DAVID WAKEFIELD Mundesley Festival event at the Coronation Hall, Mundesley

DAVID WAKEFIELD

The air was heavy with nostalgia in the Coronation Hall last night when some old friends from the Ted Heath Orchestra rolled back the years to the band's heyday in the 1950s.

Dennis Lotis was one of the vocalists and Jack Parnell was the original drummer. Joining them on stage were Don Lusher (trombone) and Ronnie Hughes (trumpet), with Brian Dee (piano), and Mike Harris (double bass).

The mix was predictable – standards and all the old favourites that had the audience singing along and tapping their feet.

Dennis Lotis showed that he had lost none of his charm. “Women used to scream when I sang this” he smiled during I'm in the Mood for Love, and showed his great feeling for a lyric on tunes like Sentimental Journey and Walking my Baby Back Home.

Both featured instrumentalists also enjoyed solo spots, Ronnie Hughes contributing a soulful version of I Thought About You, and Don Lusher shaking the cobwebs out of I Got Rhythm.

Despite the combined ages on stage – Jack Parnell is in his 81st year – it did not show in their playing which was strong and vigorous. It was a truly memorable evening.