The Last Blog of 2013

I do hope you have all had a Happy Christmas, and are all now “girding up your loins” for a New Year. A whole 2014.

Hedsor Jazz has now been in “The Big Room” for a complete year, and much as we might have had misgivings about our move, I think on the whole it has benefited everyone. Hedsor Jazz has made more effort to invite jazz musicians you might otherwise have to travel to London to see and therefore we have made more investment in our visiting musicians.

We have had some wonderful sessions to look back on, and highlights for me have been the visits of Vasilis Xenopoulos with Nigel Price on my 75^th birthday, and our Christmas Special, which was VERY special this year with Tina May as our guest singer. Mind you, she really did become a member of the band for the night, calling many of the riffs. Stuart Henderson and Anatoly Vyacheslavov competed admirably for the applause, and all our regular guys more than held their own (Beer?). Other sessions were equally enjoyable, if not so well attended. Duncan Lamont, father and son was pretty good, as was Alan Graham early in the year when Clive was indisposed. Two musicians who have played with Frank Sinatra!! The two sessions we have had with Jez Cook on guitar were very enjoyable too. I could go on dropping names, and I do have others I want to hear “At The Hedsor Social Club”

Our first session of 2014 will be on Thursday 2^nd January. Our regular guys will be in evidence for this starting session. We do plan to have more special evenings during 2014, with both individual guest musicians and perhaps once or twice complete bands in place of the Quintet.

It amazes me that we are still going after more than 12 years at The Hedsor Social Club. We have seen some changes there of course, and it is very pleasing to see the improvements taking place under Sarah’s leadership.

Hedsor Jazz attendance is still incredibly variable. In our much bigger venue we notice the thin evenings (and there have been quite a few), more markedly than when we were in the bar. If you could spread the word that Hedsor Jazz produces the best modern jazz of anywhere in the area it would be great to get another dozen paying guests helping the empty seats along. We do have an amazing atmosphere, and many friendships have been made over our 12 years at Hedsor. I am often asked why people turn out and enjoy our bigger events, but don’t come very often at all. People are busy, “times is hard”, but jazz is not just entertainment, it is a form of art and it must be allowed to keep going. Without the support of the audience it wont be able to do so.

Enough of the encouragement, just tell your friends what they are missing.

But for now……some photos of Our Christmas Party.

Hedsor Jazz Thursday December 19th

I know you don't really need any reminder, BUT, just to salve my conscience (well, I think that's what it is) I will remind you all that tonight is our last Hedsor Jazz night before 2014 (next one will be January 2nd I think) and it is also our Christmas Party.

 

Our VERY special guest tonight is that wonderful singer of jazz, Tina May, plus Alan Graham on vibs, and a few other faces we may have seen before!

 

There will be a few tickets on the door (not many!) and it will cost you £10 to get in. Music and buffet food will be provided for the fee. Liquid refreshment will be provided by the bar, please do not bring your own. Ensuring Hedsor Club stays solvent will help to ensure we will continue to have live jazz at Hedsor. Using the bar is one way we can help here. Another way is to be come a member of Hedsor Social Club, see any of the bar staff for details.

 

May I also take this opportunity of wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas.

 

And so, until tonight....... 

 

Geoff C

Today for all on the blog network, a simple blog, advertising the fact that Hedsor Jazz this week has as our guest saxophonist Peter Cook. He hasn’t been seen at Hedsor for a while, but he will be with us on Thursday (December 12^th) alongside our regular trombone playing Clive Burton and our regular rhythm section. Admittance £6. 8.30 start time.

Peter Cook

Next Thursday of course we have our annual Christmas party, with special guests singer Tina May and vibraphone player of renown Alan Graham. There are some tickets still available from Cookhams Stationery Depot (tel 01628 531178). I would STRONGLY encourage anyone who wants to come to buy a ticket beforehand. It may be too late to wait till you get to our door! They are £10 each.

