Sunday, May 14, 2006





Some of the concert pictures.
















First, a big thank you, to all who supported the Concert on Friday to raise money for Cancer Research UK. As a jazz evening it was superb, and in one respect, historic! I personally predict a great future in modern jazz tenor saxophone playing for Simon Spillett, so to have the evidence on camera of him playing the clarinet, alongside 2 other clarinet players will be one of those "I was there when..." memories!!

Financially it wasn't as successful an evening as last year, but we did still manage to raise over £420 for CR UK. More photos are available, so do get in touch if you want a copy.

All in all it was a great evening, that gave The Clive Burton Quintet the respect they are due by putting them up on stage for all to see and hear.

Locally, more casually, they can be seen TONIGHT as Century Jazz (only the bass player changes) at The Fifield 8 pm till 10.30 pm. Raffle funded.

Tuesday both Scott Hamilton and Lynn Garner are at High Wycombe Town Hall as part of Wycombe Arts Festival, it starts at 8 pm, its unreserved seating (like our concert, cafe style around tables) and tickets (if still available) are priced £8. Box office number is 01494 512000

Thursday Clive Burton Quintet play Hedsor Social Club. 8.30 pm till 11 pm. Entry £3, also a raffle to help costs out, do please support this local regular live jazz event. Its not as though the music is bad!! so it isn't a hardship to listen!

Next weekend I shall be accompanying Cookham's fabulous Shirtlifters in a return to Paris. A conservatoire has asked them back to help out in there music festival. Fame Eh!

So, to enable me to get the time to put the pictures on the Blogg, I shall, for the time being, say no more! But SOON, you will be able to listen to me on the Radio!! Cookham Summer FM is back. Watch this space to get tuned in!!

Wednesday, May 03, 2006


Two previous Zephyr Records Brian Lemon releases, parts of which are included in the CD reviewed below.


Hi Folks,

Further on from yesterdays quick email about the Tim Saunders gig at Mo's last night, this nag will be brief, as the following wind is now in an adverse direction!!

For those who missed last night, you missed a treat. Tim's Quartet were in good form, and we had the added real pleasure of Sheila Scott as his guest vocalist. It was an evening of very pleasent and sophisticated jazz, and the audience (from comments overheard) would like some more of the same soon!!

Tomorrow night (Thursday) at The Hedsor Social Club we have the Clive Burton Quintet plus one. Watch out for a well fed Dutch trumpet player imported from France(!) for the occasion. Entry £3 plus raffle, and,yes, we do still need your money as well as your company!! (even Mo's gig will be going up by an extra £1 next month).

Sunday, Century Jazz at Fifield as usual (8pm start).

Don't forget (well, I wont let you forget, but you know what I mean) the concert for Cancer Research UK on Friday week (12th May). Don't let a happy man get very old, do come along. I know you will have a super musical experience (look at the cast!), and its in a cause we all have reason to support.

What have I been listening too?

The CD that has impressed me most this week is a compilation of music from the Zephyr label, all of which includes British pianist Brian Lemon. I've been a fan of Brian's for many years. Another fan I met at Brecon referred to him as "the thinking man's pianist", which I can heartily endorse.

The Zephyr label has been issuing various collaborations which include Brian for many years now, and they have recently produced a retrospective of his work. I have most of the albums reflected in this new issue, but believe me, I had forgotten how good our best players can be. Here we see him with the likes of Dave Cliff, Tony Coe, Alan Barnes, Ruby Braff, Scott Hamilton, Roy Williams, George Masso to name but a few. It's a well recorded as well as a well played set, and if you haven't got all of the previous Zephyr releases, its a good place to start. Zephyr Records ZECD36 "The Brian Lemon Anthology" will get you it.

That's it for now folks, as usual you will find some artwork on the blog page.

TTFN

Geoff C

http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/