PETE Long and his ‘Goodmen’ took a jam-packed audience back in time for a memorable night of jazz at Queen’s College.

Those who remember Benny Goodman’s Legendary 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert were treated to a fantastic tribute act, bringing pure entertainment and musical class to a new generation.

From the older ages populating the room you would think that this would be a quiet affair, but from the heads bobbing and roaring applause across the room it was clear that many were still young at heart. There was even the odd couple jumping up and running to the front to have a jive to the quirky music.

Songs such as Sometimes I’m Happy and Sensation Rag were crowd pleasers and made me feel as if I’d stepped into an all-time classic film that my grandparents speak so highly of.

Musical genius Pete had the room in the palm of his hand – with humour, crowd interaction and, above all, professional showmanship and the ability to play an instrument with complete control and accuracy. The Goodmen should be proud of their performance and certainly paid a fitting tribute to the original concert.

One member of the musicians stood out for me the most and that was Georgina Jackson, who showed fantastic tempo and gave me goose bumps listening to her play the trumpet.

It truly was a night of great music and a trip down memory lane for most; with a few faces turning to each other during the concert with a glance that said “do you remember when we first heard this?”

Pete Long will be returning to Taunton when he hosts a workshop on Saturday October 11 at Richard Huish College.