FESTIVAL REVIEWS

Starbucks Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival

(30th July to 8th August 2004)

Monday 2^nd. August 2004.

Later that evening we squeezed into the Spiegeltent to listen to Fat Sams Band, well I found my heaven so far. This was my music - lively Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Rock - a very fine performance packed with high energy tunes lots of lively entertaining moments. An excellent 9 piece band of accomplished musicians and every member played his part, the audience danced in the aisles, (if they could) and I thought it was going to be impossible to get them off the stage, but only one on-chore, that really hurt and it was all over. It was the end of the best session of the last four days and I feel will take some beating. This is one band I will look forward to seeing again.

Brian Gumbley

'THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECHO' England "Scottish Police are aiding enquiries following a raid on The Playhouse theatre by nine men of unsound mind. Inspector McPlod, of Edinburgh CID,said, 'They are well-known to us under the collective name of Fat Sam's Band. They impersonate professional musicians and, indeed, are tremendously accomplished, but their wild enthusiasm and insane humour gives them away.'" 'THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS' Scotland "Fat Sam's Swing Band is billed as Scotland's premier jumpjive, boogie, dance, blues and R and B swing band. But why does its publicity confine its abilities to Scotland? This outfit could play anywhere in the world and show quite graphically that they are as good as anyone. Under the leadership of clarinetist Hamish McGregor, Fat Sam's nine-piece has more bounce than a basketball team, more swing than your average bucket and more exuberance than a cartload of monkeys." ENDORSEMENTS 'THE BEST OF JAZZ' B.B.C.Radio 2. "I do recall enjoying at The Edinburgh Jazz Festival one of the sessions Played by a very crisp and professional little band, playing in the Louis Jordan style, the very popular Edinburgh Band - Fat Sams Band". Humphrey Lyttelton.   'JAZZ JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL'   Reporting on the 'EDINBURGH JAZZ FESTIVAL........... Of the local bands, the best I heard - 'Fat Sams Swing Band'a tight nine-piece that swung like mad, playing Jordan, Gaillard and Calloway material with neat arrangements and an excellent singer". Mike Shera.   'SACRAMENTO JAZZ JUBILEE' California, U.S.A. "Fat Sams Swing Band is a regular favourite at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. The swing band's performances are exciting and energetic, leaving the audiences on their feet clamouring for more !"   'GUINNESS JAZZ FESTIVAL' Cork, Ireland. "Fat Sams Swing Band - This nine-man power house of sound and energy rocked Cork to its foundations with the jumpingest jive music ever heard in the Festival Club ... really classy presentation ... all action group".   'STORYVILLE HAPPY JAZZ CLUB' Helsinki, Finland. "Fat Sams Swing Band - This nine piece 'jump-jive' swing band, hailing from Scotland, reproduced the music of the 1930's, 40's and 50's with great style and pzazz - a great hit in the Club".   'HEINEKEN MUSIC FESTIVALS' Middle East. "It was a delight to witness Fat Sams Swing Band in action happy entertaining music covering a wide variety of styles".   To book the swing band fill in our booking form