KEIGHLEY bands don’t come much bigger than Jerry And The Hatricks!

There are 17 musicians in the combo including four trombonists, four trumpet players and five saxophonists.

After a year of rehearsals the big band made their debut this month at Oakworth Methodist Church.

The band played a selection of big band classics by famous performers like Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.

Michaela Smith, a swing and jazz singer well-known across the region, performed songs with the Hatricks.

Band leader John Large said the band’s membership included several life-long professional musicians like himself. There are also amateur musicians with varying experience.

John, who lives in East Morton, spent his career playing mostly in orchestras and theatres as well as performing in military bands for 22 years.

He said: “We’re all old guys and we rehearse in the daytime. It’s a band for people who have time on their hands.”

After months of coming together for “a blow and some fun” the band decided make their debut performance.

“People enjoyed the concert. It’s taken off, maybe more than we wanted. We’ve been asked by umpteen people to do more performances.”

One of the musicians is Haworth man Jens Hislop, who leads the Herr Jens Bavarian Oompah Band.

Jens said: “The concert was absolutely brilliant. It went superbly well to an almost full church.”

Jerry And The Hatricks will soon reveal the date of their second live performance, which is likely to be in Haworth.