HEDSOR JAZZ

Tonight, Thursday August 4th, at Hedsor Jazz , as a very special guest we have saxophonist Don Wright with Clive Burton and the quartet. Many will remember the beautiful saxophone solo he played at Zane's funeral. That was a sad time, but tonight I'm sure it will be just as memorable, but with a little more lightness as well. Usual £5 entry 8.30 pm start time.

CD REVIEW

For some years now we have been constantly asking Vasilis Xenopoulos where his Cd was? Many of us think of Vasilis as being a major player in Modern Jazz, who excites us every time he plays. To do this for over 3 years and for us not to have the means of buying a souvenir of our live enjoyment has been a real disappointment.

Well, the waiting time is over “Loud City” can now be yours!

Has it been worth the wait?

Yes!

BUT it has waited since 2009 to get this far, as the recording is of the band that first came to the Cookham Festival in 2009, it being recorded in April that year. For lovers of Hammond Organ that is no bad thing, as it has Sam Gambarini as 2/3^rd of the rhythm section! Sam has now returned to Italy, so having him on this CD is an added bonus.

The material is all composed and arranged by Vasilis, and anyone who has heard him over the last 3 years will recognise many of the tunes. “EJF Theme Tune”, “Street Dance” and “Loud City” itself will all be familiar.

Nigel Price is on guitar and Chris Nickolls on drums. It all goes to make this a very enjoyable CD, well worth buying for anyone, including the Cookham Festival crowd, who heard the music live.

The wait I think has been because it is now out on a major jazz record label, 33 Records. This should give it the wider spread distribution that I think it deserves.

Lets just hope that it doesn’t take as long again for us to have a recording out of the version of Xtet that did this years Cookham Festival!!

33 Records 33JAZZ224

PS

One of the titles on the CD is "Lazy Sunday". I don't think Vasilis knows what that is! If my information is correct, last Sunday he played Merlins Cave until 3 pm, and then helped to close the Ealing Jazz Festival with The Sound of 17!! He probably even had time for tea!!