Farewell to Paul and retro wedding

This month we said goodbye to Paul Fitzgerald, our regular bass player for the last two years. Of all the places to emigrate to he's chosen Cairo. We wish him well.


Paul's replacement will be unveiled in a future post. Meanwhile, we are fortunate to have the incomparable Dave Pullin standing in on a temporary basis.

Yesterday we were in the deep south of Suffolk. The wedding speeches finished well over an hour behind schedule, giving Andy a chance to check out the featured automobile.



"Yes, the unmistakable smell of a Morris Minor!"

The Country Wedding

Last night Eastern Straynotes, found themselves playing for a wedding deep in rural Norfolk. We had a wonderful evening. Either we were very good or the guests were very game but we had them dancing from the first number right through to the end of the final set. I will never think of 'Petite Fleur' in the same way again: we performed it as a very upbeat and rousing tango.

Of course it may have had something to do with our special guest star, Colin Brady, who came along to play drums. A rare gap in the Lee Vasey Band's calender meant he was free for the evening. With versatile use of a small kit he added colour, depth and extra texture to our unique mix of swing, klezmer and the like. I hope it isn't too long before we can play together again.

We also had Paul back on double bass, having missed the last two gigs, and it was clear how much we have gelled as a band since he joined us in November. I am already looking forward to our next gig.

One of the most satisfying aspects of being in Eastern Straynotes is playing music that appeals to so many people of all ages. It reminds the older folk of their youth while the younger crowd recognise a music that was, after all, originally written for the young.

Perhaps the greatest accolade of the evening was being asked if we would travel to north London to play klezmer for a fortieth birthday party next year. And that was a serious enquiry made before the champagne toast!

No Strings Cabaret

So the three of us turned up at Norwich Puppet Theatre shortly after 5pm for a sound check and then disappeared to a South Indian restaurant on nearby Magdalene Street for a take-away. Back at the venue we disappeared back stage to meet some of the stars of the burlesque scene. We did some waiting in the wings, hearing but not seeing performances, before we trooped onto the stage to strut our stuff. Paul averted the traditional snow-storm but bringing along a file to put all his music in. Andy and I relied on memory and a practised art of blagging when that failed.

Our five klezmer numbers went down very well and it was lovely to see one or two people get up and dance. I like to think there would have been more but the steepness of the rake and closeness of the rows of seats must have made it difficult. The last time I played at the Puppet Theatre was for a showing of Pinocchio almost a year ago. I didn't need to worry about playing to the audience as all the attention was on Gepetto, alias puppeteer Steve Tiplady, and Pinocchio himself. The clarinet tends to make one look downwards and on Friday I discovered I couldn't see beyond the first two rows without adopting a very strange playing position, something I should have tried (and abandoned) in the sound check.

We played in the Kasbah Bar (there was an eastern theme to the evening) during the interval and again had the folk moving to our klezmer/Balkan groove. An exotic, mute beauty was serving wine with her wrist chained to her ankle and her clientele were as cool as midnight in the Arabian desert. Low tables sprinkled with sweetmeats, filmy drapes and a scattering of cushions completed the picture.

Paul had to rush off to another gig at the end of the interval (such is the bassist's lot) and Andy, with childcare duties to perform, went with him. It was left to me to watch the second half which featured a gypsy fortune teller, some fine work with feathers and a bed of nails. I also saw my first male stripper - a comedy spiv routine - who had the good taste to stop while he was still entertaining.

I confess I forgot my camera but there were photographers present, at least one of whom looked like he was a dab hand with a lens, so I hope to track down some pictures to post.

Wensum Lodge this Friday

Well the rumours have turned out to be true. Sebastiana will be joining the Straynotes in Jurnets Bar this coming Friday 22nd January. We will be on at about 8.30 in order that Paul can hot foot it to the Black Horse on Earlham Rd for another gig. This will allow the rest of us to sit back, relax and enjoy the rest of the bill. I'm told it includes the excellent Horses Brawl.