In the early 1960s,
the Temperance Seven was a popular trad jazz band in Great Britain. That particular band became inactive by the mid-'60s, but reappeared as the New Temperance Seven in 1970. After recording in 1974, the group was off records for 15 years until this CD launched the Upbeat label in 1989. For this outing, only two of the musicians were alumni of the 1970 group (and none were from the original band): trombonist Robert Mickleburgh and Wee Will McHastie on clarinet and alto. The remainder of the group consists of cornetist John Tucker, Malcolm Willoughby on baritone and alto, banjoist Mike Deighan, leader/arranger Chris Buckley on piano and sousaphone, drummer Graham Collicott and Alexander Galloway as the main vocalist. This is kind of an odd band, because they alternate reasonably authentic versions of 1920s jazz with some English music-hall-type numbers, very dated vocals, and a bit of corniness. One of the selections they perform on this disc is a version of "Twelfth Street Rag" that is actually a near-duplicate of Pee Wee Hunt's cornball version! Much better are their renditions of "Louisiana," "That Certain Party," "Sugar" and "Eleven Thirty Saturday Night," but this set is definitely a mixed bag with too many vocals. ~ Scott Yanow