Another Good Week for Local Jazz

This week is a very good week for local live jazz. 

Marlow Jazz Club last night hosted Simon Spillett and his Quartet and an excellent time was had by all. They all played very well indeed, and the rapport between Clark Tracey on drums and Alec Dankworth on bass was something very special. They were almost playing as one, much to the delight of the audience, especially one young lady who showed her appreciation for everything bass with great shrieks of encouragement.

Promoter Michael Eagleton need not have worried about an audience. They were beginning to run out of chairs!

Hopefully that will also happen at Hedsor on Thursday (March 21st) because we have another of the young lions of the saxophone coming to The Hedsor Social Club. Vasilis Xenopoulos will be playing opposite our regular read man, Mike Wills. behind them will be or usual class act of piano, bass and drums. And it will still only cost you £6 to get in!! 8.30 start. There are more seats than we used to have in the bar, but if you want a good one, come early.

Recorded Jazz

CD's this week include one I have yet to listen to, but Simon played a lot of the tunes from it last night. Yes, Simon has a new CD out on a new label. Gearbox Records. And I'm pleased to see one of the hits of last night is on it, "Yesterday I Heard The Rain". OK. yesterday I felt it too, and sadly there seems little let up in our Upper Lip Winter, but the balled is one I hadn't heard before, and it is a lovely tune, which The Simon Spillett band played beautifully.

The records (yes 12"LP versions are available too) and CD's of the new album "Square One" can only be purchased at Gigs, so next time you see Simon ask for one (in exchange for a Ten Pound Note of course). I'll let you know later what I think of the transposition of the music to the album, but I am looking forward to a proper listen to it very soon.

Another CD I dragged out from the archive may surprise you. I was listening to Spotify in my workshop when out popped a tune by Ottilie Patterson. Sadly now no longer with us, Ottile was a revelation when she first appeared with the Chris Barber Band in 1955. She sounded stunning and she looked stunning too. Well, over the years the band, and her singing style, altered enough to include R&B tunes, and on Monday night prompted by the Spotify nudge I played a little known recording by the Barber band from 1964. The mix of musicians and music will surprise you. There are some great railway blues tunes,("I Have a Ticket", "Morning Train" for example)  and a tune made for a film ("Brands Hatch Beat") called "Finishing Straight". One of the personnel surprises is that on a couple of the tunes Ronnie Scott solos, and on another you will find Jimmy Deucher in place of Pat Halcox, and pianist Norrie Paramor is also on at least one. It really is great fun. It may not be around to buy in the version illustrated above, but Spotify might meet your need.

So, as they say, "That's it for now Folks" see you ALL on Thursday!