Good Morning Jazz Fans

It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Charles Benson, “titular head” of Cookham’s fabulous Shirtlifters died during the night of Tuesday. He will be greatly missed by many people from many different areas of local life, which included his support as a Jazz Angel for Hedsor Jazz.

He died following treatment for bowel cancer.

I will bring a card tonight for those of you who would like to sign it in support of Charles’s family. I don’t want to write more at this stage other than to say to his family we are holding you in our thoughts.

When my son died, also of cancer, a friend sent me the following poem, which I found very supportive:

Poem Read at Stuarts Funeral

You can shed tears that he is gone or you can smile because he has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray he’ll come back or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live your life yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember him and only that he’s gone, or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, or be empty and turn you back, or you can do what he’d want.

Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

© David Harkins 1981

As you all know Hedsor Jazz has supported Cancer Research UK since 2003, raising money every year for them by a fundraising concert. The timing of this years concert could not be more poignant. It will be on April 25^th. I know you will not need any further encouragement to support this event. See past issues of this blog for more detail.

In line with the thoughts expressed in the above poem, we are carrying on and Tonight’s special guest is saxophonist Duncan Lamont Junior, who will be supported, as usual, by the Clive Burton Quintet. 

See you at Hedsor.

Geoff C