About Us

The pianist and leader, George Brown, formed the band in 1994. The line-up has, from the start, featured female vocalists and the current singer, Linda Morris, joined the band in 2004. Instrumentalists have changed over the years but the current players have been with the band for the last three. One exception is the drummer, John Bly, who joined the band at the start of 2007.

The question people ask is, “Where are you based?” The usual response is that we are from the High Wycombe area but this is not strictly true. Only three of the band members actually live near High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. The most accurate answer would be Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire but it is fair to say that most of the band engagements are in the Home Counties.

The band is usually a five or six piece combo but does vary from a duo to a nine-piece dependent on individual requirements. The key to the band’s popularity is flexibility. This applies not only to the line-up but also to the varied style of music provided, although this is primarily jazz and swing based.


Band members


George Brown - Leader, pianist
An ageing, bearded, retired teacher whose musical career started in 1897 when his parents bought him a comb. Although the toilet paper was very thick and coarse at the time, young George managed to get a tune out of the instrument. His habit of putting rolls of toilet paper over his piano stems from this early musical adventure.


Linda Morris - Vocalist
The young lady who helps to bring the average age of the band down into double figures! Trained in the United States as a singer / dancer (nobody in the UK would take her) she became a professional performer. Linda was a member of the Andrews Sisters – a family business developing “Liver Salts”. Linda left the entertainment business to start a family – we don’t know their name but their car had broken down on the North Circular Road in London. Being a trained engineer, Linda soon got them started! She is now back into her previous entertainment mode and joined Anything Goes in 2004.


Rod Wall - Trumpet and vocals
Another ageing, bearded retired teacher who actually attended university in Wales at the same time as George. Although Rod managed to avoid any further contact with George for the next 20 years, his numerous disguises and name changes failed miserably. A chance ‘phone call from a piano player looking for a stand-in trumpeter in 1996 found him out (guess who the call was from!)


Vic Gilder - Trombone and Trumpet
For the last 30 years Vic was thought to wear a very extravagant wig. It turned out to be a busby (sorry – bearskin) being a musician in the Guards Regiment. His continual habit of marching up and down whilst we are playing does become a little irksome but all of us have now practised the “Vic Trip” – an advanced martial arts manoeuvre that results in a non-marching musician with a slightly distorted trombone.


Laurie Fray - Reeds
An ageing, balding, ex-policeman. A professional musician prior to getting a “proper job” but now reverting to his origins. A traditional jazz player in the late 50’s who committed the musical sin of moving to Rock and Roll in the 60’s (well, £3 a gig was good money then!). 20 years in a military band and then back to jazz, Laurie is always going round in circles.


John Bly - Drums
John actually changed the spelling of his surname so that he would not be associated with his Great - Great - Great Grandfather on the Bounty. He still, however, maintains his love for coconut chocolate bars! We can also assure you that we do not use a drum machine. He learned his trade of “beating the skins” whilst acting as an auctioneer. Most drummers use sticks but the art of improvising with a gavel is a wonder to behold.