CD Listen

One I heard this week is beautifully recorded and crafted by “Echoes of Swing” and is called “Blue Pepper”. All of these words would rather make you try to have a guess at the sort of music played. Especially when you add in the bottom line of the cd cover which says its Good Time Jazz.

Echoes of Swing are a quartet, and although they hint in the album notes at a background in New Orleans jazz, stride piano and classic drum styles, I don’t think they are any of these things. They are very gifted multinational musicians, with no allegiance at all to Art Pepper or trad jazz!

But they do swing, and it is fun. All the tracks are a bit on the short side, as though they were all meant for a 78, but there is also a lot of Duke Ellington influence in their choice of material ( Blue Pepper being a tune written by Ellington and Strayhorn). It’s a great listen, but I felt I would have liked to have heard longer solos. It is very crisply played, and the band sounds larger than a quartet. It will also make your Hi Fi rejoice as it is a great recording technically. 

It’s all released on the German label ACT as ACT 9102-2. It was recorded this year, and those taking part are Colin T. Dawson trumpet and vocals, Chris Hopkins alto sax, Bernd Lhotzky piano and Oliver Mewes drums. As you will see, it comes in a (fairly) plain white wrapper!

So till Thursday, take care, there is a Christmas Present out there waiting to be caught!

STOP PRESS NEWS

I am delighted to tell you that we have had definite confirmation that tenor saxophonist "Tolly" WILL be with us at Hedsor tonight alongside Stuart Henderson and Clive Burton. A magic 3 part front line.

A Little Bit of a Blog Today

And as is my want, to both inform and to nag!!

Inform

This Thursday, December 5^th, at Hedsor Jazz we have as a special guest, trumpet star Stuart Henderson. Anyone who has heard him before will need no second invitation or reason to come this week; Stuart is a wonderfully melodic and accomplished jazz trumpet and flugel horn player. BUT in case you do need another reason to come out on Thursday we have invited his long time associate tenor saxophonist “Tolly” to come as well. I cannot confirm for sure that he is coming, but he HAS been invited. Also on this weeks guest list is that familiar bass player Mr. John Monney. SO with Clive in the trombone chair alongside the other quartet regulars (except Mike Wills, who is sailing the high seas) it should be a great night. Usual bargain admittance price of £6 applies.

Next week, December 12^th we have another long standing favourite of ours, saxophonist Peter Cook. Peter hasn’t been with us much this year, so here is an opportunity to catch up with him before the year ends.

And Nag

Then of course on December 19^th we have our Christmas Party with our very special star guest singer Tina May. Alongside Tina as well as our loyal Clive Burton Quintet we will have vibraphone player Alan Graham. We are also hoping to attract Stuart Henderson and “Tolly” if they are free so soon before Christmas.

As you might expect tickets are going very well for this event, but I have put some over to our regular box office, The Stationery Depot in The Parade at Cookham. Their telephone number is 01628 531178. I think this is the fairest way for any of you who haven’t yet got tickets to get them even if you are unable to come to Hedsor before the 19^th. IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET TICKETS AT THE DOOR after this Thursday. In order to avoid disappointment get a ticket (£10) before travelling.

I think that is all the nagging I‘m going to do for a few days, enjoy the break! You still have 20 days to shop before Christmas Day. Good Luck!

Geoff

A little earlier than it has been in the past few weeks, my blog info for the week!

And in reverse order to my usual one, first of all a CD I have enjoyed again this week.

One of Nigel Prices, this time with singer Georgie Manciao. It is a beautiful and minimalist CD with only the addition of bassist Julie Walkington. One could argue that it is late night listening (which it can be and very comfortable for that time of night it is too) but it is a cracking listen for any time of day. Nigel is a very thoughtful accompanist to a singer with a delightful voice and I found the album quite captivating. A lot of well know tunes, all made to sound as though they had never been performed before. “ That Old Black Magic”, “Moonlight in Vermont”, “Come Rain or Shine” (the albums title song), are all songs that we thought we knew, but now performed with such delicacy that you wonder why you had never really listened to them before. It’s on Roomspin Records as number 41. You my have to contact Nigel to get one, but it is 47 minutes of uncomplicated music. Uncomplicated that is unless you try to play the guitar notes yourself!! www.nigelprice.biz could be your starting point.

