Election over and with no other preoccupations 

we are now rushing towards Christmas.

As this will (probably) be my last blog before January may I wish all of you a Very Happy Christmas time, and a New Year full of all the things you like best.

In that I also hope that at least some of what you like best is Jazz at Hedsor, because we have agreed to be at The Hedsor Club for 2020! We have a program for January and look forward to not only seeing YOU all there again in January, but maybe some new faces too. Even some not so new faces would also be most welcome!

January 2020

  9 th    Lester Brown + Mike Wills

16 th    Kelvin Christiane +   Nick Mills (tmb)

23 rd    Stuart Henderson + Tolly

30 th    Sue Greenway +   Mike Wills

One last plug. Thursday is our very special Christmas Party, with Tina May and Duncan Lamont Jr heading the guest list. Poster below, some tickets are still available.

I want to thank all of you who come so regularly to support our Live Jazz. Thank you to all the many who not only come and pay to listen but who come and help both before, during and after every Thursday event. I am not going to pick out names for special mention, except one.

MARTIN HART

Not only is he our regular drummer, but he looks after the programming. He also does the bulk of the announcing in his own unique style too. In all he ensures that what you get for your entry fee is a quality product. 

Thank you Martin for all your hard work.

Many of you know that our entry fee doesn’t always cover our weekly costs. Hedsor Jazz has been supported for over 15 years by an organisation called Jazz Angels. These angelic people regularly directly debit money into an account that makes good any income shortfall and ensures our ability to book ahead. If you would like to be part of that angelic assembly please contact Jazz Angels treasurer John Dutton, and he will tell you more and get you to sign a Direct Debit mandate.

A brief recap on last Thursdays session. OK It was election night and our audience was slightly thinner on the ground. BUT the music was very good indeed. Jezz Cook and Mike Wills gave us a fresh look at tunes all written by guitarists. I congratulated Jezz at the end of a very entertaining  evening and he said it had been a great rehearsal!! 

My photos of it are below

Don’t forget that a performance is made up of two halves, the performers AND THE AUDIENCE. Without both, you cannot have Live Jazz!

Well there you have my end of year blog. 

Festive Greetings to all you jazz fans.

This issue of my blog will be pretty boring! 

Most of it I have said before, so it will be repetitive. Repetitive reminders are called nags. My reminder lists are called Nag Lists, JAZZ nag lists!

So NAG NUMBER 1

Thursday 12^th YOU MUST GO OUT AND VOTE. In my view it is a democratic right that should not be forgone.

NAG NUMBER 2. Second thing to do on December 12^th is to come out and support live jazz at HEDSOR JAZZ. Jezz Cook and Mike Wills (guitar and reeds) will try and enlarge our knowledge of the tunes written and played by jazz guitarists over the years.

NAG NUMBER 3. THE THIRD thing to do on Thursday is to ensure you have a ticket for our Christmas Party.

This year the entry price of £10 will get you in to the music and it will get you a plate of buffet food, but this year IT WONT GET YOU A RAFFLE TICKET. This Christmas we are going to sell you raffle tickets for a quality draw (Did I hear strains of Rolls Royce Corniche?) and ALL the money raised will be going to charity which will include Cancer Research UK.

Our star guests are on the poster above, others I’m sure will appear just to be part of our happy throng. It will be a wonderful night of live jazz as we celebrate Christmas at The Hedsor Club, a place we have been enjoying live jazz every week in since 2002. We will be there again in 2020, and our fist gig is on January 9^th with Lester Brown + Mike Wills…The Clive Burton Celebration Quintet, a fitting start to a new year of live jazz music.

Whats left to say? Well it would be very wrong of me NOT to say what an absolutely wonderful session we had with Ian Smith and Ollie Wilby last Thursday. You could go miles, travel to many jazz festivals and not hear music of such quality. 

In fact Ollie Wilby did travel miles to play next day in Italy, leaving the UK at 5.30am! The quintet blended very well, especially as Ian had the habit of only calling the tune! Key and tempo were left a bit in the air, and there was at least one false start. But I would bear that for the kind of music, information and fun that it all gave us last Thursday.  It was improvised jazz at it’s very best, I just hope that you didn’t miss it! My photos of the evening are below.

Well there it is, a boring nagging Jazz from Geoff.

There May be one more in the pipeline for next week, but I may (!) just have to succumb to CHRISTMAS. I could even have succumbed to Tina May by December 25^th!

One final thought. IF you would like to put fingers to keyboard and tell me the gigs you have enjoyed most at Hedsor Jazz during 2019, I will enter your prose into the blog, so get keying in! If you need any reminding on who played when you can always look back at previous blog issues, all of its pages are still available to view right from its inceptions in its current form in 2005!

