Geoff’s Jazz NagTuesday, 28 November 2006
With a reasonable number of jazz things to write about his week!
First the gigs:-
Tomorrow, at The Harrow, up the Hughenden Valley towards Speen, from 8.30 pm onwards that lovely lady singer Lynn Garner will be appearing with Ken McCarthy on piano and Brad Lang on bass. A bit of a reunion gig, as this was one of our regular local gigs until the new music licensing laws put a stop to our fun. Do come out and hear what we all miss, its free, friendly, with good beer and good food to boot.
Thursday, at The Hedsor Social Club The Clive Burton Quintet continue to bring us quality jazz at ridiculously low prices! 8.30. ‘till 11pm, £3 in, raffle out. You know you are going to kick yourself one day because you never came. And where did Simon Spillet choose to launch his new CD? Yep, Hedsor! More on the CD later.
I have been in contact with Al Nicholls this week. He has been telling me of another local gig. Every Wednesday at The King and Castle in Thames Street, Windsor, Al’s trio alternates with trombonist Jeff Williams trio. It’s another free gig, with a slightly odd start time. They play there from 6.30 pm ‘till 9.30 pm. If enough enthusiasts get along, it could become another permanent feature on the jazz calendar. One thing is to be sure, if you don’t go, even occasionally, the jazz there will not carry on!
On the subject of Al Nicholls, it should be noted that Blue Harlem are playing at Norden Farm on Friday March 16th 2007, so get that diary out. (£10.50 to get in, ring 01628 788997 for tickets).
Sunday, at Fifield, Century Jazz will be performing from 8 pm. Late lunches are available!
A further advanced date for your diary, I have been asked to organise a jazz fundraiser for Cancer Research UK at The British Legion Hall, Loudwater on February 10th. Book it now, more details will follow. BUT, it will be in the usual Café style, where you can bring your own picnic, but buy your drinks from the bar, and tickets will probably be £10 each. Were looking to sell 150 tickets, and I’m assured the raffle prizes will be wonderful!
Did I say “Simon Spillett” somewhere? Didn’t his gig with Clive go well last Thursday? I know those who were there will already have his new CD but I’m going to mention it anyway. Those of us who have been coming out to jazz at Hedsor and Fifield relatively frequently have rather got used too, and been spoilt by, the fairly frequent opportunities to hear Simon. We know how good he is, and we have seen him improve over the past few years. Make no mistake; he is an ascending jazz star. His new CD, on the Woodville Label (Alan Barnes’s own) has him with his usual trio backing him, and who could want for a better backing, John Critchinson on piano, Andrew Cleyndert bass, and Martin Drew on drums. Well recorded, I think this album does justice to the Simon we know, and should surely bring him additional fans. I really love his version of “Off The Wagon”, with good solos from John and Andrew as well as Simon of course, and the ballad “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” is another of my favourites from the album.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Simon on Cookham Summer FM this past summer, and I think that over the last few years he has gained in maturity and self assurance. Yes, sometimes his playing does sound like Tubby Hayes, whom he was able to talk about with great authority and with some wonderful musical illustrations on that broadcast occasion. But he is now his own man, and “Spring..” demonstrates that to the full. I well remember how we thought Scott Hamilton sounded like Ben Webster when he first arrived on the American jazz Scene (yes, I do still have his first CD, and yes, I did buy it from his own hands too!) but look what has happened to him!
By the way the broadcast interview has been heard by quite a few people now, and I have had a number of phone calls from musicians (saxophone players et al) telling me what a service the talk was to jazz!!
So, go out and buy that CD! Woodville WVCD116. Go and see him when he’s playing near you, and then you can tell your kids (OK grandchildren then), “I saw him play!”
Well, that’s enough for one week. The blog will have Simons CD cover artwork, or you can look at www.freewebs.com/simonspillett for more info on where to catch him in 2007.
But for now……(where have I heard that before),
Goodbye.
Geoff Cronin
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/
I had the pleasure of interviewing Simon on Cookham Summer FM this past summer, and I think that over the last few years he has gained in maturity and self assurance. Yes, sometimes his playing does sound like Tubby Hayes, whom he was able to talk about with great authority and with some wonderful musical illustrations on that broadcast occasion. But he is now his own man, and “Spring..” demonstrates that to the full. I well remember how we thought Scott Hamilton sounded like Ben Webster when he first arrived on the American jazz Scene (yes, I do still have his first CD, and yes, I did buy it from his own hands too!) but look what has happened to him!
By the way the broadcast interview has been heard by quite a few people now, and I have had a number of phone calls from musicians (saxophone players et al) telling me what a service the talk was to jazz!!
So, go out and buy that CD! Woodville WVCD116. Go and see him when he’s playing near you, and then you can tell your kids (OK grandchildren then), “I saw him play!”
Well, that’s enough for one week. The blog will have Simons CD cover artwork, or you can look at www.freewebs.com/simonspillett for more info on where to catch him in 2007.
But for now……(where have I heard that before),
Goodbye.
Geoff Cronin
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/
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