Next an advert for another persons gig!!

On Sunday Night at Norden Farm from 7.30pm you can enjoy Five Star Swing. Hedsor Jazz has 2 links to this band. Justin Swadling plays in it, and he has played for us a couple of times at Hedsor. AND from time to time, our bass player Ken Rankine plays in the band. Band leader pianist Colin Smith has asked for a plug so here it is. Well worth another night out.

Before then and also at Norden Farm on Friday, Tina May will be performing. If you have yet to get your tickets ring the box office now!

Norden Farms week can be found at

 http://nordenfarm.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a4ea7c7c64d78c40c67990477&id=4387c49c51&e=a19096871e

Back to CD’s again. I have an unopened copy of John Coltrane’s complete Atlantic Recordings. This is a box set of 7 CD’s called “The Heavweight Champion”. Amazon have it  £71.99, with a reference to some used copies at £34.99. If some one would like to make me an offer I can’t refuse, then the set could be yours.

Finally (or even ultimately) this weeks gig at Hedsor Jazz has, in addition to the full Clive Burton Quintet a wonderful guitarist from Reading, Jez Cook. This should be a lovely evening of first class jazz, all for half the price of a Norden farm evening, i.e. just £6. If you haven’t been to Hedsor Jazz for a while (and I KNOW that many of you haven’t!), why not come for this one.

Finally and finally, I still have tickets for our Christmas Party on December 19^th, which has Tina May as our star guest. They are £10 each, and you need to buy your ticket BEFORE the night to ensure you get in. We only have 85 tickets in all.

OK, Just tell me where the time goes?

So, this weeks blog is late again. But NOT TOO LATE to let you know that this week, November 21^st, it is a standard presentation by The Clive Burton Quintet, our regular regulars.

But you know the great standard to expect. Great tunes, great musicians. And all for just £6 each!! A great price!

I wont disguise the fact that we could do with a greater audience on a regular basis. The more people in the audience, the better the music (and the warmer the room!). After all musicians enjoy playing to a crowd of people.

I did say a couple of blogs ago that we would have a very special guest for you in November, and I can now reveal that it is that very talented guitarist from Oxford, Jez Cook. He will be joining our regular guys on Thursday next, November 28^th. Those of you who heard him earlier in the year when Clive was indisposed will need no extra encouragement to come.

For those who didn’t hear him then check him out here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c5MeH_J5gU

and put November 28^th in your diary. This will be a pay at the door special event.

Whereas December 19^th is definitely a ticket only event.

Singing Star Tina May will be our special guest at our Christmas Concert.

http://www.tinamay.com/

She will be alongside Alan Graham and The Clive Burton Quintet. Tickets are £10 each, which includes a light buffet. You must buy your tickets in advance for this event. It is unlikely that you will get in on the door. We are limited to 85 paying members of the public.

That’s it for now folks. If I get time to listen to any recorded jazz next week I’ll let you know. Until then

TTFN

A line or two to ensure that you all know that Hedsor Jazz still exists!

Tonight, November 14th, we have our regular Clive Burton Quintet, so we are assured of some more melodic modern jazz!!

Next I just want to remind everyone that we do now have tickets on sale for our Christmas party. Our very special guest this year is one of my favourite singers, Tina May. Tickets will only be sold by either Dee or myself, and I have only printed 85 and some have already been sold from that total!

So if you want to come, buy your ticket now. They are £10 each, December 19^th 8 pm being the date and time and of course The Hedsor Social Club Big Room being the place. A light buffet will be included in that ticket price.