Please email me your prose to geoff.jazzsuspect@gmail.com

A NEW DIRECTION 

FOR DECEMBER 12th!!

Just when we all thought we had learnt what manouche meant, and were looking forward to an election night of "IT", I have had an email from one of the vital performers, and I reproduce it below:-

Thanks very much for this – but I’m afraid a bit of correction is needed to the blurb about next week!  We won’t be doing an evening of gypsy jazz (well, one or two Django tunes) but we’re doing a special guitar night devoted to tunes written and made famous by guitar players – so it’ll be almost a history of jazz guitar i.e. featuring tunes by Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Wes Montgomery and more!  A real treat for guitar fans (hopefully the Django fans won’t be too disappointed!)

Cheers

Mike

So, even MORE reason to vote early (for Christmas?) and to come out to Hedsor Jazz.

If you want to start filling in your diary for January 2020, below are the first Thursday gigs of the New Year

January 2020

  9 th    Lester Brown + Mike Wills

16 th    Kelvin Christiane +   Nick Mills (tmb)

23 rd    Stuart Henderson + Tolly

30 th    Sue Greenway +   Mike Wills

The excitement is building! We have navigated our way passed Black Friday and Cyber Monday but we still have a few things to anticipate. The quickening of the pulse CAN carry on, the slowly rising thrill of coming events is ever growing.

Do I mean the Election….NO.

But I do mean the last 3 weeks of Hedsor Jazz 2019.

And the first of the those 3?

This week on Thursday December 5^th we have back with us at Hedsor Jazz trumpet player and raconteur Ian Smith together with saxophonist Ollie Wilby.

Last time at Hedsor they played some truly wonderful jazz for us. Those of you who saw Ian again with Martin Hart at Woodley will have also enjoyed the rapport Ian had with pianist Ken McCarthy, and I can reassure you that that will again be possible this Thursday at Hedsor, BECAUSE Ken is our pianist again for this week.

For the Thursday of 2019’s election night (December 12^th)we have organised a suitable diversion. Yes, go and vote by all means, but DO come out to Hedsor Jazz whilst we all wait with eager……(now what is the word I’m looking for, I am tempted to say “dread”!!) for the result. December 10^th could well be remembered for an amazing night of manouche!  Gypsy Jazz but played without a gypsy in sight! Guitarist Jezz Cook and our long established reed section Mike Wills will be entertaining us alongside our regular Hedsor Jazz Rhythm section.

And finally our last session before 2020 will be our Christmas Party. All you need to do is buy a ticket and all the info is on the poster! Tina May with Duncan Lamont Jnr plus our rhythm and possibly some other sitters in, so do join us for a fun night of jazz to prep the way to Christmas. One special addition to our party this year, a special paid for raffle has been arranged, and all takings from that will be going to Cancer Research UK.

Last week we were entertained by saxophonist Frank Griffith accompanied by Lester Brown. A solid session of modern jazz with a few, perhaps less than modern, jokes throw in. Also “thrown in” were quite a number of Christmas quotes (but we wont tell the copyright companies if you don’t! Otherwise 4 people may be in for a spot of bother!). I think everyone left with a smile on their face, it was great fun, and I think Frank had the longest commute for this gig ever, he came down from Liverpool especially for it!

My photos of the evening are below.

It is now late afternoon on Tuesday, and I always try and write the blog before Wednesday, as it can then be picked up by London Jazz News. It is late today as I have just travelled back from Ipswich, and with accidents on the A12 and road works and wall to wall lorries on the M25, it took a long time!

BUT I am here now to remind you of this weeks Hedsor Jazz event, to show you the photos from last weeks, and to try and persuade you to by a ticket for our Christmas Jazz Party.

Coming to us this week, from the U.S of A, (via Liverpool) is saxophonist and arranger Frank Griffith. Frank does usually bring with him a few arrangements he hopes our men will play, and he also brings another book of….jokes!  They are well rehearsed, and you will know when to laugh! 

As you might gather from my flippancy, not only is he a great character, he is a great tenor player, and has been a good friend to Hedsor Jazz over many years. With him will be trumpeter Lester Brown. Last time Frank came he was able to bring trombonist Roy Williams, but sadly as many of you know, Roy has suffered a stroke, and is unlikely to be able to play again for a while. On Keyboard this week we have “our Nigel”, and on bass Terry Davis. 

Thinking of Nigel, last night I eat in an excellent old pub near Woodbridge called “The Fox Inn” at a place (which is accessed down a one track lane) called Newbourne. I would highly recommend it if you ever that way. Great food and very reasonable prices.

