A Sad Blog today 

Because I have to tell you that Mike Wills, always “our” reed player at Hedsor for over 20 years, passed away in his sleep on Thursday.

Mike, on his last visit to Hedsor in May this year

Mike alongside Mark Aston, with a large collection of reed instrument's played on the night of 31 11 19

 

Mike was the saxophone part of the Clive Burton Quintet, and had travelled from Oxford to play for us for many many Thursdays. As some of you will know, he had been fitted with a pacemaker 18 plus years ago, and had made a remarkable recovery after collapsing at a gig in Twickenham all those years ago.

 

Recently this year he was unable to play an evening with us having been taken ill on his way to us. I have spoken with him twice since then, and he was back to feeling his normal self, just waiting to be allowed to drive again after his most recent pacemaker episode.

Mike was a first class honours graduate in English from Oxford University and had gone back to Oxford as a tutor for The Open University. He was also a first class musician, and was held in high regard, playing all styles of jazz on his huge collection of reed instruments. I for one will greatly miss him, and I’m sure we will all want to offer our condolences to Sam, his widow.

I wont write more now but will just remind you that Hedsor Jazz does carry on, this week with saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jr playing alongside Mike Innes on trombone. That’s  this Thursday July 25^th from 8pm. at The Hedsor Bar in Bourne End, Bucks