Tina May is being added to the list of world-class jazz musicians who have played at Hedsor Jazz.

In the next 2 weeks we hope to have another very popular musician play for us, I'll have to let you know about that one later.

Those of you who go to the Marlow Jazz Club will no doubt be aware that 2 really great gigs are coming up soon. Next Tuesday November 19^th Derek Nash and Vasilis Xenopoulos will be there, and on December 17^th Karen Sharp will be there with Art Theman. OK we have yet to have Derek Nash or Art Theman to Hedsor, but you can always sponsor a guest musician!!

That’s about it for now. Don’t forget if you don’t come out for live jazz there will come a time when it wont be there to go out to!!

Good Morning Jazz Fans

Autumn is developing and the summer sun has retreated, and it will be no good singing "Rain rain go away, come again another day"!

But there are some really nice things to look forward to. Hedsor jazz being just one. This Thursday we have our Regular Clive Burton Quintet, Mike Wills will be returning after taking extreme measures last week to hide from Tracey Mendham! It is always a surprise to hear the big sound from her tenor saxophone. Maybe her singing is more exuberant than admirable though!

Tracey's very good CD

She was another motorist caught up in the M25 last week. It took her 4 hours to get to Hedsor, and she played the entire evening on the energy of a cheese roll! Eventually sustenance was provided with one of my renowned omelettes at around midnight, whereupon she again departed to darkest Essex. Many lesser mortals would have rung in and said,"Sorry, wont be able to get there"!

Last week we would still have had a saxophonist though, because we had an unexpected guest sitting in which made the evening even more enjoyable. Alto player Len McCarthy was a very pleasant surprise, sounding a bit like Bruce Turner until you realised that he was really sounding like the guy Bruce studied under, Lee Konitz. Great fun was had by all (well maybe Clive found the evening a bit too eventful, he was heard to say, "it is only one night"!).

This week might be more predictable. Some of the tunes from the Keith Vitty days may well get played, and I will bring with me again some of he remaining copies of the Norden Farm CD, we did sell one last week. Having followed the band through more than 12 years I tend to forget that not everyone has a copy of the Norden Farm Concert already.

The famous Norden Farm Concert

One final item for this blog. I do have now tickets for the Christmas Party on December 19th. As you may recall our star guest this year is that lovely singer Tina May. Yes, she is my favourite, I have been known to extol her singing on FM Radio. The TV program "Airport" uses her "Come Fly With Me" as its signature tune! We are limiting ticket sales to just 85, and I very much want them to go to our regulars first. They are £10 each and it will be first come first served. I will only advertise this event outside of our club when I am satisfied you have got yours!

One of Tina's many CD's

Well that's it for now. Don't forget to tell people about my blog, and about Hedsor Jazz. Emails are still going astray, so word of mouth may become more reliable!

See you Thursday.

Geoff

I suppose this week I am still looking back!

And if you look on the last blog you will see that we are also looking forward, as this Thursday (HALLOWEEN!!) we have that wonderful lady saxophonist with the Big Personality TRACEY MENDHAM. 8.30 pm start so you do have time to go out and trick or treat!

She will be performing alongside Clive (he will have the strength!) and the regular rhythm section.

I thought I would mention something of the origins of the Clive Burton Quintet as we do still have a considerable stocks of a double album recorded by them in 2003.

Back in 2003 we put on a concert at Maidenheads Norden Farm as a tribute to the drummer Keith Vitty, who had recently died of bowel cancer. Keith was the drummer and founder of "Century Jazz" a band that had Clive Burton on trombone and announcements! In the concert was a drummer who we see most weeks, Martin Hart, and a saxophonist who we also see most weeks, Mike Wills. In the rhythm section were two more originals from "Century Jazz", bassist John Monney and pianist Roger Munns. The concert was recorded in full, and we issued it as a fundraiser for Cancer Research UK just after my own son also died of cancer.

