School friends Michael Langdon (clarinet and soprano sax) and Bernard Trafford (trumpet and vocals) started playing at Oxford University in 1974.
Finding a few like-minded musicians (mostly self-taught on their instruments, as they were), they were incredibly lucky to get a kind and encouraging steer from someone who was a fellow-member of Bernard's college and already an acknowledged jazz expert, Alyn Shipton, now very much BBC Radio 3's (and the UK's) jazz guru. Robin Osterley (drums) also dates from the same era and college as Bernard. Nigel Barr (trombone and occasionally sousaphone), a real player with a music industry reputation (he has been to music college and learned to play properly!), joined before he knew any better in 1980.
The enduring name and shape of the Catte Street Rhythm Wreckers had thus been established by late 1976. Early results were unstructured but enthusiastic! And so the band is still frequently described. In its early publicity the band claimed that it played 'smoothly abrasive traditional jazz', and that is not so far from the mark: its members share a common belief that this sort of music should have drive, melodic invention and energy. They are obsessive improvisers and hate anything that smacks too much of the formulaic or over-rehearsed (!). They eschew straw hats and striped tuxedos. To find the sound they want from the numbers they want to play they will search for repertoire anywhere from Kid Ory to Horace Silver, Duke Ellington to Hank Williams.
Catte Street Rhythm Wreckers play with enormous raw energy, always start gigs by planning to be restrained and tasteful but rarely finish that way. They love it too much, and somehow the excitement builds and their very distinctive brand of jazz takes off... Their performances are so much enjoyed because they are longstanding, close friends who so obviously get huge pleasure out of being and playing together and who believe in being danceable.
On piano the band likes to have one of its Jazzklavierväter (spurious German for jazz-piano-father-figures); Dr John Reade, an astonishing stride pianist who lifts the front line and also, when they need a rest, fills in with breathtaking piano solos; Bill Bickerton from Codsall, Wolverhampton; George Brown of High Wycombe.
To book Catte Street Rhythm Wreckers simply contact the man the members of the band call The Manager, trombonist Nigel Barr. (email: nigelbarr@mac.com)