It’s Tuesday, its blog time of week. We have builders in at home, so to the joyful noise of a kango hammer this might well be a short blog today.

But of prime importance YOU need to know that coming to Hedsor Jazz this week is lady saxophonist Sue Greenway. Sue has been with us a number of times before, and loves the older sounds of Ellington and the swing bands, and does in fact play in one in the Oxford area. This week, we are teaming her with a trombonist who hasn’t been to Hedsor before, Simon Wilde. So this will be an interesting first for all of us. He comes highly recommended via Martin, who should be back with us on drums this week, AND so, I think, is Nigel Fox, but he wont be on drums!

Last weeks session with Lester and Mike Wills was almost a Clive Burton Celebration Quintet evening, but we did have 2 high quality deps, Ken McCarthy and Mike Jeffries, in place of Nigel and Martin. Some of our regular clientele were also away, but they were replaced by one of two occasionals, and a newcomer. Keep up the good work of persuasion, we need more people more often!  Photos of the evening are below:-

Talking of absentees, Dee has had to go back to hospital for another knee operation, and the result of this is being reassessed as I type. I’m sure we all want to wish Dee a speedy recovery and return to our jazz fold.

Next, a couple of CD’s I have enjoyed this past week.

First, a young British Big Band, but not one playing tunes you have ever heard before. This is a band made up of graduates from the London Music Colleges, with no named leader, and with more than one contributor to the writers of “their” book.

It’s called “Patchwork Jazz Orchestra”

And I was absolutely knocked out by my first and second listens to their music. They are wonderfully accomplished players and arrangers, and the recording is of first class Hi Fi standards. It’s a complex sound, with an overlying filigree effect, that given space, will fill your room. The tune titles show a great sense of humour but so to do the tunes, the last one for instance “Vixen” has in the mix some recreated hunting horn sounds from a foxhunt. It is subtitles “The tale of an inquisitive fox occasionally in peril“. There are 8 titles in all, and 17 musicians playing on them. The nearest equivalent to anything I have heard before would be “Loose Tubes”. I think that if you have a broad understanding and liking for jazz and are prepared to be a little experimental in your listening, then go out and buy it, it is, as they say (somewhere) a real blast! It is a new release with SPARK007 as the album’s number and it is called “The Adventures of Mr Pottercakes".

My other new to me listen came from OXFAM. On Big Bear records, and originally released in 1990, I have been listening to a more traditional band led by American trombonist Bill Allred. In 1989 he brought his Goodtime Jazz Band to Birmingham, and this is a live recording from 3 venues of the 5th Birmingham International Jazz Festival. It’s fun, superbly well played, and although not a big band (8 musicians), there are enough musicians who double up to make it sound like one (13 instruments if you count the voice as one). They are playing traditional jazz tunes, but with a happy smile on it’s and their face. And it is all great fun. If you can find it (it is still available as a new purchase) it is on BEAR CD31

One final item, I have been asked by a friend who has the unenviable task of clearing out his old family home,(the passing of family loved ones always leaves one with difficult tasks). to see if anyone would be interested in an upright 1915 Beckstein piano (yes 1915). It is in good order, a couple of photos are below. 

Also to be cleared from the house is a large electric piano. If anyone is interested let me know and I can share more detail (email geoff.jazzsuspect@tiscali.co.uk).

Finally finally, at Woodley this coming Saturday Martin Hart, Ken McCarthy and bassist Nick Pugh will be appearing with trumpet player Ian Smith. Flyer for this is below.

Ian will be also back at Hedsor with us on December 5th with Ollie Wilby on reeds.

PS, No, not a short blog after all, just interrupted many times!