Mornings are beginning to feel Autumnish, with condensation to clear off the car, aren't they? Evenings darken up sooner than one would wish, but there is a consoling thought in all of this. Its easier to go out to the Jazz of an evening, because you cant really do the garden in the dark!!

So, for the darkness of the next few days, here are a number of alternatives to cutting the grass!

Thursday 28th September, at The Hedsor Social Club, The Clive Burton Quintet, with guest!

Saturday 30th September at The Curzon Centre, Maxwell Road, Beaconsfield, BOTH Liane Carroll and Dave Newton as part of the Wooburn Festival, from 7.30 pm, tickets I think are £20, but will include a supper, do book with the Festival Box Office.

Sunday 1st October at The Fifield, Century Jazz 8 pm start, hot food available.

October 14th Cores End Church's Third Jazz Concert, with Mike Wills, Zane Cronje, singer Alison Bentley and guitarist Kevin Armstrong who will all entertain us for a ticket price of £10, which includes interval refreshments. You can get a ticket from me, or from Crocks and Crystals in Bourne End (01628 528712). The previous two concerts have been very well received, the acoustics in the building are wonderful, and the pews are padded!

So there is a selection of the live stuff for you to go and listen too, but if you really get snowed in, what should you play on your wind up CD player?

Following on from my mention of Liane Carroll at Beaconsfield, I'm sure some of you watched the BBC4 TV broadcast (1 hour long, well done BBC) from this years Brecon Jazz Festival that was broadcast last Friday. I did, and it did more than remind me of some of the wonderful CD releases she has had over recent years. One of the songs she sings that always hits me is her own composition "Dublin Morning". This is one of the songs on her 2003 album "Billy No Mates". Its also on the "live" album recorded at Ronnie Scott's in 2001.

Another song she sang (as opener) on the TV show was "That Old Black Magic". That is available on "Standard Issue" from 2005.

Liane isn't black, but to me she is magic. so, follow the numbers:-
"Son of Dolly Bird (Live at Ronnie Scott's) Ronnie Scott's Jazz House JHCD 068 recorded 2001
"Billy No Mates" Splash Point Records SPR001CD recorded 2003
"Standard Issue" Splash Point Records SPR003CD recorded 2005

If you haven't heard her before she really is a great singer, a great personality, a very natural down to earth person and a grandmother to boot! It's not just me who thinks she's good, she did win BBC Jazz Singer of the Year this year too!!

That's it for now folks, next week I really must write about some instrumentalists!

What I haven't mentioned in the above (or in the text only email version of this blog) is that Liane is also a very accomplished piano player as well. She can sing, play, and smoke a cigarette all at the same time!!

Geoff C
Jazz from Geoff