Hi Everyone, the last blog of 2025! Wow how did that one go by so quickly?

Just to remind you all that our first gig of 2026 will be on Thursday January 15^th, where Hedsor Jazz will host saxophonist Frank Walden together with his colleague from “The Filthy Six”, guitarist James Fenn. A very suitable high profile event to start off our 2026 season.

Also just to remind you that our initial gigs for 2026 are going to be every 2 weeks, and the second one of the year will be on January 29^th, when we will have that wonderful swinging saxophone sound of Al Nicholls.

All our gigs are under the musical directorship of pianist Ken McCarthy, and our entry fee will be £12 per person, using CASH payment please. We are trying to keep our costs down to a minimum and don’t want extra bank charges if we can avoid them.

2025 Hedsor Jazz had some memorable gigs, with some great names helping us keep live jazz alive. In no particular order, but Alan Barnes and Dave Newton helped to distract me from the increasingly large number on my birthday cards that arrived in August. Steve Waterman and Gill Cook, Bruce Adams and Art Theman, Duncan Lamont Jr and Jennie Howe, Al Nicholls, Nigel Price, all came and helped us in the joyous creation of jazz music at Hedsor. And who can forget our Hon Chair, Vasilis Xenopoulos!

There were also names less well known, but there is a name that those lucky enough to have heard him more than once very much appreciate, Alam Nathoo, who during 2025 collaborated almost every month with Stuart Henderson to bring broad grins to many faces. Alam also has the ecological advantage of being able to walk to our gigs!

Thank you to all of you who have played for us, some at short notice, some almost every week. Those regular names include Ken McCarthy, Al Pirrie, Mike Jeffries, and Martin Hart. There are many others, we thank you ALL.

We aim to keep this same high standard going into 2026. We would like you, our audience, to come out and enjoy this music too. Audience, musicians and organisers are all needed to be joined together in the creation and presentation of our jazz experience.

Do look back on previous blogs issues. You can go back many years and see the changing faces and comments.

Yes, you will see many faces, pictures taken over the weeks and years to add visual colour to my text.

I do still have cd’s, many thousand of them, and I do still enjoy playing them. But comment on them less, as fewer are now bought and sold to comment on.

BUT, and it is a big but, the living performance is far better than the historic, however important some of the recordings may be. Last night I listened to a Buck Clayton recording made in 1959. It was live, before an audience in Stockholm. It wasn’t seminal, not one you just must have, but pleasant to listen to again. However I am looking forward to meeting again and listening to again the living musical creations of Frank Walden and James Fenn on January 15^th.  

Only by coming out to listen to them will you find if their music will be truly unmissable!

So God rest you merry gentlemen (and ladies!) as we enter 2026.

Geoff Cronin

 I Went Missing

Having spent most of October and November being checked out for bowel cancer, the result of the operation in November proved the lump to be benign.  I was told this, with great relief, over the phone on Monday 8^th December. On Tuesday 9^th, I went down with this years version of the flu, and I have had no energy since. It is not a good illness to have. Yesterday my temperature started to get back to normal, and I am able to speak again, just.

So I was unable to remind you that there was no jazz at Hedsor last week. However, I just want to put this note out to assure you that Hedsor Jazz’s Christmas Party will be taking place on Thursday December 18^th

Music, food and of course great jazz which should propel us into the festive season. 

Do come out and have fun, and help us finish off a year of ups and downs that Hedsor Jazz has had in 2025. Many friends have promised to pop in and play and help with the consumption of mince pies.

My pictures from the 4^th December are below. It was a superb session, and all who were there enjoyed remarkable music, played by Stuart Henderson, Alam Nathoo, Ken McCarthy, Ester Ng, and John Sargent

December already! 

Christmas is coming SOON, and like every year, it catches us out, well, I haven’t been shopping YET! Even after Black Friday and all those tempting special offers!!

BUT we do still have 2 more jazz days at Hedsor this year for you to buy into!! And one of them is THIS WEEK.

On Thursday December 4^th we have that wonderful combination of trumpet player extraordinaire Stuart Henderson coupled with saxophonist extraordinaire Alam Nathoo. Our usual piano led trio will be behind them, and you can expect musical fireworks. Come and enjoy jazz at its best. Entry is just £12, and the music starts at 8pm

 

2 weeks later and even nearer Christmas Day itself we will have our Hedsor Jazz Christmas Party on December 18^th

You can look back on previous blogs to see listed who we know are coming to entertain us (there may be others), but there will also be party food to sustain us on the night as well. Our layout will be reminiscent of the past (Ah Nostalgia!), and we expect a lovely social atmosphere.

