TIME STILL HASN'T SLOWED DOWN

In fact I feel very like Antony Newly, "Stop the World I wont to get off"!

I have to be brief this morning, but just to let you know that Hedsor Jazz tomorrow will again have the renowned Clive Burton Quintet. There is an unsubstantiated rumour that Mike Wills is bringing a guest with him from Oxford, who might be a guitarist, but again, it might not!!

One day life will not have too many visitors or visits, and I can write up an appreciation of some of the Hedsor Jazz events that have gone past seemingly in a cloud of dust!!

In the meantime for those of you who appreciate aeroplanes as well as jazz, below you will find a couple of photos from my visit to the Dunsfold Wings and Wheels show. That is also another L O N G story.

Time?

OK, where does it go? It’s supposed to be some sort of fixed criterion, regulated by rotation and speeds fixed over millennia, but the days and weeks seem to fly by. IT’S THURSDAY again, and I have only just got around to reminding you that TONIGHT we have JAZZ at The Hedsor Social Club !

The almost original Clive Burton Quintet will be playing from 8.30 pm and you can see and hear them for the amazingly low entry fee of  £6!! OK, it may not be all you are required to spend tonight, but you can park your car for free.

It’s always great music in that modern jazz way that is only 65 years old, no matter who we have playing for us at Hedsor. 

Last week the amazingly young 80 something Alan Grahame wowed us on the vibraphone, and what a lovely sound that made. We have yet to find the wrapping paper, but he IS coming for our Christmas Party (December 18^th).

Before I move on to a CD Review (wonders will never cease!), I will remind all of our jazz friends to drink sensibly at Hedsor. I know from personal experience that the Police are keeping an eye on the Hedsor club, and wish to repeat their success rate on the breathalyser. Gladly for me I did not require a night in the cells!

CD Review

A recent release on the Woodville label has trombonist Mark Nightingale teamed with fellow trombonist Alistair White in a recreation of the sound of the Jay and Kai albums of the 50’s.

 It is all very well done, with Graham Harvey on piano, Alec Dankworth on bass and Clark Tracey on drums, the later pair have played for us at Hedsor, and Mark Nightingale having played with Clive at the old Fifield Sunday evening gig it’s almost a family link. Another link very close to home is that this superb recording (and it is in every way) was recorded at Maidenhead’s Norden Farm. The playing is superb, and the tunes well chosen (two being composed by Mark himself). If you have lost that old Jay and Kai LP from the 50’s, give yourself a treat (and help Alan Barnes raise his children, Alan Barnes owns Woodville Records!!) by buying this album, you wont be disappointed. “The Sound of Jay and Kai” WVCD142

Party Retrospective

First of all a tremendous THANK YOU to all of you who came and celebrated my birthday with me last Thursday. It was lovely to see so many of you, and it was lovely to see so many of you with smiling faces. I have now read all the cards (thank you all) and finished the cake! What is left is the wonderful memory that wont go away.

I also want to express my thanks and gratitude to all of the Hedsor Jazz catering committee. And they are all volunteers! Thank you all so much it was a wonderful spread.

As a young jazz fan (a long time and a lot of birthdays ago too) I could not have envisaged having such a splendid jazz party. I must thank all of “The Wind Machine” for coming, spending hours on motorways (not in place when I learnt to drive) persevering to get to us at “The Hedsor Social Club”.  It's amazing that they did.  In one word, they are brilliant!

I am going to quote one of my guests, who is a frequent traveler, but infrequent visitor to Hedsor Jazz:-

“A superb jazz experience – what musicianship, what lovely personalities projected and what a wealth of music: all that and a lovely Club atmosphere too.”

Some of my guests came a very long way to be part of the party. I do hope that those of you who came from slightly nearer to hand will want to come again, for all the reasons referred to in that quote.

Just to entice you this week we have as a guest artist vibraphone player Alan Graham. He has been with us a number of times before, and those who have heard him will need little persuasion to come and hear him again.

For those who aren't in on his musical provenance catch up with it at

http://alangrahamevibes.com/Alan_Grahame/Welcome.html

Yes, you did read it correctly; he has played alongside Peggy Lee!! Come along on Thursday 14^th August and hear how he does alongside Clive Burton!!

This Thursday we are back to our usual start time of 8.30pm, and our usual admittance fee of £6. We are also back to our usual lack of buffet too!! Never mind, the bar sells crisps and real ale, and you don’t have to pay extra for parking!!

Two future gigs you must make sure you have in your diary. On October 30^th we have that extraordinary lady saxophonist Tracey Mendham (yes, she was there last week in a “supporting” roll) coming to play her many saxophones for us, and on December 18^th we will be having our Gala Christmas party. Guests so far booked are singer Gill Cook and saxophonist Peter Ripper. We are asking others too to help augment our regular guys and make it an exciting pre-Christmas treat. This will be another 8 pm and £10 night.

The Hedsor Social Club, THE place to hear Hedsor Jazz!!

A Few Words of Blogg Update

Just a reminder (if any is needed) that Hedsor Jazz has a wonderful concert coming up THIS THURSDAY from 8pm, YES 8pm!! the 7th August!

Vasilis Xenopoulos’s new band “The Wind Machine” will be playing for all of you who can get in. Tickets are £10, some MAY be available at the door, but to ensure entry do pre-purchase via the Stationery Depot in Cookham’s shopping parade near the railway station (tel 01628 531178)

Just to remind you that The Wind Machine are Vasilis on tenor saxophone, Nigel Price on guitar, Steve Fishwick on trumpet, Bill Mudge on Hammond organ and Pete Cator on drums. They are terrific, so don’t miss them when they are so near at hand!!

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-wind-machine-vasilis-xenopoulos-33-jazz-review-by-roger-farbey.php#.U-CvjuNdVNE

RECAP

Last month I mentioned in my write up of the Swanage Jazz Festival that another band (playing ALL the styles) that you need to see is “100 Years of Jazz in 99 Minutes” (Actually the band is called "The Jazz Repertory Company" http://www.jazzrep.co.uk). Well there are 2 video/audio clips on YouTube, which put together give you 100 years of jazz in 10 minutes!! Do check them out!!

Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inGyvLzhNu8

and Part 2 at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvIu95t5D1Y

Catch them if you can!!

See everyone on Thursday at THE HEDSOR SOCIAL CLUB!! SL8 5ES