Algiers Stompers

Back from New Orleans in 1973 and again in his native North-East of England, Brian formed the Heritage Hall Stompers along with lifetime friend Derek Winter's, &  George Stacey, whom have been part of the British New Orleans Jazz scene ever since, during this time Kid Thomas, to his fans’ delight, was still visiting Europe into the 1980s.

In 1996 Brian realised a long-held dream when he formed the Algiers Stompers,( named in honour of  Kid Thomas’s Valentine band,) from invited players who knew and wanted to work in that tradition. Fronting the Stompers also gave Brian an opening for his forceful Emanuel Paul / Andrew Morgan based tenor sax.
 

Debuting at the Glossop Festival of 1997, the band was an instant hit.

Returning from a gig when he was part of the "Colyer Trust Band", Brian was seriously injured in a car crash leaving him with perminant debilitating injuries to his left leg. For 18 months his playing future was doubtful, and it was not until August 1998 at the Bude Jazz Festival the band would celebrate his return to playing once again,  with his return came the first of several recordings. Since those day's  there have been some personnel changes, but the Stompers, now well-established, go from strength to strength with regular return bookings at leading clubs and festivals across the UK, and tours including Belgium, Holland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Majorca, Malta, Switzerland and The USA.

Claiming to replicate Kid Thomas’s music would be an impertinence — "as if anyone could" - 'We celebrate it' by adopting its driving, melodic, stepping-out-for-pleasure style, as did the Kid Thomas Band, adding old and new tunes into the ever widening repertoir,  like the Kid Thomas Band, hoping to warm the hearts and feet of those who caught his band in the old days, and those who wish they had.

PETER WRIGHT (Trumpet)

 Starting in his teens, Peter developed his skills during National Service along with other young RAF musicians of the time, where they were to be found playing the local jazz clubs of the day.  

Many years later  Peter was  gigging at his regular weekly jazz session on his native Teesside, (North Yorkshire befor the boundry changes were implimented in UK) he was on hand in ‘73 when Brian and Derek formed the  Heritage Hall Band. Peter having also learned bass, depped with the Heritage on both instruments, finally replacing Derek Winters in the trumpet chair full time in the Heritage Hall band in the early 8Os.  

From 1974 Peter has also led his own New Orleans Preservation Band and played with other northern groups like Newcastle’s Vieux Carre. Peter has a  wealth of experience which includes playing with Kid Thomas, Louis Nelson, Kid Sheik, Thomas Jefferson, Freddy Kohlman, Sam Lee, Herb Hall, Butch Thompson, Sammy Rimington and Barry Martyn, sometimes on trumpet while other times on String Bass, and we were very pleased to welcome Peter in the trumpet chair replacing Derek Winters  (who joined Chris Blount's Band)  to the Algiers Stompers Band in late 2003.
 

CHAS HUDSON (Trombone/vocals)

For many years the late Louis Nelson,  Kid Thomas’s great trombonist, was a friend and teacher to Chas Hudson who to this day plays the trombone Mr Nelson used on his last recording.

Chas is grateful for the kindneww of the New Orleans Musicians who on his frequent visits to the city enabled him to gain the invaluable experience of playing and sitting in with the Humphrey Brothers, Kid Shiek's Band at Preservation Hall, John Royen's Quartet variously including Chris Burke, Barry Martyn, Wendell Brunious, Emery Thompson, Sadie Goodson Colar and Walter Lewis, and on the riverboats with Andrew Hall. 

Chas Hudson is a band founder-member, being with the Algiers Band from its start, and he enjoys re-introducing forgotten tunes from old sheet music to the band, this along with his "dry sense of humour" when telling an audience about the history and story of a tune, adds that extra flavour to his introductions.

 

"Mac" Mac Donald   (Banjo)

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"Mac "Mac Donald Banjo from Ilfracombe is now  with the Algiers Stompers, and he brings that Manny Sayles style with him to the band. Mac was for many years with Brian's other band the Heritage Hall Stompers in the 1970's / 80's recording at Bude with Ken Matthews on bass and Malc Murphy drums with Brians Original New Heritage Quartet for the "Jazz Crusade Lable" USA.

