THE WOODPECKER YEARS
1986 - 87
sound samples available soon !
TRACKS MUSICIANS
1 Cakewalking Babies
Tracks 1 - 9
2 I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues
Roger Marks (Trombone)
3 Ory's Creole Trombone
Steve Mellor (Cornet / Vocals)
4 Crazy 'Bout My Baby
Roy Oakshott (Clarinet / Vocals)
5 Trax Blues
John Whitlock (Banjo / Guitar)
6 You're Nobody's Sweetheart Now
Pete McCurrie (Bass Guitar / Tuba)
7 This Year's Kisses
Stan Brown (Drums)
8 Everybody Loves My Baby
9 Papa Dip
Tracks 10-14
10 Jenny's Ball
Roger Marks (Trombone)
11 On Treasure Island
Ron Purver (Trumpet / Vocals)
12 Small Fry
Roy Oakshott (Clarinet / Vocals)
13 In A Persian Market
John Whitlock (Banjo/Guitar)
14 I Double Dare You
Colin Baker (Bass guitar)
Stan Brown (Drums)
The old memory is getting shaky these days but I think it must have been 1985 when I reformed the Armada. There had been an earlier Armada but that had been very short lived.For whatever reason he had become available, ex-Londoner Ron Purver was my trumpet man - this after leading the Teign Valley Stompers for something like twenty years. Roy Oakshott was on clarinet. He was the archetypal 'English gentleman', very well spoken and immaculately dressed and ran his own hotel the 'Vineyard', at Kingsbridge. His vocals always went down a treat because they were so enchantingly dated - like something out of an old black and white movie. Johnny Whitlock, who is still with me today, was on banjo and we took up a residency at the Woodpecker, South Brent, Devon every Thursday and soon began to pack the place. I made a large wooden sign and hung it over the rails of the hotel balcony facing the A38 westbound. It read 'TRAD JAZZ THURS' and it really worked; holidaymakers spotted it and turned up in good numbers.
After a few months we made our first cassette 'Harlem Bound' - it took just three hours in the studio from start to finish. I remember it well because Ron had the flu - and also the day before the recording session he tore the ligaments in his wrist changing a fan belt and turned up with his left arm in a plaster cast. Somehow he managed to play ok with his arm hanging uselessly by his side, but his vocals had a different inflection occasioned by his blocked nose and sore throat.
With the best of intentions I don't think Ron could settle to being in someone else's band and he left after about a year, albeit on good terms. His replacement, Steve Mellor was much better known for his clarinet playing, his cornet playing having been restricted to the confines of his living room. His first few weeks at the Woodpecker were interesting to say the least. He attacked his cornet in the same manner as he played his clarinet - with great gusto! The sweat would pour from his brow and there was much huffing and puffing, out of all proportion to what was coming out of the horn. Amazingly after about six weeks he turned the corner and was able to translate his thorough knowledge of jazz and his great skill on his original instrument to his new vehicle, the cornet.
In May 1987 off we went again to the recording studios to make another cassette entitled 'On the Crest of a Wave'. Such a title was tempting providence and not long afterwards Steve was posted to Malvern and Roy Oakshott got the break he was dreaming of as a BBC radio producer and moved to London, where he continues to produce wonderful music programmes for Radio 2 to this day. In the absence of suitable replacements the band folded, not to be re-formed until 1992 with a new line-up, which was to evolve into the present day Armada.
Those early recordings however include some great stuff, packed with vitality, strong on personality, individuality, commitment and yes, knowledge. I submit that the 'smart new clothes' that we have acquired along the jazz way do not diminish the value of the fresh and exuberant presentation of the early band. I am delighted that Raymer Sound have seen fit to re-issue the best from these sessions as a part of the Archive Series.
Roger Marks
January 2002
THE WOODPECKER YEARS - Roger Marks Armada Jazz Band - RSCD752
Tracks 1 - 9 recorded 22nd May 1987 R.M.A. Studios, Plymouth.
Tracks 10-14 recorded 20th May 1986 Trax Studios Plymouth.
Produced by Raymer Sound (+44 (0)1823-662160)
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