Ilkley Baptist

The Comedian Harmonists were a German group that were hugely successful between 1927 and 1934. They sang folk songs, popular songs and arrangements of other music, including jazz and light classical music. Their gimmick was to not only sing any words there may have been, but to immitate instruments with their voices. In some pieces that is all they did.

I discovered them recently. They were wonderful musicians, and there is something irresistible about such a light hearted approach to music making. Also, you listen harder, hearing the sounds of trumpet or saxophone copied by a person, and appreciate it all the more.

I used one of their pieces in church last Sunday. Creole Love Call is a well known jazz piece, but would have just been recorded by Duke Ellington when the Comedian Harmonists did their version of it. And there's a point to be made about the extra power that is often given to music when it is transcribed. As there is to scripture when it is 'performed' in a sermon, or the good news when it is played out in our lives.