We had guests in the form (lovely might I say) of Lynn Garner, and the equally talented (but less pretty)
Al Nicholson tenor sax. The recording is excellent, and all of the music and chat were issued on the double album. You will know much of the repertoire, as "our" Clive Burton Quintet inherited the band arrangements. So "Westwood Walk", "Cookham Bridge", "The Goof and I" and many others you will know can be heard on the CD's.

It would be good to sell some more of our stock, and the money so raised will go to CRUK. I'll bring some this week.

Another more commercial retrospective can be had from another CD I have been listening to this week "Blonde" was a mini TV series based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. Yes, the CD artwork does have some eye candy! But I have always been really impressed by the Big Band sound on this album. Sometimes with strings, (but they are never intrusive), with wonderful arrangements for soloist like Roy Hargrove, Scott Hamilton, Bill Watrous and Snooky Young. All the tunes and arrangements are by Patrick Williams. It was issued as "The First" Playboy Magazine Jazz CD ever, but actually its on a Concord Jazz label. Playboy Jazz PBD-7500-2. It can still be seen on American Ebay for around $5 It is well worth seeking out, even without the artwork!

Well, that's enough for now, see you all (in abundance please), on Thursday 31st October.

From here, I can see both ways!

All very cryptic! But I want to look forward from today to Thursday. This week we have the Clive Burton Quintet in its entirety! Everyone is back from their various forms of community service, and we should have some of the "good old good ones" as Louis used to say. So come along and join in the fun. Usual rules apply (no handwritten book of the rules for us to display, but we dont charge the same money as for a football game)! £6 to get in 8.30 start.

On to October 31st. And arriving from darkest Essex (perhaps on a broomstick?) to complete our Halloween experience we have Tracey Mendham. A wonderful saxophonist (if you haven't got her album you must ask her for it, it is excellent), and a wonderfully larger than life character, just right to complete October 31st! £6 is still the entry fee.

Looking now in the rear view mirror, wasn't last weeks session with Simon Spillett great? His playing is maturing all the time, and the rapport he has with Clive is wonderful to hear. Simon appeared to be more relaxed with us than at sometimes in the past, which is a great compliment to Hedsor Jazz and to "our" group of musicians.

I read a review in Jazz Journal not so long ago that summed up his playing. I reproduce it below:-

You will notice that it was a review of a concert in Reading!! And I agree with all the remarks about his playing. 

Still looking back, I was asked 2 weeks ago if I could replace the Cox Green School Jazz Orchestra at a charity concert in Maidenhead, which took place last Sunday. Well, I couldn't, but I knew men who could, and they did remarkably well, considering the only time they played together before their spot on the program was the sound check 1/2 hour before the audience came in. For this effort, Hedsor Jazz got a great plug in the program:-

The"talented bass player" was John Monney. "Our" quartet represented our jazz music to perfection.

The Noteworthy Singers are also well worth looking out for, and clips of their music can be found on their web site.

CD Listened to This Week

Its not new, to me or the CD world, but Louis Armstrong and his All Stars in Chicago, recorded in 1956, is still something to be savoured and marvelled at. No, nothing ground breaking just wonderful music, full of good humour that just makes you want to hear more. Its a double album, on Columbia Records COL 471870 2

So for now, that's it from me folks.

Geoff C

Your favourite read of the week!! Blog time from Geoff. It does seem to come around very quickly, but tomorrow is another Thursday. And that means some more exquisite jazz at The Hedsor Social Club!

Tomorrow will be special. Our guest saxophonist is a staunch and active supporter of Hedsor jazz, and a famous player in his own right.

Simon Spillett 

is coming tomorrow to stand alongside Clive. They will both be in front of Martin Hart on drums, back from his American tour, Ken Rankine on bass, back from his tour of Malta, and Nigel Fox, back from wherever he was last week!