I have been asked to invite those of you who are skilled in the provision of food to volunteer an item or two for our festive spread. If you feel you would like to help please let Peter England know asap. His email address is hscape@talktalk.net, or on his mobile 07884 964871

Last week was the last appearance this year for “our” Lester Brown on trumpet alongside saxophonist Martin Dunsdon. It all went so well that I thought I would attempt to use my old digital camera to video one of the tunes they played. Sadly although blogspot does allow video, it only allows 100MB of it, and my 6 minutes exceeds that 3 times over!

So below are a couple of my photos of the event!

 

Whilst laid up at home after my recent operation I was able to listen via some old, but perfectly formed Sennheiser headphones to a number of CD’s. 

On the Vasilis night he played “First Song (For Ruth)” composed by Charlie Hayden, I know I wrote up about it in the blog at the time.

So I dug out an album that had another saxophonist playing that tune, this time with only the accompaniment of a piano.

However that “other” saxophonist was Stan Getz, and that pianist was Kenny Barron! AND it was a live recording, AND it just so happened to be the last recording made by Stan Getz who died of cancer soon afterwards, a sudden capitulation to the illness he had fought off for a number of years.

It’s a wonderful recording made before an audience in Copenhagen over 4 nights in 1991. I do recommend that you go out and buy yours, it is now available on a double cd called “People Time” Emarcy 510134-2

 

I do sometimes listen to recordings via online apps, but I do feel more connected to the music if I actually own the means of playing it back. The sleeve notes and the sleeve art are part of that. In the days when to own a recording meant buying a 78, or an LP I parted with a sum of money. Seeing that I didn’t get much as an apprentice in 1955 such a purchase became almost a votive offering! Spotify free with adverts isn’t the same!! I can still hold in my hands some of my early purchases.

Enough for now, See you on Thursday.

PS Talking of Vasilis, do remember that there is a concert in Cookham’s Holy Trinity Church on Friday 5^th December featuring Vasilis and Paul Edis from 7.30 onwards. To check ticket availability see

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/cookham/holy-trinity-church/a-jazzy-christmas-with-paul-edis-and-friends/e-vzokjx

Geoff’s Blog

For over 20 years I have written a blog to raise awareness of the quality jazz that has been performed in and around Hedsor every week.

Today is another milestone, because this is the last time for the foreseeable future that I can tell you that there is live jazz every week in Hedsor.

From December on it will only be twice a month.

We have decided to reduce the frequency of our presentations but not the quality. 

Every month we will have top quality live jazz in The Hedsor Bar . 

BUT it will be TWICE A MONTH, not every week. Do keep an eye on my blog for dates and players.

Below is our poster for December and January 26^th

 

If we can attract more to our audience then this is a decision we can cancel. More REGULAR audience equals more gigs per month.

Do take a look at the gigs we have booked. Two top award winning jazz musicians for our first December gig. Trumpeter Stuart Henderson and saxophonist Alam Nathoo. For about the last 12 months we have paired these two wonderful players to bring to you outstanding improvised jazz. Come and also see how sight reading can be done!

Then for our Christmas Party on December 18^th the vocal skill of singer/actress Jenny Howe will be demonstrated alongside saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jr. Plus we hope to persuade many previous guests to come as “sitters in”. Plus finger festive food! AND it still leaves you time to get ready for Christmas.

 

Last week (pictures below courtesy of Peter England) we gave you the chance to hear that the future of jazz was in safe young hands. Matt Hill on trumpet and John Alcock on tenor sax. I was unable to be there but the tunes played were a mix of well know and little heard. “On The Trail” by Ferde Grofe and “Martha” by Eric Alexander being interesting additions to the usual tunes selected.

 

I have been absent for almost all of November’s Hedsor Jazz, and have missed some great sessions. This week I hope to be able to be with you all again to hear two long time supporters of jazz at Hedsor, Lester Brown on trumpet and Martin Dunsdon

 

ALL of our gigs are supported by our regular trio led by pianist Ken McCarthy

Thank you to all who have supported Hedsor Jazz over the last 23 years and an especial thank you to all the kind folk who have wished me well during these past few weeks. THANK YOU.

