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Here’s a fly-on-the-wall, pocket camera video of Greg Poppleton & Bakelite Jazz for your enjoyment

This film was taken at our most recent Penrith RSL show, Saturday 20 August. It’s always a laid-back afternoon of swing and jazz from the 1920s and 1930s at Penrith. Even the band can have a laugh during a song. And the dance floor was full

We’ll be back at Penrith RSL, 2pm Saturday 17 December. Free!

Greg Poppleton, Sydney’s only authentic 1920s and 1930s-style singer, Grahame Conlon, guitar, Darcy Wright, double bass and Bob Gillespie, drums

“I Can’t Get Started but I’ve Been Consulted by Julian Assange…”

Oh, and the first line of the song is “I’ve floated ’round the world in a saipan”. Good thing I didn’t say orange, or I’d have been stuck from the first line. Tee-hee!

The film was taken in the Castle Lounge of Penrith RSL, Saturday 8 January 2011. The audience participation is great there. I’ll be posting more songs from that concert soon. Enjoy!

“…With the Thorpedo (Ian Thorpe) I’ve taken a plunge…”

It was just a spur of the moment thing, made up as I went along. Even singing the song was a spur of the moment thing

While “I Can’t Get Started” is one of my favourite songs, I’ve never sung it before, not even at home

The lyrics, great as they are (in my book) are of its time (1936) and origin (USA). So personally (my problem) I’ve always felt silly even contemplating singing the song – especially in an Australian club in 2011

But I really like the song, with so many wonderful versions (such as Lee Wiley singing it on a Blue Network Eddie Condon Jazz Concert in 1944 or 5) and the mood just hit me. The written key is C, so away we went -with me ad-libbing. Or was I improvising? Did I sing skiddle-ee-dee-knee-bop? Nah, so I must have only just been ad-libbing

Anyway, here is “I Can’t Get Started” by Greg Poppleton & his Bakelite Trio. That’s Grahame Conlon on guitar, Darcy Wright on double bass, and Bob Gillespie on drums. They’re all jazz musicians, so they’re improvising while I ad-lib. My apologies to the copyright owners

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

I hope you enjoy this latest snippet uploaded from You Tube of Greg Poppleton and his Bakelite Dance Band ‘live and unplugged’ from the glamorous Castle Lounge of Penrith RSL, just a brickbat’s throw from the even more glamorous Dame Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre

Caption: I Can’t Give You Anything But Love by Greg Poppleton and his Bakelite Dance Band (Greg Poppleton (voc) Grahame Conlon (g) Darcy Wright (db) Bob Gillespie (d))

We open with a tribute to Opera. I preface our rendition of the jazz opus in F major, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” with a peek behind the drama cooking in the aria “Nina” by Pergolesi

OK, I’m not 100% accurate with the word-by-word translation in the clip below or in my rendering of the original Italian that follows, but the point is made – our operatic hero is stuffed ’cause Nina’s a stiff. Our hero also seems to have anosmia – no sense of smell…

Tre giorni son che Nina,
In letto se ne sta.
Pifferi, timpani, cembali!
Svegliate mia Ninetta.
Acciό non dorma più.

It’s been 3 days, Nina
Don’t stay in bed
Whistles, tympanies, cymbals!
Wake up my little Nina
Wake up and smell the coffee

Music lovers, be assured, especially those of you who actually have an acute sense of smell, that as you watch this clip of our little band below, that whiff you might begin to pick up on as you listen – that’s not from something dead under your chair, it’s the singer! Enjoy…

Blue Moon – Greg Poppleton & his Bakelite Dance Band

Here’s Lorenz and Hart’s 1934 hit, ‘Blue Moon’ by Greg Poppleton and his Bakelite Dance Band having a jolly ol’ time at Penrith. And I’d say the crowd had as much fun as we did by the amount of dancing they did

Greg Poppleton & his Bakelite Dance Band play Blue Moon

We’ll be back to entertain you at the Castle Lounge, Penrith RSL, 8 Tindale St, Penrith on Saturday 8 January 2011 from 2 to 5pm. Free! Look forward to seeing you there. There’s a bistro in the club for lunch and drinks are at famously low club prices. Unfortunately the venue is restricted to persons aged 18 and above

In the band in this clip (and on 8 January) is myself, Greg Poppleton (bows); Grahame Conlon (g) Darcy Wright (db) and Bob Gillespie on drums

You can book Greg Poppleton & his Bakelite Dance Band (trio to 6-piece) for your wedding reception (we also have an acoustic version for garden ceremonies), your corporate function and your party by emailing Greg at gregpoppleton@tpg.com.au or visit the band’s official website at www.gregpoppleton.com

LATEST NEWS

Greg Poppleton & his 6-piece Bakelite Dance Band are booked to play the 400 seat Glen Street Theatre, Glen St, Belrose, Tuesday 20 March 2012, 11am – 12:15pm as part of their celebrated Music in the Glen series.

Past performers in the Glen performers have included Kamahl & opera star Annalisa Kerrigan – so we’re in good company. Tickets will be on sale online at the Glen Street Box Office

As for Blue Moon. Please feel free to comment or give it the thumbs up. And share it with your friends

More clips soon…