Grass routes, seat of the pants jazz will be played with skill, excitement and swing. And YOU get all of this for just £6! As usual, the music starts at 8.30 pm.

And on Halloween night (October 31st) we have a young lady saxophonist extraordinaire! 

Tracey Mendham is coming to play for us again. 

A wonderful musician with a great big tone and a big personality to match. I do hope you are all planing on coming out to see her! 

So two great gigs with superb musicians and both can be heard for only £6 each and we don't charge extra for the car park! But as Vic Oliver (OK if you are that young Google the name) once said, "we have locked the doors so you have to pay to get out" 

Seriously though I know times are hard, but we have suffered a fall in attendance recently,(in line with many other places I know), but we could really do with your bum on our seats. Jazz at Hedsor is kept alive by the generosity of the members of Jazz Angels, who pay money into our bank account on a regular basis just to ensure live jazz remains available locally and in top quality. More people coming more often will ease the burden on that fund. To encourage people who may not have heard of Hedsor Jazz, some leaflets have been prepared, and some have already been put round local houses to advertise our club more widely. If you would like to do the same, some more leaflets will be available tomorrow, as will a poster for Tracey's gig if you have somewhere to place it.

One final plug is for a show taking place this coming Sunday evening October 20th in Maidenhead Town Hall's Desborough Suite. All for charity 4 singers and a choir will be "Steppin' Out" and so will some recognisable renegades from Hedsor Jazz. If you would like to be entertained in an early evening event this is the place to be from 6 pm until approx 8.30 pm.

Next week I hope to tell you of some CD's I've listened to recently, but in the meantime:-

TTFN (which is ITMA slang: OK resort to Google)!!

Geoff

My writings for this week are a bit rushed. My candle, which of course for maximum effect is lit at both ends, is rapidly coming to a frantic flair. 

There are things I MUST tell you about though, and yet again attempt to encourage you to come and experience jazz at Hedsor Jazz for yourselves. 

Tonight for instance is not quite how it was anticipated to be. We have a rhythm section consisting of Mike Jeffries on drums, John Monney on bass (as for the last two weeks), but for this week only (!) Malcolm Cliff will be on keyboard. Malcolm is renowned for his ability to "quote" a variety of tunes whilst playing another, so it will be a bit of a challenge to see if you can recognise them all!! Bring your own pen and paper!

We had anticipated Ken McCarthy on keyboard this week, but Ken is unable to get back from a prior (unpaid) engagement in London in time for tonight's gig. We will just have to wait another month for his next turn.

In front of the rhythm section this week as usual is Clive Burton on trombone and Mike Wills on reed instruments.

BUT

We have two great gigs coming up in the next couple of weeks. Thursday October 17th see's the return of our regular rhythm, but in front of them will be Simon Spillett as well as Clive.

Then on Thursday October 31st we have as a special treat for Halloween that character full lady saxophonist Tracey Mendham! And for all this wonderful music and mayhem we will still only ask £6 to let you in! Marvellous isnt it? Well jazz nights at The Hedsor Social Club are less fattening than chocolate, and soon will be cheaper than are bar of the stuff, as coco prices are set to double!

Look out for a poster for you to display for Tracey. We will also have some handbills for general Hedsor Jazz promotion for you to hand out to your friends and neighbours.

That's it for this morning, lets see what a little moonlight will do!

What's on at Hedsor Jazz this week.

Our first evening of smooth swinging jazz for October (the 3rd) will have a band that you will recognise, but that isn't quite our regular guys!!

It will be Clive Burton on the trombone and jokes, Mike Wills on the multiple reeds, which he plays one at a time, unlike some! Nigel Fox on keyboard.So far all fairly predictable. But our bass player this week will be John Monney and our drummer (you saw him last week, if you were one of our very small audience) will be Mike Jeffreys.

