DON SINCLAIR was leader of the Yarl River Jazz Band, playing clarinet and occasionally other reeds. Favourite clarinet player was Edmond Hall but main influences were Johnny Dodds, George Lewis and Monty Sunshine. Read Don's Musical Musings for further insights into the artists that he admired. He also played with The After Hours R 'n' B Revue and HIJAZZ when he visited the North of Scotland. Recently retired from full-time employment, Don devoted his time to making the Yarl River Jazz Band the best and most exciting band in the area. Sadly Don died on 29th February 2008.

BRIAN McQUILLIN plays valve trombone in the band and provides a raunchy rumbunctious sound to the front line. His influences would have to include Big Jim Robinson and Kid Ory. He is also an accomplished tuba player. Brian plays trombone with The Good Old Boys Blues Band when not playing with the Yarls. Brian has recently purchased a sousaphone and has quickly developed mastery over the beast. Replacing the double bass with sousaphone on some gigs gives the band a pretty authentic West Coast sound. What the hell! Cumbria is on the West Coast ain't it?

HARRY BLACK has been playing banjo with the band recently and his lively rhythm and sense of fun have given them a big boost and done nothing to spoil their popularity. A star of stage and TV, Harry's CV is too long to list. It's rumoured that he sometimes sings a bit and tells a few jokes when he overcomes his shyness.

PHIL LISTER swings the band along from the drums. His vocals are also a highlight of the band's performances. Phil is also the powerhouse behind the Good Old Boys Blues Band. Phil, like all of the Yarls, is aware of the blues heritage of jazz and he keeps this alive by playing regularly with a blues band called the Cahonies. Check out their website here.

STEVE HUMPHREY provides a strong trumpet lead for the band. For many years he played cornet/flugel/trumpet in many bands in the North-East before coming to live and work in Cumbria where he soon retired from playing. Just before xmas 2002 he was approached to play in the yrjb and was soon bitten by the jazz bug. Although he has only been playing jazz in public for a few months, he is developing into powerful soloist, much influenced by Louis Armstrong (and there can't be much wrong with that) and Al Hirt to a lesser extent. A keen collector of brass instruments, his collection has recently overflowed to his garden shed.

NEIL FISHER plays piano with the band. Having been given a keyboard at an early age, he played largely for his own amusement, (and his neighbours discomfort,) for several years, before joining the Good Old Boys Blues Band on coming to live and work in Cumbria. He has now broadened his musical tastes to include jazz, and his stomping two-fisted style is a welcome addition to the Yarls' line-up. Neil has recently started playing double bass on alternate gigs, thus solving a recurring problem for the band.