Down By The Riverside - John Cooter-Baker
This 20 minute film was made by the U3AC Moviemakers group during 2025. It tells the story of the Cambridge Riverside Jazz Band, formed in 1957 at the height of the British trad jazz boom and still going strong, as told by current band members and some of their fans, between shots of the band playing live at their regular gig in Fulbourn. The musicians and their loyal followers recall the vibrant live jazz scene of sixty years ago, but now the band faces an uncertain future as the audience for their style of music dwindles.
Also featuring recordings from Cambridge-based trad bands of the era and the story of "The Dorothy" in Sidney Street, a famous venue in that scene.
Link to film: https://youtu.be/GSLt5WhHwDA
Track List (Alan Bird)
THE RIVERSIDE JAZZ BAND
From the 1982 LP “In at the Deep End”
1 St. Louis Blues (the singer by this time was Helen Gould)
2 Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
THE CAMBRIDGE CITY JASSBAND
From the 1978 LP “The Bud Freeman Tapes”
3 Wolverine Blues
From the 1979 LP “Cambridge Blues”
4 The Mooche (Duke Ellington)
5 Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker)
THE SAVOY JAZZMEN (later BARRY PALSER’S SAVOY JAZZMEN)
From the 1979 LP “You’ve got the right key”
6 Petite Fleur
From the 1997 CD “You Can’t Escape From….”
7 Wolverine Blues
From the St Ives Jazz and Blues Festival double CD of 2025 a tribute track:
8 Bei Mis Du Schoen