It was a small audience last week and I do hope it might grow a bit (NO a LOT) this week. 
OK the weather forecast is for rain, a lot of rain! But the Hedsor Social Club Roof doesn't leak, inside you will be warm, and dry. You will be met with nice people, nice music and nice beer. All we need from you is a nice£6 for entry. In exchange, you will get a raffle ticket, and a chance to win one of our carefully selected raffle prizes!!

Also with me again this week will be the late Charles Benson's CD collection, which we are selling at his request for Jazz Angels Funds. We sold a number last week, but we still have a lot of very interesting items left. A suggested price of £4 each but no top limit except your generosity!

For those who don't know, Jazz Angels is the fund that underwrites the financing of Hedsor Jazz. 

Tracey Mendham

Into the future and I can now reveal that for October 31st we will have Tracey Mendham with us. Big Toned, Big Personality and soon to be in our Big Room!!

Recently Listened CD 

I have yet to hear ALL of the double album on the Avid Jazz re issue label (4 LPs on 2 CD's) but "Jimmy Rushing - Four Classic Albums" is a must if you like the blues shouting style of Mr 4X4.

Jimmy is featured with some interesting jazz luminaries from the middle period of jazz. With him on many of the tracks are Buck Clayton, Benny Moten, Coleman Hawkins, all playing as you would expect, excellently, with well thought out (or maybe just naturally exuded) solos and great ensemble work. Some of the material is more arranged ,with the Big Brass of 4 trumpets 3 trombones 5 saxophonist you could not expect the music to be off the cuff. But the Big Man's Big Voice and some great songs bring back memories (yes, I did see the man). These recordings were all made between 1956 and 1960. One of the albums on this release I have yet to listen too and is different. It has Mr Rushing with the Dave Brubeck Quartet of the period. The sleeve note calls this "a spontaneous explosion of jazz". That one goes in the CD player latter tonight! The CD Number is AMSC1057. Nearly 160 minutes of wonderful jazz.

Good Morning Jazz Lovers

Another Thursday, and so far no nag or blog I hear you think. True, I am, at this late stage, beginning to correct that issue!

Our regular Thursday Session at Hedsor Jazz this week will be the almost regular Clive Burton Quintet. The only addition to the Albran situation is that our drummer, Martin Hart, is being replaced for 3 weeks by our other drummer, Mike Jeffries.

As Autumn approaches it would be nice to see some of you back from your summer break. We do try to keep our entry price to £6, which doesn't always see enough money coming in per week to pay the band. If you could encourage others other than yourselves to come more often, we will have no trouble carrying on with our weekly sessions.

There are very few jazz clubs now offering a regular weekly session, some of those that do have had to increase their entry fee quite considerably. We really don’t want to do that, but even 5 more regular attendees would help to stabilise our accounts. I think we offer incredible value for money. We frequently have guest musicians playing for us who have national and international stature, the premises we are in (The Hedsor Social Club) is gradually being improved (we have been their most loyal customers now for something like 12 years), and the move last year into the bigger room has been advantageous to all of the social club members, not just us jazzers. Do think of becoming Social Club members yourselves. The turn of the year is membership renewal time, so why not ask Sarah for a membership form.

We still have some excellent guest performers in the pipeline. Our Christmas Party on December 19^th will be a sell out, so when the tickets become available, do buy yours in advance. Many were turned away at our last Big Night in August. They had assumed that tickets are ALWAYS available at the door!

So let us rejoice in another season of mellow jazz. Keep live jazz ALIVE!

Geoff C

A Brief “Nag” 

To let you know that this weeks guest at Hedsor Jazz is internationally renowned vibes player Alan Graham.

 

Alan Graham, with John Monney and Martin Hart

He will be playing alongside Clive Burton on trombone and our regular rhythm section.

 

All well worth the admittance price of just £6. Why not come and bring some friends along too? After all, with Alan in our midst, you are only one away from Frank Sinatra!

 

Geoff C