OK, so the blog has been missing for a week and a bit!! OK I’m sorry, but I didn’t feel like doing ANYTHING, as I had a trapped sciatic nerve!! SLOW improvement is now taking place, and I can now access my keyboard!!

So to things jazz, and Hedsor Jazz in particular.

Clive Burton, our regular member of the brass playing fraternity, is blowing away next Thursday (30^th April) and in his (brass) place we will have a first appearance at Hedsor of trumpet and flugel horn player LESTER BROWN. He comes highly recommended by our reed section, so it should make for a good evening.

Now what do You expect of our election night? Like us at Hedsor jazz, ”they” have elected  to hold this election (as all the others!) on a Thursday. Some competition eh?

You will still have time to come to Hedsor Jazz and vote for FRANK GRIFFITH!

You can also put posters up for him if you like, because Frank, who is the Director of Performance at Brunel University School of Arts is coming to play for us at Hedsor on election night!!

Frank is an American Saxophonist of great repute, having had a couple of recent collaborations with singer Tina May. There may even be CD’s for sale, no doubt autographed by Frank!!

It is a great credit to the stature of Hedsor Jazz that musicians of this calibre want to come and play for us. So when you have crossed out your democratic rights (or do I mean exercised them with a cross?) you can come and while away the election night with us. Coalition? Collaboration? Now That’s Jazz,

HEDSOR JAZZ!!

I mentioned a CD in my last email. OK I didn’t blog, but from the confines of my laptop, I did mention in my round robin nagging email that I was about to listen to a Harry Allen CD new to me. Now I have!

One or two of us saw saxophonist Harry Allen at Marlow URC a month or so ago. Here he is recorded in Copenhagen in July last year with pianist Jan Lundgren, bassist Hans Backenroth and drummer Kristian Leth. And very good they all are. A very melodic sound, which is highlighting the compositions of Johnny Mandel. 3 of the 4 musicians were born in 1966, and the drummer in 1973, yet they play with a maturity that belies there years. And they are playing in a style that goes back to a much older generation. Swing and melody are paramount. There are 3 tunes that you will know, and perhaps a couple that you don’t. “Suicide is Painless” was the theme tune to MASH! A good mainstream buy: Harry Allen/Jan Lundgren Quartet “Quality There” is on STUCD 14142 from Stunt Records.

A great night in prospect!!

Yes, this coming Thursday we have award winning saxophonist and author, the authority on British Jazz Legend Tubby Hayes, Simon Spillett coming to play for us at Hedsor Jazz. The day after Simon’s long expected book on Tubby is published, Simon will be with US.

At long last! Simon Spillett's biography of British Jazz Legend Tubby Hayes will be available from April 15th.

”The Long Shadow Of The Little Giant: The Life, Work and Legacy of Tubby Hayes” is available direct from Equinox Publications www.equinoxpub.com

Sadly this means that NO COPIES will be available to buy direct from Simon on Thursday due to publishing rules.

But he will be playing alongside The Clive Burton Quintet, which this week will again see drummer Mike Jeffries in it, AND a guest bass player!

A little further away, but another exciting saxophone event will take place at Hedsor Jazz on ELECTION NIGHT! May 7^th!!

American Saxophonist Frank Griffith will be joining The Clive Burton Quintet for a night of jazz that will take away the taste of politics and to take your mind off of the result. Friday will be soon enough for that!!

So do come along to Hedsor Jazz, the best kept secret in jazz!! We are still here EVERY THURSDAY, and have been for 13 years!!

8.30 pm start, £6 entry. For those who have never been before, find us next door to The Bourne End Garden Centre in Hedsor Road, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5ES

In another place(!) on Saturday (18^th April) there will be a concert led by Laurie Holloway & Friends in Windsor Parish Church in order to raise funds for the church organ. Tickets are £12 (box office 01753 743915) or on the door on the night. Windsor Parish Church is in the High Street near the Guildhall.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the blog. I do add to it every now and again, and don’t always tell you!!