A new dance band hosted its first Tea Dance on Sunday, 5th February at Lansdown Hall, Stroud.
Friends and family of the band enjoyed a programme of old favourites including On the Sunny Side of the Street, Let’s Do it and Happy Feet, with vocals by Richard Tiley who sings with the band.
Lead trumpet James Parker played an excellent rendition of Sugar Blues with support solos by Tonia Price (alto saxophone) and Chris Lockwood (tenor saxophone) and there were arrangements of Tiger Rag and 12th Street Blues by Helicon player, Ian Hartnell.
The Adelphi Dance Band was born out of the purchase of a 1930s drum-kit which local musician Mark Coldrick bought from Stroud antiques dealer Gerald Fry.
“I’ve always loved the 1920s/30s era and as soon as I saw the kit, I started dreaming up a dance band to go with it,” said Mark.
The Adelphi Dance Band was born in the autumn of 2019, however, soon after Covid hit and the kit was wheeled into store and lay dormant for the interminable period that followed. Undeterred, the band members dusted off their instruments and started rehearsing again as soon as they were able, meeting up once a month.
The line-up comprises two trumpets (James Parker and Karen Coldrick), trombone (Steve Rogers), helicon (Ian Hartnell), two Saxophones (Tonia Price and Chris Lockwood), piano (Becky Saunders), banjo (John Harris), Violin (Wendy Clark), singer (Richard Tiley), not forgetting Mark Coldrick on the vintage drum kit.
During the afternoon, cakes – made especially for the occasion by Mark’s niece Amy Coldrick – were served by other members of the family and guests took to the dance floor to make this an event to banish the winter blues.
The Adelphi Dance Band hopes to take bookings for weddings/parties in the near future – for further information please contact 07973 640904.
