CORRECTION

Those of you who have checked your diary will have realised that I got the date wrong for the Thursday in July when there will be no jazz at Hedsor!!

It is July 16th not 18th as in the original text (I have now corrected this).

I already have an invite from my optician!!

Geoff, still, apparently, having an away day!!

What with Bank Holidays and away days, 

I haven’t yet had time to tell you that THIS WEEK at Hedsor Jazz we have that superb trumpeter Stuart Henderson. He will be playing alongside Clive, and in front of our regular rhythm section. Well, that is what I am led to believe anyway! Thursday 28^th May, your last jazz at Hedsor this month.

Do remember to put in your diary that Thursday July 16^th is a NO JAZZ AT HEDSOR day. The club has a long standing booking for the main hall. You will just have to fill up before on jazz at the Swanage Jazz Festival (July 10^th to 12^th weekend).

The away day has prevented any serious listening to recorded jazz. On Monday we attended the Tetbury (Gloucestershire) Woolsack races. A typically mad English thing, where grown men (and sometimes women) run up and down a 1 in 4 hill with a 60 pound sack of wool on their back!!

Pictures below to prove my point! One volunteer, called upon at the last minute to complete a team, even ran it in bare feet! And some people think our love of Jazz is mad!!

Hedsor Jazz Tomorrow Night………………

has a couple of personnel changes!

For once, these are ALL in the rhythm section!! Regular bass player Ken Rankine, who got his gig dates muddle up last week, will definitely be away this week, and Martin Hart will be replaced by Mike Jeffries on drums “as he is going to the North”!

As some of you are aware, I was “down South” last week, see Bridport pictures of a good amateur big band below! 

BOTH singers were really very good! Bridport is obviously no cultural desert, as it has an arts and performance centre, AND a cinema!

Whilst shopping in the market I picked up a superb CD by The Vic Dickinson Septet. Some of the tracks were in my collection by 1955! The rest are new to me, but all were recorded in 1953/4 and generated the name “Mainstream”. I believe it was John Hammond himself who coined the phrase that this music was in the “mainstream of jazz”. This American Vanguard edition has been remastered in 20 Bit quality form the original analogue tapes. I had the original 10” LP’s for “Jeepers Creepers” and “Russian Lullaby”, and the sound quality has definitely been given a lift. It is wonderful jazz, light, swinging, with few superfluous notes (listen to Sir Charles Thompson on piano for instance. You know the note is coming, and it does, in just the right place!).

If you can find a copy I recommend it without reservations. 

"Vic Dickenson Nice Work" Vanguard 79610-2

Talking of reservations, make sure you keep September 26^th free in your diary. The arrangements for our day of jazz (Hedsor Jazz goes to School) are coming on very well. There will be wall-to-wall jazz in St Piran’s School, Maidenhead, from 11am ‘till 11pm and it will cost you £35 each. 

Our superb cast has been added to in the past week. We now have trumpeter Steve Waterman coming to be part of Gill Cooke’s set. 

Very soon I will have full details in glorious Technicolor to hand out, but for now, save the pennies for this day of jazz. Some of the profit from it will be going to Cancer Research UK, who will have a stand at the event.

TTFN

A Reminder

This week at Hedsor Jazz we have a “Special” for Election Night. 

You can vote with your feet for American Saxophonist FRANK GRIFFITH. He will be playing alongside our regular trombonist Clive Burton, and both will be backed by our equally regular (in time!) rhythm section!!

It is hoped that Clive’s wife Jan will be back with us this week too. Last week she very sadly had a eye stroke, which will need future treatment. She cannot drive at the moment but in the meantime she really wants to get back to us at Hedsor Jazz. She has been very touched by all the kind messages and cards that have been sent to her, and wishes to thank all who have been concerned.

SO two reasons to come out to us on Thursday. The election result will wait, but don’t forget to vote!

After the election results are announced, you MAY need some music to play at home to cheer you up OR to help you celebrate!!

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

This week I have listened to a stunning CD by Vibraphone player Robin Beaujolais called “Mind the Gap” With him are Robin Aspland on piano, Simon Thorpe bass and Winston Clifford drums. Its on Stay Tuned Records as ST009. It was released in 2013 and is that fine mix of good tunes (including 2 by Wes Montgomery, 3 by Roger himself and that lovely tune by Thad Jones “A Child is Born”). There is close interplay between the Quartet, if you have yet to have neither Roger Beaujolais or Robin Aspland to play at home it would make an excellent purchase. It is well recorded and a very good addition to your collection, especially if you like vibes!!

OK VOTE GRIFFITH ON THURSDAY Usual start time and fees apply!!