It was the kind of mob you wouldn’t mind running into on your way to work.
A jazz flash mob had Huddersfield’s spirits flying as commuters were met with a wall of sound as they got off the train at Huddersfield Station on Friday morning.
The James Alexander Set – a quartet made up of Holmfirth-based Simon Wood, his sons Aaron and Noah, and friend Matthew Delaney – were there to promote Marsden Jazz Festival this weekend.
The festival is in its 25th year and runs from Friday until Sunday.
Flash mob organiser David Harris said the aim was to put a smile on commuters’ faces.
He said: “We wanted to bring the festival to the station and we got a really good reaction.”
Trumpet player Aaron Wood, 22, said many people were halted in their tracks and stopped off for a few minutes to watch and listen.
Aaron, a full-time musician, said: “It was great fun and we played a bit of everything.
“People were really surprised to get off the train and be greeted by some live music.”
Aaron’s brother Noah, 20, was on double bass while their father Simon, 51, played the accordion and sang.
Pal Matthew Delaney, meanwhile, played the tonga drums.
Aaron added: “We played a mix of jazz songs and finished with a classic, Valerie by The Zutons, which everybody loved.
“It was great to start the day knowing you’d cheered up someone else’s.”
The quartet will be playing at the festival in Marsden and holding workshops on Saturday afternoon.
Around 10,000 people are expected to descend on the village for a series of concerts and gigs and entertainment on the streets.
