With A Name Like Poppleton I Must Pop

As Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 30s singer, I put on a show, interact with the audience, constantly improvise, spontaneously take risks.

How can I have a name like Poppleton if I don’t Pop!

Look at the band’s 12 January 2019 Unanderra Hotel show (full house) for the Illawarra Jazz Club.

What’s going on in this photo?

I’d just sung the first chorus of Singing in the Bathtub in the 2nd set of my Greg Poppleton 1920s-30s show on stage at the Unanderra Hotel.

Then I jumped off stage and told the audience, “Everyone sounds good when they sing in the the bathroom. I will now demonstrate.”

So I walked through the audience as the band played on and went to the Gents.

Shelley Rae King, former Illawarra Jazz Club president, raced in to take snaps as I sang the second chorus from the public toilet using the full tiled amplifying bathroom reverb only a 1920s megaphone in a throne room can give.

Meanwhile, the band’s still playing on stage.

And the audience is having a great time – being surprised and entertained.

They’re being entertained by a singer whose voice can fill a 150 people room, off stage from a toilet, with only a megaphone, while a sousaphone, alto sax, banjo and washboard swing on stage without missing a beat.

It’s all sounding so good a swing dance couple join me in the toilet – dancing to the music…

One-by-one the band spontaneously walk off stage, still playing as I sing, to join me in the big porcelain echo chamber.

First Adam Barnard taps in on the washboard. Grahame Conlon strums along on the banjo (which weighs a ton). Damon Poppleton wails in playing alto sax. It gets a bit crowded when Geoff Power on sousaphone joins in…

Who’d would expect that would happen from a 1920s – 30s singer and band. Here’s a photo taken on stage by one of the audience of Damon, Geoff on cornet and myself a couple of minutes before the first set.

Below, Damon takes his last solo as a 15 year old, with Geoff Power on sousaphone and Grahame Conlon, banjo…

Book Greg Poppleton for you event

As I sang off the top of my head at Unanderra:-

“It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that Pop CD, 20 bucks, 20 bucks, 20 bucks, 20 bucks.” (Only $12 CD / $7 download on Bandcamp)

Band Website

Actor Website

Back By Popular Demand Saturday 12 January

Illawarra Jazz Club presents:

The first Greg Poppleton show for 2019.

Come along for

1920s jazz and 1930s swing

by Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer

and his band of swingers.

 

It’s fast. It’s free.

And wait till you get Greg’s jokes!

“Undoubtedly Greg’s best show so far this year.”

 

The Illawarra Jazz Club writes:

“Back by popular demand, this consummate entertainer will have you tapping your toes, kicking up your heals and just having a bloody great time. Greg is a well loved and respected musician, entertainer, actor and genuinely nice guy. You won’t regret seeing this amazing quintet. Appearing with Greg will be his talented young son, Damon, seen recently at the School Spectacular.”

 

Greg is backed by his swinging band of:

Geoff Power – ARIA nominee: trumpet & sousaphone

Damon Poppleton – 2018 School Spec jazz soloist: alto sax

Grahame Conlon – TV music maestro: banjo & guitar

Adam Barnard – Makes the refrains run on time: washboard & snare.

 

Saturday 12 January

Unanderra Hotel

27 Central Road, Unanderra

Next to the Princes Hwy.

5 minutes walk from Unanderra Station.

 

FREE

Visit the Facebook event page

Yes We Have No Bananas – Country Version

Why is the focus on cows in this clip about bananas?

 

That’s a good question. Particularly since cows aren’t mentioned in the song.

THE STORY IS THIS

I took the film you see in the clip while walking between the towns of Kiama and Gerringong in New South Wales.

I saw this small herd sheltering from the hot sun under some small trees in the green, green grass.

I perched my pocket camera on the thickest branch of a bush and filmed them. It was a little bit breezy, so the branch swayed, hence the unsteady clip.

These cows look so contented!

ALBUM

Six months later, when I released this song in the album Back In Your Own Backyard, I chose the film to accompany this upbeat version of ‘Yes, I Have No Bananas’ because of the tension between the fast tempo of the song and the laid-back ‘tempo’ of the cows.

I also like that, to my not pitch-prefect ears, that where I placed the moos the cows make in the beginning of the mix, the note seems to be close to the same note as the banjo makes, just a bit flat and an octave down.

The song is in Bb. The cow is mooing in B very b

BAND

Greg Poppleton – 1920s vocals
Geoff Power – sousaphone, trumpet and trombone
Paul Furniss – alto sax and clarinet
Grahame Conlon – Spanish guitar
Lawrie Thompson – drums and washboard

Greg Poppleton This Sunday Builders’ Club

This Sunday, May 6,  2:30-5:30pm, Greg Poppleton Make Jazz Deco Pop at the Wollongong Builders Club, 2:30-5:30pm Free!

Come and join him in The Basement, that never closes (Builders Club 61 Church St Wollongong) for an afternoon of music and fun.

Free event.

https://www.facebook.com/events/364249694076365/

Greg Poppleton Builders Club Show Wollongong 4 February

It was a very full house for Greg Poppleton, authentic 1920s – 30s singer, at The Basement, Builders’ Club Wollongong for their weekly Sunday Jazz.

Grahame Conlon guitar and banjo, Dave Clayton double bass and myself singing return to The Basement, 61 Church St Wollongong, 2:30-5:30pm Sunday 6 May. FREE.

In the third set we enjoyed two sit-ins on Ice Bucket and Jazz Vocals.

Firstly, Bob Gillespie, former musical director for Lovelace Watkins and drummer for the Maynard Ferguson English Orchestra, came up to play the ice bucket.

Then I invited jazz singer, Marie Wilson, who was having a great time in the audience, to come up and sing a few songs.

She’s such a wonderful jazz singer she was booked on the spot to appear at The Basement Wollongong later this year.

Book Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer, Greg Poppleton, now for your events, weddings, parties, corporate functions

I hope you enjoy the photos. Thanks Grahame for the use of your iPhone…

Greg Poppleton at The Builders Club, Wollongong, Sunday 4 Feb 2018. Greg sings again at The Builders Club, 2:30pm, Sunday 6 May.

 

Dave Clayton, double bass with Greg Poppleton

 

Bob Gillespie playing the Ice Bucket, accompanied by Grahame Conlon on banjo with Greg Poppleton’s band.

 

Marie Wilson singing with Grahame Conlon guitar and Dave Clayton double bass in the Greg Poppleton band.

Book Australia’s only authentic 1920s – 1930s singer, Greg Poppleton, now for your events, weddings, parties, corporate functions. Over 1.17 Million total YouTube plays…