The Alex Welsh CD Reviewed Below






HI Each,

Summer is still with us it seams, and we have just won back the Ashes, so its not a bad 13th September!!

Mo's Gig last Tuesday, with Tim Saunders and his guests was very enjoyable. And what about the singer? Wow wasnt she lovely?

And so we proceed to another week of LIVE JAZZ .

Wednesday at The Harrow up Hughenden Avenue Lynn Garner and Ken McCarthy are still singing and playing for you, so it really is about time you went to hear them!! 8.30pm start, free event!!

Thursday at The Hedsor Social Club Clive has an almost regular member of the band as guest, Mike Wills on reeds. 8.30pm till 11pm, entry buy raffle ticket, and I do mean "buy". Last week was slightly strange in as much as traffic and other unforeseen events kept a large chunk of the band away until gone 9pm, but then (even though Mike Wills never did manage to beat the traffic jam) we did have a super evening, with Tim Best on keyboard. It was a bit like the buses, we were waiting for an instrument to turn up (bass and drums becomes very limited after half an hour), when 3 turn up at once!! Never mind, the regulars enjoyed talking to each other!!

Sunday Century Jazz's guest at Fifield has still to be arranged, but you will be able to dine, and enjoy great jazz from 8pm onwards. Dinning isn't mandatory, buying a raffle ticket IS.

And so to bed! but not without reminding you all that there will be another Jazz Concert at Cores End United Reformed Church (very near The Old Bell) on Saturday October 22nd, tickets now on sale £10 each, will include cheese and wine at half time. You can get them from me, or Crocks and Crystals on The Parade at Bourne End.

Music Listened to at Home this week included two that you Trad fans will appreciate (as I do!).

The first was the Lonnie Donegan story as told by himself for the BBC and recorded and broadcast "live" at the 100 club on 15th June 1994. I must admit to having taped it "off air" at the time, as I have always had a great deal of respect for Lonnie. When I first heard him, he was "just" the banjo player in the Chris Barber Band, and I would go along every Wednesday night to "The White Heart" Southall and listen to the band, and always in the second half, Lonnie's "Skiffle" band would play. The CD has Lonnie telling his own story of how he got into jazz and American Folk Music. He had a wonderful sense of humour, and I can heartily recommend this Upbeat Jazz CD (URCD200) to you. Great fun and rocking music.

The Second CD is another wonderful Lake Records re issue. One of the earlier Alex Welsh ones, not of the full band of the time, but of his "Big Four". Alex, Archie Semple, Fred Hunt, and Jack Fallon, recorded in 1960. Timeless music, not the banjo trad of the time, but music from that earlier tradition, played with grace and style. Music perhaps for a late night, which is why the original LP (of which I have a copy AND its in a cardboard sleeve!), was called "Night People". This reissue has some additional tracks by Archie Semple (the most Pee Wee Russell sound alike I know off) and his trio as above. Archie died too soon. He was basically a shy man, and as the bands fame grew, he found it more and more difficult to face the audience without alcoholic reinforcement. In the end, the alcohol killed him. A story that I'm sure all jazz lovers are familiar with.

So, go out, and enjoy the live stuff whilst you can, there will be times aplenty to listen to the recorded stuff later, but you can of course buy some of that future listening at The Old Bell next Tuesday when Jazz from Geoff brings you "The Usual Suspects", one of whom has just blown up his car engine!!