	Black Cat On The Fence	John Shillito - trumpet / vocals
	3	Old Fashioned Love	Ken Rennison - reeds
	4	While We Danced At The Mardi Gras	John Whitlock - banjo / guitar
	5	Wild Goose Chase	Bob Jarvis - e.bass
	6	Red Sails In The Sunset	Denny Hutchinson - drums
	7	My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
	8	When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful
	9	The Stein Song
	10	This Year's (Crop Of) Kisses
	11	Make Me A Pallet On The Floor
	12	On The Moors
	13	White Cliffs Of Dover
	14	Brazil
	15	What A Wonderful World

 

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Red Sails In The Sunset - Roger Marks Armada Jazz Band - RSCD731

Recorded live at Walton Park Hotel, Clevedon 22nd February 2001
(with thanks to Trevor & Val Thomasin and everyone at Clevedon Jazz Club),
and at the Three Horseshoes, Branscombe, 24th February 2001
(with kind permission of the proprietors Jan and John Moore).

Recorded and produced by Raymer Sound (+44 (0)1823-662160) 

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