Hedsor Jazz this week has another mouth watering combination for us. A return of that fabulous trumpeter Stuart Henderson who gave us such a wonderful evening when coupled with saxophonist Simon Spillett is returning  to be teamed up with another saxophonist.  Duncan Lamont jnr has served us well at Hedsor Jazz over the past few years and it will be a delight to have him back with us again. What magic will this pairing bring to us I wonder. You can find out by coming out on Thursday (8th November).

Last week Kelvin Christiane didn’t disappoint us. He did do his Roland Kirk impersonation. Geoff Swafflied’s photos (below) will show that he did play both his alto and his tenor sax at the same time. He was kept company at the front by guitarist Terry Hutchins. Wonderful stuff. 

BUT THE highlight of the evening was more conventional. Towards the end of evening the quintet played “All Blue”, and one of those magical moments that can be had in jazz happened. Five musicians all playing in mental harmony with each other, mesmerizing! Steve Riddle has a major role to play in this piece as the bass notes repeat all the way through, but his solo was, as the saying goes, “something else”. You really don’t get too many bass solos that actually make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up! This time, his DID. At the end of the piece Martin Hart was moved to come to the front and say that this sort of empathy amongst 5 musicians doesn’t happen very often. A truly “WOW” moment. In Martins words "What about that"!

Don’t forget to look back on previous blog issues to see who is coming over the next couple of months, and don’t forget to put January 24th in your diary now. Vasilis Xenopoulos is coming to play with our rhythm section, which on that night will include the bass of Stuart Barker.

CD listened too his week.

When I moved to Cookham in 1969 I bought an LP in a very local shop of Lionel Hampton and his orchestra playing at the Newport Jazz Festival (“Newport Uproar“). I became aware through that LP of saxophonist Illinois Jacquet, who guested in that festival concert. 

Illinois had been associated with Hampton since his debut at the age of 19 on a tune that became synonymous with Lionel Hampton, “Flying Home”. He did his first recording with the band on that tune in 1942, and came back as a guest on the “Newport Uproar” concert. 

A great compilation of his early work was released last year and is well worth your investment. It’s a great tribute, not just to Mr Jacquet, but to the music and musicians of an earlier era. “The Illinois Jacquet Collection 1942-56” Acrobat ADDCD3203 2 CD set. it’s a great listen.

And so is jazz performed live..especially at THE HEDSOR SOCIAL CLUB!