"Mac" Mac Donald  is a very respected musician and his knowledge of the History of the Music of New Orleans is very extensive, he has an intimate insite to the lives of Many of the musicians of  New Orleans in the  late 1970's and early 80's,  and we are very pleased to have "Mac "Mac Donald with the Algiers Stompers where he compliments the the other members of the rythmn section .

Andrew Hall  (Piano)

Andrew Hall I am pleased to say, has joined the Algiers Stompers on piano, Andrew is a great asset to the band and brings a wide knowlege of the Music and Musicians of New Orleans to the band.

Andrew has played with just about all the greats of New Orleans Music from the likes of Kid Punch Miller to Capt John Handy and Kid Thomas Valentine as well as the Doc Paulin Brass band of New Orleans and many many others,  not just in Preservation Hall, but residencies at the Columns Hotel where "Pretty Baby" the film was made,  also  other old time venues the likes of Old Firemans Hall in Westwego.

Andrew is continuesly commuting between the UK and New Orleans, Louisiana, his adopted City in USA.   However Andrew also has his home in the UK playing with "The Algiers Stompers" as well as his own "Memories of New Orleans Band", whilst still running his "Society Band" in New Orleans, this keep's him very busy indeed being in demand in both countries playing Piano aa well as Drums.

Andrew Hall originally moved to New Orleans in the late 1960's along with another Buddy of his from Nottingham, the clarinet player Chris Burke who contiues to work and reside in Louisians, playing with Andrew and with his own band to this day.

Andrew has recorded extensivly in New Orleans as well as the UK and can be heard playing with Brian Carrick on CD's as well as DVD's recorded in New Orleans and Europe, not only playing New Orleans Jazz but the Music of Jerry Lee Lewis and Doctor John,  to the Gospel Music of the Black Churches in New Orleans and that wonderful Billie Pierce piano style.

BILL COLE (Bass)

Bill started on banjo, then string bass, in 1957 with bands in his own Canterbury area. In 1961, moving to London, he joined Barry Martyn''s Camellia Band, accompanying Kid Shiek and then Kid Thomas and Emanuel Paul on their first European tours. He also played sousaphone with the New Teao Brass Band.

After stints with leading London bands, he joined Ken Colyer in October 1964, an eventful 5 years which included recording with George Lewis. In 1969 Bill moved to Nottingham where, with Jazz Spectrum, he accompanied greats like Bud Freeman and recorded with New Orleans clarinet legend Albert Nicholas: Versitility personified, Bill also recorded with Peanuts Hucko and on Sousaphone with Harold Dejan''s Young Olympia Brass Band.

Bill  joined the Algiers band back in 1998 taking over from Ken Matthews (Another Great Old Style Bass Player) when Ken left due to medical problems, Bill; also plays with Black Snake Jazz Band, the Oreole Parade Band, and locally - enough to keep him out of trouble, you''d have thought

Ray Bowden  (DRUMS)

We are very pleased to say that we now have Ray Bowden on drums,  as a regular member of the Algiers Stompers.      

Ray is one of the very best old style drummers that you could hope to have within a band, his drumming and style is  a mixture from Sammy Penn to Louis Barbarin that we all loved with the Great "Kid Thomas Band."  Ray has the Drive and Swing so important that is required for a band playing within the framework of the "Kid Thomas Band", and his impact upon the audience when playing is instant.

Ray was for many years part of the teams that looked after and roadied some of the Greatest Rock Band's and Country Bands of the past 30 years all over the world,  Bands that were and still are Household names and Famous throughout the world, however during all of this time Ray was in love with the Music of New Orleans.

Ray Bowden  has the feel of  a New Orleans musician  that is vital for the Algiers Stompers, however Ray can add the beat of a Rock and Roll Band to the drums whenever the need arises, if the band is playing an old Rock and Roll or Country number, but within the boarders of a New Orleans style band.

His stories are Legendary of days out with these Great World Renowed Rock and Country Stars,  many of the stories parrellining similar experiences of New Orleans Musicians and Travelling and Touring just playing music.