Last Blog before DORSET

Yes, just as the summer sun slowly fades into the west, I am going there too!!

Some will say I went West long ago, and who am I to say they are wrong, BUT…..

This week at Hedsor Jazz we have the same band as played last week, with one notable exception. We wont have the lovely Gill Cook this week. Wasn’t she good, no not a question, an out and out statement of fact! So good in fact that we have already booked her for our Christmas Special on December 18^th. Put THAT in your diary now, just to make sure you don’t book it for a pantomime or something.

Coming soon on August 7^th Vasilis Xenopoulos is bringing “Wind Machine” to Hedsor for another of our “special” evenings. Make sure your diary knows about that one too!

After August and before December we do have one or two ideas for special guest nights, keep reading the blog to find out who and when.

Dont forget that if you fancy having a guest of your choice come to play with The Clive Burton Quintet you can always “sponsor” them. i.e. agree to pay a substantial portion of their fee. Talk to Clive or me about that if you have someone in mind. Just to give you an idea, both Tina May and The Remix Jazz Orchestra were both gigs sponsored by one of you (actually two of you!).

Going back to Gill Cook, her new CD, although delayed (she had hoped to have some with her last week) will be launched at 1 pm  on Sunday 14^th September  at the Pizza Express in Dean Street, W1. Ring 08456 027017 for a reservation, or read more at www.gillcook.co.uk

A CD I have listened to this week could be one that pleases more than one type of jazz fan.

 Evan Christopher’s “Django a la Creole” was released in 2008. Evan is a very talented American clarinet player, now largely resident in New Orleans playing up to date New Orleans traditional jazz but also doing European tours from time to time with a Manouche type of group (clarinet, lead guitar, rhythm guitar and bass). When done well, this kind of music swings along very nicely, with whistle-able tunes and a slightly latin rhythm, and in Evan Christopher’s case it is done very well indeed. As the title suggests, the music was inspired by the gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt back in the 1940’s. Evan has a very clean rich tone and the whole CD is a delight. Freemeaux & Associes FA 505