OK so I have whetted your appetite for food and this weeks Hedsor Jazz, now time to look back on last week with Al Nicholls and Simon Wyld, with Ken McCarthy on keyboard. 

Tuneful, well played and with for me some outstanding playing from the bass player of the evening, Peter Hughes. Another great Hedsor night out.

Best polished shoes seen at Hedsor!

Still to come (and before the general election), on 5^th December (yes, that is next week, and not long to go before you all need to get  your Christmas shopping done) we have that very talented trumpet player (and wordsmith) Ian Smith! He will have with him saxophonist Ollie Wilby, with Ken McCarthy back on keyboard and Terry Davis on bass.

Picture from their last visit

I have in the previous couple of paragraphs omitted to name the drummer. It will of course be our leader, Martin Hart!

Party Poster below.  

No NOT an election poster but one for our Christmas party!

Tickets are now on sale at Hedsor on a Thursday and at the Stationery Depot during the week. Please buy a ticket, it helps us to cater knowing roughly how many crisp to put out! 

At only £10 each the tickets are a bargain, Black Friday or not!

Play the riff, it my tea time!

It’s bloggy Tuesday (and Mondays just as bad!), and time for today’s read about most things Hedsor Jazz.

In EXACTLY 1 months time we will have our Christmas Party at Hedsor Jazz. Tickets will be on sale as from Thursday priced at £10 each which, as usual, includes a light buffet at half time. Start time is 8pm for this one.

Poster below.

Please feel free to print some off and place them in public view. 

Our guest his year is singer Tina May and she will be accompanied by Duncan Lamont Jnr. and of course the Clive Burton Celebration Quintet who will have Esther Ng on bass with us for the first time at a Christmas do.

Below you will find the complete list of Thursday gigs up ‘till Christmas. Feel free to copy and place before friends and family, you never know someone may discover jazz and even Hedsor Jazz and come and support this superb live jazz venture. There are VERY few jazz clubs still running on a regular weekly basis, and we have been doing that since 2002.

HEDSOR JAZZ

Meets every Thursday at The Hedsor Social Club (now called "The Hedsor Club")

2 Hedsor Rd, Bourne End SL8 5ES

Below is a list of our forthcoming gigs. All gigs are supported by a trio led by drummer Martin Hart

 November

21^st    Al Nicholls tenor sax with Simon Wyld trombone and Peter Hughes on bass

28^th   American saxophonist Frank Griffith with Lester Brown on trumpet

December

5^th      Ian Smith trumpet with Ollie Wilby reeds with Terry Davis on bass

12^th    An Election Night Special! Mike Wills reeds with Jezz Cook guitar. A little Manouche!

19^th    Our Christmas Party Special with special guest singer Tina May and saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jnr. Our bass player will be Ester Ng. Tickets (£10 each) include a light buffet. Start time 8pm. Tickets can be purchased NOW at Hedsor or from Cookham’s Stationery Depot, 23 Station Rd. tel 01628 531178

Our first Gig of 2020 will be January 9^th

Entry fee for all the above will be £7 (except for our Christmas Party) and gigs have a start time of 8.30pm. Free car parking included in the entry fee.

Last week we had a really delightful session with Lester Brown and Mark Aston, pictures below.

Our bass player of the day, Terry Davis

Ken McCarthy guested in the second set

It was yet again another occasion where it showed an affinity between musicians and between musicians and audience. Something you don’t quite get in large concert halls!

Coming this week another really great session is in prospect with Saxophonist Al Nicholls together with trombonist Simon Wyld. We will have with them Martin Hart on drums, Peter Hughes on bass and Ken McCarthy on keyboard. Find that quality for £7 anywhere else!

Last week I mentioned the Stan Getz album “Getz at the Gate, and at that time I hadn’t had time to listen to it properly. Now I have, and  would recommend that you do too. I have discovered a superb writup of it on line, so do look at

https://theseconddisc.com/2019/06/18/review-getz-at-the-gate-the-stan-getz-quartet-live-at-the-village-gate-nov-26-1961/

Sample of the tracks can be had at

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/stan-getz-at-the-gate-live-album/

So, until I see you ALL on Thursday

That’s it for now folks.

Hedsor Jazz is every week, as is this blog, and I never cease to be amazed at how quickly they come around.

Last week’s session with Mike Wills and Alan Graham was a bit like “old times”. Not I hasten to say about old timers! BUT it has been a real privilidge to have been able to listen to these guys for such a long period. I was looking up something in my blog for 2013, and I was certainly writing them up (and printing their photos) back then. I know the song says “Everything Must Change” but in some ways I’m glad to say some things have stayed the same. SO again, pictures of these two are below.

