'About The Band'

Rod Chambers

Rod first visited New Orleans in 1972 and has been there 6 times since then. He has accompanied on tour in the UK such American jazz greats as Alton Purnell, Thomas Jefferson, Louis Nelson, Wallace Davenport and Wingy Manone. Rod started playing in the early 60’s with Jeff Milner in Yorkshire before moving to Manchester to join The Ged Hone Ragtime Band. Rod then helped form the Dave Donohoe Band in 73, moved to London in 77 and joined Mike Casimirs New Iberia Stompers and remained with Mike until the band broke up in 1985 when the first ‘Joymakers’ were formed. More recently Rod had a stint with Colin Kingwells Jazz Bandits for 7 years before re-forming the current ‘Joymakers’. Rod has very ‘catholic’ musical tastes and listens to classical music to relax and claims to be a frustrated R&B man at heart. Influences are as varied as Capn John Handy to Ben Webster, George Lewis to Barney Bigard. Rod plays however with a fire and enthusiasm which is strictly his own style. Joined the Savannah Jazz Band in January 2006