Sundridge Park Club, South London
April 6th, 2026
‘Where Am I?’ was one of many hot numbers delivered by the Mick Collins Orchestra during another exciting performance at their regular club venue, on a windy Easter Monday night. However, during a tense pause before the show began, a more pertinent question was ‘Where’s The Drummer?’
Saints preserve us. There was a gap at the side of the stage where the drum kit usually nestles. It was left to trombonist and M.C. Paul Taylor to hold the fort and explain why he hadn’t yet struck up the band.
“The drummer’s car won’t start and neither will the band,” Paul told the audience, seated with jaws dropped and glasses of ale clutched in shaking hands. In fact they were surprisingly patient as Paul filled in by reciting some original comic verses.
Thence came a welcome sight. Denis Smith aided by a posse of helpers entered the hall laden with his kit, hastily set up, cymbals adjusted and drums made ready for action. Thank the Lord, his car had eventually started and got him to the gig, if not on time, but certainly most welcome.
The band sprang into action and trumpets and saxes swung into ‘Ray’s Idea’ a lively 1940s bebop tune devised by legendary bass player Ray Brown and arranger Thad Jones. Then came a surprise when during ‘Mean What You Say’ (Thad Jones), Aureliano Zufolo was featured in an hypnotic trumpet solo that came out of the blue and was absolutely riveting.
Not to be outdone, fellow trumpeter Dylan Barnes matched him for taste and control on a beautiful rendition of the ballad ‘I Remember Clifford’ (Benny Golson) also greeted with vigorous applause.
Now it was time for the saxmen to be given the spotlight (Memo to Paul Taylor: Fix up a spotlight) and Paul also leapt into action, not with a light bulb, but with his trusty trombone played at max speed.
‘Best Coast’ an upbeat arrangement by John LaBarbera for the Buddy Rich band was delivered in 3 / 4 time. Then the brass section muted their horns, when Stephen Davies chose ‘Stolen Moments’ for his piano feature, a tune by Oliver Nelson that included a tastefully delivered coda.
GOLDEN HORNS
It was back to an upbeat swinger ‘Like That’ with masterful Dan Gray on trumpet, but it was the ear catching ‘Out Of The Mist’ a slow Kenton-esque piece that recalled the days when big band leaders wanted jazz to be taken as seriously as classical music. Our leader Bill Todd (trombone) leapt to stage front to conduct the dramatic conclusion as Owen Wales’ bass trombone brought us out of the mists of time.
But it was a ‘Switch In Time’ a Count Basie fave by Sammy Nestico that saw Bill back on stage for a truly powerful slide trombone solo of his own. Next came ‘A Pint Of Guinness & Dry Roasted Peanuts’ according to my note book. That sounds like a Tubby Hayes composition but was actually my half-time order at the bar.
The Legacy Orchestra just got better (if that’s possible) and hotter during a second half, that also included a ballad when Tim Sanders played beautiful tenor sax on ‘Yesterdays’. There were also scorching solos from Adam McCulloch (alto sax) and Magnus Pickering (trumpet) amidst the roar of ‘Moment In Time’ and there was another outstanding solo by Aureliano Zufolo on Oliver Nelson’s ultra cool ‘Miss Fine’.
The whole band stopped to allow Aureliano to blow an engagingly jaunty intro to one of the most impressive trumpet solos we’ve heard since…well since Dizzy Gillespie was at Ronnie Scott’s club many moons ago. And the audience cheered.
When it came to the grand finale with Basie favourite ‘Magic Flea’ it was drummer Denis, who’d been swinging all night long, that drove the band to an exhilarating finale. Thank God his car started! CHRIS WELCH