Martin Bennett
Well known on the European Scene having spent the last twenty years touring, playing in all the major clubs and festivals from Norway to the Canaries. More recently two tours to Australia, several to Canada and a memorable one to California, have been part of his professional experience. Martin first visited New Orleans in 1966 and got to know, on a personal basis, George Lewis, Jim Robinson, Dede and Billy Pierce, the Humphrey brothers, and then in 1978, met up with Greg Stafford, at that time a very young beginner, but who nowadays is much in demand on the European scene. Medical problems forced him to give up playing trombone, but he has reconstructed his career on the keyboard, keeping vocals as part of the programme. He has put together a band of musicians he is proud to present as the Old Green River Band, a mix of old heads and young blood, all with the shared intention of playing top class music with integrity and passion.
David Copperwaite
Dave has been on the British jazz scene a long time and is a very experienced musician. He has first hand knowledge of the street bands of New Orleans from his regular visits to the Crescent City, where he is on first-name terms with many of the black musicians who are at the forefront of street and club jazz. Filled with a boundless enthusiasm for contemporary New Orleans sounds, Dave has a wide-ranging repertoire matched to a deep routed awareness of the history of New Orleans music. He is a fine trumpet player and vocalist, he matches the band’s musical aspirations perfectly.Dave plays exclusively on a custom built POLLARD trumpet.
Stuart Smith
Stuart joined the band while still studying for his music degree at Salford University, immediately travelling with the band on tours to Scotland, Holland and Belgium. He has a technique well in advance of his 25 years, listens to everything, and has a natural swing at any tempo. His exuberant style suits the band’s requirements completely. Watch out for his exciting solos
Howard Murray
Howard is a most talented reed player and well established on the Manchester scene, with a solid reputation for inventive solos. His musicianship is of a very high order, and when not engaged on the jazz scene, he is to he found working with young musicians. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of pre-war, wartime and post-war radio comedy!
Mac Mac Donald
‘Mac’ is another example of the London jazz scene of the fifties, and a friend from those days of John Finch. ‘Mac’ and I met up in the seventies and played a lot of music together. I met up with him again after he had moved down to Devon, and was with him in 1978 when we went to New Orleans in a band run by a guest of the Old Green River Band, John Shillito. ‘Mac’ has an excellent understanding of what New Orleans banjo playing is about, and brings a very rhythmic style, developed over the years.
John Finch
John comes from a deep pool of musicians that came to prominence in the London area over 40 years ago, where he played with every band of worth around at the time. He plays in his own style and can offer sweet solos when required and driving funky solos as well. He’s known to make the occasional vocal, and has a very energetic approach to his music, and like Howard, has a lively sense of humour.
Roscoe Birchmore
I have known Roscoe a long time and have always enjoyed his company as well as his fine bass- playing. He has developed the big sound and a full tone over the years and understands the roll of a double bass in a rhythm section such as ours. He has long been a part of the jazz scene in the UK and has travelled most of the jazz routes in Europe with top bands. As well as being a driving bass player Roscoe is a professional magician, a member of the Magic Circle, who is capable of baffling acts at very close quarters. |
| Sounds Like |
New Orleans Jazz and Blues |
http://www.jazznblues.co.uk/index.asp
| About Martin Bennett’s Old Green River Band |
“The Old Green River Band is one of the most exciting bands I’ve heard in ages. Their music could be described as ‘New Orleans meets RnB’. It is quite different from any of the ‘run of the mill’ New Orleans-style bands, and I think few bands come closer to the true spirit of New Orleans in their music.”
Peter Kings, p.e.k. Sound.Many of the Jazz Clubs in the U.K. regard this band as the most entertaining band they have on the circuit. The Band presents its programmes with drive and dynamism, and a huge sense of musicality played by musicians of very high interpretive jazz awareness and feeling. Stage and club shows are exciting to watch as well as to listen to and any dancers present always greatly enjoy the Band’s overall sense hard rhythm and controlled power.Vocals are a strong feature, using material from a wide variety of sources, from such diverse backgrounds as the earliest of blues and jazz recordings right through country and western to popular songs, rhythm and blues, as well as some original material.The Old Green River Band has an immediately recognisable sound of its own, a characteristic that is regularly brought to our attention by the great jazz public. We are not for the faint-hearted, nor are we for the traditionally found ‘mouldy figs.’ We appeal to those with a wider musical awareness, who walk the broader path and who want a band that differs most noticeably from the rest. |
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Martin Bennett’s Swamplanders. Many of the Jazz Clubs in the U.K. regard this band as the most entertaining band they have on the circuit. The Band presents its programmes with drive and dynamism, and a huge sense of musicality played by musicians of very high interpretive jazz awareness and feeling. Stage and club shows are exciting to watch as well as to listen to and any dancers present always greatly enjoy the Band’s overall sense hard rhythm and controlled power.
Vocals are a strong feature, using material from a wide variety of sources, from such diverse backgrounds as the earliest of blues and jazz recordings right through country and western to popular songs, rhythm and blues, as well as some original material.
The Old Green River Band has an immediately recognisable sound of its own, a characteristic that is regularly brought to our attention by the great jazz public. We are not for the faint-hearted, nor are we for the traditionally found ‘mouldy figs.’ We appeal to those with a wider musical awareness, who walk the broader path and who want a band that differs most noticeably from the rest.
Martin Bennett – keyboard and vocals, David Copperwaite – trumpet and vocals, Howard Murray - clarinet and saxophones, Roscoe Birchmore – double bass, Stewart Smith - drums
My son is licensee of a village pub near Burton. Some of his regulars have asked him to stage a jazz night…or nights….and he’s not sure how to go about it. In addition to a small band playing in the lounge/bar he has an excellent functions room if it were to attract enough people.
Are there jazz musicians or bands in that vicinity who would welcome the opportunity to start what could become a very popular and regular event?
If anyone can help or advise, please respond…with thanks in anticipation….Dennis Shaw (Lifelong jazz fan of mature vintage !!!).
Dennis, I have passed this on to some guys and they will be in touch about playing at the pub,let me know how it goes?
Peter Pollard