HEDSOR JAZZ is what this week’s blog is all about, having given you all my report on the Swanage Jazz Festival, now is the time to concentrate on the weekly festival of jazz that we have, and have had, at Hedsor Jazz every week.

First, coming this week, OUR BAND, yes, I do believe that we will be getting The Clive Burton Celebration Quintet. I am unsure of who is on bass, but other than that it will be our usuall rhythm section plus Lester Brown on trumpet and Mike Wills on reeds. It is SO good that Mike can drive again and join us at Hedsor as in the days of yore. I do really appreciate that he does come to us all the way from Oxford.

I have missed 2 of our Thursday sessions due to my Dorset tour, but I have been sent photos, and for the Latin evening, a report, so all is now reproduced below for your edification!

First the photos from last weeks session provided by Geoff Swaffield. I don’t know the bass player (Ester Ing), but I was told she was very good!

Next is that report, and some of the photos, from the Latin evening on July 11^th all by Alan Peppitt, with a few Swaffield photos thrown in!

Hi Geoff,  Here is my report on last night's Latin night: A stalwart collective of jazz muso's assembled and prepared themselves for an 8:30 start. The personnel (or should I say the human resources) consisted of Nigel Fox pno, Andy Crowdy bss, Martin Hart  drms, Mike Jeffries congas,  Alan Grahame vibs & timbales I believe, also strutting their stuff were Lester Brown tpt & flgl.and finally the return of the Prodigal Son - Mike Wills complete with reeds.  A very  good night of Latin music ensued which, I assume, everybody enjoyed. There were some amazing solos from the 3 man percussion section -certainly to my ears, and still on a personal note I particularly liked the overall sound when all the band was playing together. No, I don't mean to scoff, but the collective blend of sounds reminded me of the Big Band days. An interesting set-list culminating with a sexy version  of Fungy Mama. A shame no  Senoritas, who can sway, were available. However, the last number, a near riotous, performance of Tico Tico ended the evening with a rollicking finale. Well done everybody and thanks to all involved for another exceptional night of jazz.

As you swelter In this weeks heat wave please don’t forget our special evening on August 1^st, Sarah Moule and The Genius of Duke Ellington. Do please buy your tickets in advance, as we need to know how many fish paste sandwiches to prepare!

One final note, whilst in Dorset I visited Ken Rankine's sister on Portland. 

As you may know, Ken died a year after Linda's husband, and this year she is finding this double loss a bit more difficult. He was always a great supporter of his family, and it is this support she misses. 

We miss Ken as our bass player and we have found him difficult to replace. How much more difficult it must be for Linda. You cannot replace a brother, as I'm sure many of us know from our own experience. 

One thing Tina May said to me after our losses of Clive and Ken, "We are all one big jazz family". 

Geoff C