Hedsor Jazz News

It never rains, but it, well, you know, you get wet!!

Our reed section, Mr. Mike Wills went for a check up today for his pacemaker, and due to an occurrence that the computer records kept IN the pacemaker told the hospital today, he is unable to drive for 3 months. No, thankfully he is perfectly well, but in January his pacemaker fired off a sort of wake up call, it was unbeknown to him, but he now has to hand over his driving licence for 3 months, and will need to be re checked by the medics before he can start driving again.

This has devastated him, and does of course have a knock on effect for the Clive Burton Quintet! We will be getting in contact with all the guests who played at Zane’s benefit concert to fill Mike's gap for 3 months, and of course, we will also be finding a few keyboard players for you to listen to as well.

Therefore, this week, we will have a newcomer to Hedsor, Trumpet and flugelhorn player Mike Nichols. He has played before with our guest pianist this week, Nigel Fox.

The rest of the band will be familiar (not too familiar you understand!), but next week the drummer will change, as Martin Hart will be taking a 3 week holiday break. In the back row in his place will be Mike Jeffries. And he thought he wouldn’t have enough to do when he was retired!!

All our normalish sessions at Hedsor on a Thursday start at 8.30 pm, and the admission fee is still £5*.

Zane

Zane is now in The Thames Valley Hospice in Windsor, and I visited him this morning.

He is obviously very week, but mentally in good shape. He doesn’t have the strength to read, or to listen to music, but does enjoy conversation. I was told that visiting hours are 24!! but I was unable to stay that long! And you may well be rewarded with a cup of tea, as I was today. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, the place is spotless, and he has a single room with a view over the garden.

*Jazz Angels

John Dutton will shortly be circulating a letter to all who attend Hedsor Jazz asking for financial contributions to ensure we can keep live jazz going at Hedsor. For some months now we have been loosing money every week, and our piggy bank no longer rattles. See John and offer him money. He will explain how the Jazz Angels scheme works.

Well that's it for now. I will endeavour to write up another CD very soon, right now, I'm off for a starving blood test!!