This band first officially saw the light of day in 2003 when they got together to record a CD (“Percolatin’ Blues”) for Bob Erdos’ Stomp Off label. However, the musicians were all old friends and had played together in numerous combinations over the years, so no wonder it sounds like a regular working outfit, with tight arrangements and a hot yet relaxed style. The underlying idea was to record together those two talented reedmen, Norman Field and Matthias Seuffert, in a programme loosely inspired by the two-reed Jimmie Noone Apex Club band, but when the guys got together it turned into a much more adventurous affair (as one might expect with Norman and Matthias!) with material from Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, Jelly Roll, James P. Johnson, Don Redman and even Paul Whiteman. We are very happy to reconstitute the Serenaders for Whitley Bay 2010, with the exact original recording line-up.

No, this isn’t the title of a record, but it would have been a good one for the sort of music to be heard on this session featuring four of the best guitar players working in the traditional jazz field today: in strictly alphabetical order, they are Philippe Guignier, Spats Langham, Keith Stephen and Martin Wheatley. There have of course been many superb guitarists in the field of classic jazz and many fine recordings exist to attest to their prowess. Names that spring immediately to mind are Eddie Lang, Carl Kress, Dick McDonough, Roy Smeck, Lonnie Johnson, Nick Lucas, our own Len Fillis and of course Django Reinhart, and we are sure that reference will be made to most if not all of these in the course of this one-hour special. We are leaving it up to Philippe, Spats, Keith and Martin as to what they play and in what combinations they play it, but whatever they decide, be sure it will add up to a feast of fine guitar.

This is one-half of the title of a 1933 Jimmie Lunceford recording (“Flaming Reeds & Screaming Brass”) and it also serves as the title for this year’s Whitley Bay reed extravaganza. We expect - and get! - plenty of heat from the wonderful clarinettists and sax players who grace the Festival with their presence every year, and these all-reed sessions often serve to bring this quality out in spades. Maybe it’s the sheer inspiration of being in the company up to a dozen or so of their fellow top players from around the world, maybe it’s a tad of the old competitive spirit being aroused, but either way we have had some wonderful musical experiences in this context over the years. As last year, Matthias Seuffert will be compèring proceedings as well as playing, lining up the various combinations of players and steering the tune selection: he will also keep a bucket of water on hand in case any reeds spontaneously ignite!