Geoff’s Jazz Nag Returns

After a break caused by some very unusual, and in some part, unpleasant circumstances, like General Macarthur, “I have returned”. If anyone has the odd day to spare, and is interested enough to want to know the details, do stop me, and buy (me) one, and I’ll tell you!

There would have been a nag last week, but my broadband connection died for 3 days!!

So to the grist of a Jazz nag!

TOMORROW, Tuesday 7th November, as an anniversary celebration of my national Service call up (I travelled to RAF Cardington to begin my 2 years on that day in 1960!!) at The Bourne End Community Centre Bar, Centre Jazz presents “Zane Cronje and Friends”. OK, so I’m a friend of said Zane, but rest assured, I won’t be playing, as I will be “resting” after a short sojourn in Wexham Park’s Lady Sobell unit. BUT, Lynn Garner will be singing, Brad Lang will be playing the bass and maybe singing and Terry Parsons will be playing the drums. I don’t know if he sings, I’ve not heard him. I have heard Zane sing, but don’t ask!! For all this talent all you need to do is turn up at 8.30 pm or before if you want a seat, and pay the man at the door £4. He will give you a raffle ticket, and you can sit and listen until half time, when they even give you a light supper. ALL this for the £4! Amazing. DO take more money than that with you, as there is an excellent bar at club prices, and Lynn has one or two CD’s to sell you.

After a period of recovery, on THURSDAY 9th November you can come out again to The Hedsor Social Club for Clive Burtons Quintet. 8.30 pm start, £3 to get in, £5 in raffle tickets to get you out, a bar at club prices, and some extraordinary great jazz. This year we have had some wonderful sessions at this venue, last weeks with Mike Wills and John Rolls being no exception. The ensemble of musicians are so able to pull out that magic that is jazz, the unexpected rapport of talented players, that you never know what will happen. Don’t miss out. “Nothing Stays The Same” remember!

SUNDAY jazz from Century Jazz at The Fifield Inn, totally free, but you can buy a raffle ticket to ensure you get out without disfigurement! 8 pm start, as some people have to go to work next day!

Into the future….

Saturday 18th of November, at the Woodley Theatre, near Reading, Martin Hart is responsible for an evening of “The Benny Goodman Story” staring Martin on drums and voice, Mike Wills reeds, Ken McCarthy piano, Ian Scott Taylor bass and Alan Grahame on vibes. A real recreation of the Benny Goodman Quartet http://www.woodleytheatre.org/ will take you to there website. Tickets are £8.50. It starts at 8.45 pm.

On WEDNESDAY November 29th at 8.30 pm, Lynn Garner, Brad Lang and Ken McCarthy return to The Harrow, up the Hughenden Valley. Those of you who have been regular readers will remember that this used to be a regular weekly event, until spoilt by local authoritarianism. It’s a wonderfully intimate setting to hear, and get to know these extremely talented musicians. AND IT’S FREE. Totally, not even a raffle!!

CD’s I’ve Listened too.
A little light listening has taken place this week. Two items I think worth writing about.

ASV has released an album in their Living Era collection by Kid Ory from 1922 to 1944. The transfers, especially of the earlier recordings, are excellent, and the 1944 recordings are from the historically important Orson Wells Mercury Wonder Show Broadcasts that did so much to put traditional jazz back in front of the population. What struck me more about this release however, was the number of different groupings that Ory played with in 1926. King Oliver and His Dixie Syncopators, Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five, The New Orleans Wanderers, The New Orleans Bootblacks, and Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers. All in the same year, and all with only very slight changes in personnel. For Louis Hot Five, and The NO Wanderers, you only need to swap the trumpet player (George Mitchell for Armstrong) the rest are the same. The Bootblacks and the Wanderers, add Joe Clarke on Alto Sax. In all of this, you only have to listen to hear what a pivotal roll Ory had in these great recordings. ASVCD AJA 5148 is the number; it was released in 1994, but should still be around.

The other album was released in 2004 and is by the relatively young tenor player from New York, Harry Allen. He played at the time of the recording at a regular Monday night session with a regular group at Zuni, an eatery in Manhattan. With him, not just in support, but in true rapport, is Joe Cohn on guitar, Joel Forbes on bass and Chuck Riggs on Drums. The recording is fine, the music is in that old mainstream tradition, but with some great contrapuntal “occasions“. It’s been released on the Arbors Jazz label, and my only gripe is the sleeve notes. I don’t think even I could write so many words that basically say “I think their great”. Yes, there are bits that give actual facts, but mostly it really says “Us Americans, especially those of us in New York, are wonderful”. If you like small group swing, with a “very nice” saxophone sound, you wont go far wrong in listening to “Hey, Look Me Over, The Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet” on Arbours ARCD 19333. Its good music and a pity in my mind that the music was put second to the sleeve notes.

That’s it for now folks, cover art is on the blog page.


Geoff Cronin

http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/