Thursday November 29th 2012
I thought it about time I
did another blog, so here it is.
Hedsor Jazz has had some
very enjoyable sessions recently, all in the main bar at The Hedsor Social
Club. Two weeks ago we had a 3 part front line of Clive plus Stuart Henderson
AND Tolly on tenor saxophone. A lovely rich tapestry of sound, the only problem
beings a small audience! Musically it was a wonderful night, and I hope, with
your support, that we can occasionally augment our quintet with an additional
guest musician. It just allows that little additional interest to the sounds and harmonies available.
Last week we had the
return of our wandering regular reed man, Mike Wills. Always a joy to listen
to. He has been with The Clive Burton Quintet as our “regular” reedman for
over 5 years. He comes all the way from Oxford, come rain or rain (well, this
year there has been precious little shine) to play for us, which puts my short
journey to Hedsor to shame!
Coming up tonight we have
in his place (yes, wandering again!), guitarist John Coverdale. It may seem
like an unequal combination, but John and Clive have provided us with some
wonderful jazz in the past, and I’m really looking forward to being there
tonight to hear him again. Come and see why yourselves!
Not too far away now is
our Christmas Special, on December 20th. We will have our regular Clive Burton Quintet of course, plus saxophonist Willie Garnet and
singer Gill Cook. December 20th is Ken Rankine’s 70th birthday,
so we will anticipate a lot of guests. Our invited guest musicians reflect Kens involvement
in the London jazz scene, so I expect we will have much to listen to, as well
as a finger buffet to sustain us from 8pm ‘till 11pm. Tickets are now on sale
(£10) either from me, or Dee on a Thursday at Hedsor or from Cookham’s Stationery Depot
(01628 531178).
News has reached me this
week that Cookhams fabulous Shirtlifters Titular Head, Charles Benson, has had to
return to hospital for further treatment for a cancer. We wish him a speedy
recovery to his usual status of being “incredibly well”. A “get well soon” card
will be available tonight for everyone to sign.
I haven’t mentioned any CD’s
I’ve listened to recently, so here goes.
Above is the CD cover art
for, well yes, a CD. Examine it closely. Is it anything to do with jazz? Maybe
a pop music CD. Are they vibraphone mallets or balloons?
Do you recognize any of
the tune titles? No. So if you saw it in a rack of CD’s why would you even
consider it a second look. Well look again, and you will see that it is
produced by Christian McBride a very good American bass player. If you had
actually purchased the CD, you would be able to read that he is actually
playing on it, together with what looks like a jazz ensemble, but made up of names
I don’t know.
If you had taken a gamble
and actually purchased this CD, you would have been as delighted as I was, with
the excellence of the modern vibraphone led jazz that it contains. It is so good
that I have had to bring it to your attention. If you can find a copy, go and buy
“Warren Wolf”. It’s on a label called Mac Avenue number MAC 1059. No, it is not
available from a burger bar near you!
The second CD is one that
I have had for years, but didn’t know I had got. “Swing at the BBC” was
released in 2002. It’s a compilation of music from BBC Jazz Club Broadcasts from
the middle 1950’s by Humph, Bruce Turner and Sandy Brown, all favorite musicians of mine.
2002 was not a good year
for me, I had heart surgery, and my son died. I must have purchased the CD by
mail order from Liz Biddle (its on her label), and it got put to one side and
lost on the trauma of that year.
One day recently I used “Spotify”
(an internet music provider) to search for Bruce turner music, and the artwork for
this album came up, and I vaguely recognised it. I then search my CD racks
under all three band leaders, and there it was in the Brown section!
It is terrific. The Humph
tracks are from his transitional period from revivalist jazz to mainstream and
swing, with and without Stan Greg who got called up as a reservist to take part
in the invasion of Suez (1956)! Bruce left Humph with a very capable 18 year
old Tony Coe in his place, and eventually formed his Jump Band. Her we have him
leading his Quartet in 1960. Finally we have 8 tracks by the Feaweather-Brown
All Stars. Just listen out for Neil Hefti’s “Li’l Darling” and you will realize why it’s called “Swing at the BBC”. Do yourself and Liz Biddle a favour and go
and buy it, it’s a bargain. Upbeat Jazz URCD182
