Sundridge Park Club 02/03/2026
When is a Big Band a GREAT Big band? Answer: When it’s the Mick Collins Legacy Orchestra in full swinging mode, delighting audiences with a richly varied selection of top class arrangements.
So it was a pleasure to see the MCLO playing to a packed audience of enthusiastic supporters ‘one more time’ (As Count Basie would oft decree) at their regular monthly Monday club session.
T’was a cold March night yet all the seats were taken at the South East London venue. And the bar was crowded too as conductor Sir Bill Todd laid down his trombone to count in the band on their opening fusillade ‘Don’t Get Sassy’ as featured by the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Big band of yore.
The all-powerful trumpet section brought us to attention with a triumphal fanfare as drummer Denis Smith set up a swinging beat interspersed with nifty ‘fills’ before Tim Sanders took the first of many fine tenor sax solos of the evening.
Next came ‘The Love We Knew’ a Pete Hurt composition formerly called ‘Soft Song’ that leader Bill explained was being played for the first time in many decades. It arrived with a double bass introduction from Tim Pharoah and a tasteful keyboard solo launched by Stephen Davies. As the ballad evolved Adam McCulloch contributed a melodic alto sax foray and flautist Sim Murray added a crystalline purity to the mix.
The first set progressed with the dramatic ‘Song of the Seer’ and bluesy ‘Angel Eyes’ notable for impressive ensemble playing interspersed with more high speed alto sax-ing from the masterful Mr. McCulloch.
‘Three And One’, a tricky Thad Jones arrangement featured one of several hot trumpet solos of the night by Aureliano Zufolo as well as highlighting the entire band’s consummate sight reading skills.
It was nice to hear the familiar strains of ‘A Taste Of Honey’ a pop hit that the Woody Herman orchestra once adopted. Dylan Barnes’ commanding trumpet dominated here and as MC/ trombonist Paul Taylor explained Dylan took the role of famed high note specialist Maynard Ferguson ‘But without the waistcoat.’
GIVE US STRENGTH
Another highlight of the first set was ‘The Industrial Strength Stomp’ a lively tune set up by muted trombones and bestrewn with complex ensemble passages before an amazing set of solos, first from Joe Brown (tenor sax) and then Aureliano adding choruses fast, furious and full of surprises.
After a well earned break it was time for Stephen Davies to shine again on his up tempo composition ‘Gee Those Blues’. The sizzling second set also included ‘El Vino’ and ‘Chaconne’ with Denis using brushes on his snare drum painting a rhythmic picture awash with more alto sax solos. Gil Evans ‘The Maids Of Cadiz’ and Thad Jones with ‘Little Pixie 2’ were all highlights, the latter notable for its tight knit muted trumpets paving the way for a nimble Paul Taylor trombone solo.
A complete change of mood resulted in one of the evening’s highlights, an outstanding performance of ‘Body & Soul’ by Marcus Pickering on flugel horn. We the audience raised our glasses to cheer final numbers ‘Reepicheep’ and ‘Every Little Beat Helps’ a Sammy Nestico creation for the aforementioned Mr. Basie and played with joyful enthusiasm climaxed by a dynamic Denis-ian drum solo. You could almost imagine the Count smiling approval from the heavens above. Plink, plink…plink!
Photo Credits: Peter Burles
CHRIS WELCH
HOT NEWS: It was confirmed at the Orchestra’s previous Monday gig in February that their most recent recruit, 18 year old trumpeter Aureliano Zufolo has been accepted by the Royal Academy of Music and will commence his studies next Autumn.
Aureliano was also spotlighted in the February issue of JazzWise magazine in their feature The Shape of Jazz to Come 2026. He is among the critics’ predictions for those young musicians who will ‘Shine in the months to come.’