 

 Morning all, another blog from Geoff,

who is still housebound following “Day Surgery” at Wexham Park Hospital earlier in the month.

I know the bible does suggest that a thousand years is but a day to our creator, but somehow Wexham Park has overlooked that we are mere mortals, and need time to heal that is longer than 4 hours before being sent to hospitalise at home!!!!

Due to the frailty of man I have missed some excellent gigs, not only at Hedsor, but there have been one or two other tasty looking local jazz events too. At this point I would encourage all of you who are able to support live local quality jazz, like that performed at The Hedsor Bar, to do so whenever you can, because it is in danger of dying.

Weekly jazz at Hedsor is unlikely to continue after November. For December and for January 2026 Hedsor Jazz will only be run twice a month, which for me, after 23 years of weekly jazz at Hedsor, is very sad.

This Thursday, November 20^th, is another that sadly I will have to miss. Two excellent young jazz musicians will be performing in front of our regular rhythm section, led by pianist Ken McCarthy. They are Matt Hill on Trumpet and his flat mate John Alcock on Tenor sax. Matt has been to Hedsor a number of times before, but it will be John Alcock’s first visit. Please turn out to support them, come rain or shine (or even snow!). Below is a recent shot of Matt at Hedsor.

 

Do look them both up using your hand held computer, as the www does know who they are, and so should you!!

 

Last week Hedsor Jazz had a visit from one of our famous neighbours, Vasilis Xenopoulos. I have been told how good he was on the night, and how disappointing was the audience numbers. I have so far been able to listen to a recording of the first set from last week and it is obvious he is world class. His improvisation on Charlie Haydens “First Song” was delicious, referencing the melody and yet giving it a new dimension that built in excitement. Well it did for me on my headphones anyway!!

It does seem that the pool players in the bar at Hedsor were unable to appreciate this, as the noise they were making was apparent even on the recording.

Tracy took some pictures for me, and they are below.

 

Finally, just so as you know who you have coming to the Hedsor Bar (apart from pool players), below is some artwork for you to recirculate about December and January.

 

I really hope that by the time of our first December gig, I will be amongst you all at Hedsor once again. In the meantime I will make more use of my headphones. Hand held cd player use means I don’t have to move too much, or annoy pushing my music into someone else’s ears!

 

Geoff

Hi everyone. Today, a thin blog, after a no blog last week!!

I am still trying to knife and fork enough technology to enable comfortable use from a laptop. I had an operation last week and am still in recovery mode.

Sadly the op means I am missing a number of really high quality jazz gigs. Tonight, November 11th, for instance, Alan Barnes will be at Marlow Jazz with Greg Abarte, so do check out their web page. https://www.marlowjazzclub.com/

This Thursday, November 13th at Hedsor Jazz we are excited (and for me sad to miss) another Cookham Resident, saxophonist Vasils Xenopolous. Our musical director Ken McCarthy tells me Vasils has already been in touch with him to let him know that he will be bringing a full set of tunes and scores for the evening. So all well in hand! It will be a great chance to hear Vasilis as he will be the only one in front of our regular rhyme section.

 

A great opportunity to hear Vas in small group format AND for the relatively small price of £12 for entry. 8 pm start.

Last week Hedsor hosted trumpeter Stuart Henderson alongside another local resident, saxophonist Alam Nathoo. I am  indebted to Tracy ( the keeper of the door money!) for the picture (below) taken on the night.

 

Alam used to live in Cookham, but moved even nearer to The Hedsor Bar in Bourne End and is now able to walk to our gigs!

I am told last weeks gig was really super.

I have also learnt whilst an absentee from Hedsor that Stuart, who has been a regular supporter of our jazz venture at Hedsor for many years, will soon be moving West from Reading to one of the more rural areas surrounding Swindon. Easy access to London and Bristol via the M4. Both well known jazz hotspots.

Many years ago, shortly after the M4 was opened (Circa 1971) , a number of Cookham residents decided that as The Dutch Swing Collage Band were appearing midweek in Swindon that 2 car loads of us should go. Looking at the map it didn’t seem too far. A trip after work and a meal in Swindon after the gig looked to make the outing a cinch!

Great gig, great Chinese meal after it, and a very tired Geoffrey at work next day! But we were all young then.

So support local live jazz. You know it makes sense. Especially for those of us who have matured!