Top Cats — best in hotel music

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 15

Top Cats — best in hotel music

Pub bands. Two words that conjure up all that is vile in popular music — too much noise, too little talent. But just occasionally, a pub offers something different. Something different is the Top Cat Ensemble, a group named after that of a relatively new performer on the American charts, Tom Scott, leader of the L.A. Express. The Top Cats, who play regularly at two Christchurch hotels do have guitar, electric bass, amplifiers and microphones, but the sound level and music are wonderfully toN enable. lan Edwards, a talented saxophone, clarinet and flute player, was taken by the cheeky arrangements of the L.A. Express, and formed a group capable of performing similar arrangements. Edwards and the group’s guitarist (Pat Devlin) have I both had solid groundings ■ in playing non-pub music ; for pub patrons. Devlin i led his own very popular I Les Toots, which at- I tracted interest for its light-hearted tilts at trad j jazz and the jazz rock staples. Edwards worked with the ever-popular Bob Bradford Big Band (which hopefully will be back at ■ the Carlton Hotel this winter). The Top Cats have ( existed, loosely, for about \ two years. Much of their I music comes from the ' “bop” era of the late ' 19405. Many of the tunes : are standards by well- ■ knowns like E'llington, ! Parker and Miles Davis, ' introduced in unison be- ' fore the soloists take over. ' There are also originals, | but modern writers like ' Lorn Scott and the jazz- ■ rock composers are not i ! overlooked. The recent addition of • sass player Wayne Martin ' with Viv Langabeer i (drums) has added greater ' nterest to the band’s | •hythm section. Some of Martin's solos are a cut 1

above the usual Fender lines.

Brent Stanton, a young reed player who doubles on flute and clarinet is comparatively new to this sort of music, but he attacks his solos with gusto, loosing little to Edwards.

Edwards is small of stature, but he blows his horn like a David intent on decimating Goliath with a few well-aimed bars. He is the centre of musical interest within the group, receiving strong competition from Devlin, who is a good guitarist and comic as well.

In about two hours Top Cats provide enough variety for everyone. At 10 p.m., the band wellwarmed and the patrons reluctant to leave, Devlin takes to the piano. A few bars of “Honey Suckle Rose” is enough to drive all but the insane out to the streets.