Reporter: Tony SHeldon
Date online: 12/06/2008

Up from the southern lowlands (London) presenting a sparkling evening of Jazz entertainment to the Castleton clubbers came the brilliant reeds player James Evans and his New Orleans Wizards. His masterly control of the clarinet honed in his musical degree course has seen him as a band member of Phil Mason's band along with other well known outfits before forming his own talented ensemble if Finlay Milne (trumpet), Tom Kincaid (piano), James Puddy (banjo), Ben Martyn (bass) and Dominic Coles (drums).

A variety of numbers to please the discerning tastes of the Gabriels devotees played with flair, talent and a blend which belied one of the youngest bands on the Jazz circuit.

Milne, Martyn and Coles are the sons of Jazz musicians and, led by Evans, here is a young band who should go from strength to strength if they stay together.

Blues, rags and standards were all given the Wizards treatment with Evans and Martyn sharing the vocals except for a trumpet and vocal solo by Finlay Milne on 'Exactly Like You'. 'Careless Love', 'Redwing' and 'Shake That Thing' highlighted the variety of the first set.

The presence of the two man front line of Milne and Evans was complemented by a rhythm section which included solos by that excellent pianist Tom Kincaid proved that Jazz bands do not always need a blasting trombone.

Highlights of the second set was a superb rendition of 'Panama Rag' which could have come from the instruments of the finest old New Orleans virtuosos.

The final countdown brought rousing arrangements of 'Swing That Music', 'Too Busy' and 'Ice Cream' and the band sent us home 'Getting Sentimental Over You'. Magnificent!

The New Orleans Wizards
November 2002