The music was excellent, and yet again those who were there were saying what a shame more were not there to enjoy such wonderful music (and musicians).

Hedsor Jazz’s standards are high. If last week had been presented in a theatre all the patrons would have been pleased to be there with such brilliant musicians to listen to. Martin Hart, who usually does the in and out announcements, was away last week, and Alan took it upon himself to do them, and we had some great stories from him about his past gigs, past bands, and the past jazz stars that he has played with.

But it wasn’t in a posh theatre, it was at the Hedsor Club, with free parking and ample access to the musicians to talk with before, during the interval, and after the show. Try that at The Royal Albert Hall!

This week we have Martin back with us, and our front liners will be Lester Brown and Mark Aston, trumpet and saxophone respectively. They regularly play together in another band, so we may hear some less than familiar tunes.

Our Christmas line-up is now almost complete. Alongside singer Tina May we will have Lester Brown and Duncan Lamont Jr. Other guest musicians may also come along and join the merry throng so do make sure the date is in your dairy. Tickets will be on sale VERY soon.

Two other things to mention.

One of our regulars (Bill Mullins) emailed me this during the week:

- remind folk to set up the betamax .....
last shown may 2015 :
now programmed for friday 15th november on bbc4 at 21:30 hrs
Blue Note Records - Beyond The Notes

My link to the BBC site is below:--
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b8pd

Radio Times

The other item of note that I have just come across is a recent CD release of The Stan Getz Quartet Live at the Village Gate, recorded in 1961. It’s a double album, and I haven’t had time to play it yet, BUT do look out for it, it can’t be bad!

It was recorded in the same year as the sessions with Bob Brookmeyer. 

A couple of Sundays ago Radio 3’s Jazz Record Requests also played a title from an early set with Getz and JJ Johnson, “Billie’s Bounce”. Are the Beeb really waking up to a potential audience?

That’s it for now folks

Geoff C

THE BLOG, TUESDAY 5 11 19

What a unique evening we had at Hedsor Jazz last week. I doubt if ANYONE has done a jazz club evening like last Thursdays at Hedsor Jazz!

OK, the 3 rhythm guys were there, Nigel Fox, Peter Hughes and Martin Hart, they had one instrument apiece (OK Martin did have more than 1 drum! ) but the 2 guys standing at the front had 10! From left to right they were a Contra Alto Clarinet, a trombone, a Soprano saxophone, a Bb clarinet, a Baritone saxophone, a sopranino saxophone, a C Melody saxophone, an Alto saxophone, a Tenor saxophone and an Alto clarinet! AND they all got played. Great fun was had by all. The music was actually surprisingly good. It was a proper jazz session. The sound made by the soprano and sopranino together was superb. And it was all down to Mark Aston and Mike Wills. It is hardly an evening that we will see very often again, if at all.

Another event that may not happen again, Steve Riddle sat in on Peter Hughes bass. Steve has had an accident with his own bass, and at the moment it seems to be irreparable. In order to raise some cash, Steve may well be delivering your Just Eat order soon! One of his shifts is on Thursday night!

AND YOU MISSED IT ALL THIS EXCITEMENT? Then I am sorry for you, BUT you can at least enjoy my photos of the evening below.

Guest for 2 tunes, Steve Riddle

AND some of Geoff Swaffields pics from a wider angle:-

The Two Alto Clarinets, how low can a contra go?

Mike Wills is coming to us this week, probably with fewer instruments, and at the front with him will be star vibes player Alan Graham. On keyboard will be Nigel Fox, on bass Roger Davis, but on drums this week we have Mike Jeffries. Do come along and support this weeks session of live jazz. Because it is live, you really can’t prejudge it and say that you have heard it all before, something of true magic of live jazz may well be heard on the night.

One thing I have been trying to “judge” is John Donegan’s latest CD, “A Kite for Kate“. I have been trying to sit and hear it all the way through for some weeks now, but having a builder tacking on a porch in front of my listening room is ever so slightly off putting, BUT I have finally go around to listening to it. AND it is a CD that I will listen to again, because it is performed by a sextet with some of the UK’s top players in it.

John has become known to our Hedsor Jazz audience for his 3 or so sessions with us as a keyboard dep. for Nigel. He is a driving player, but with an eye to good phrasing. His session with guitarist Nigel Price was memorable as they traded chorus after chorus.

For this CD he has surrounded himself with some top horn players- Steve Fishwick on trumpet, Tomasso Starace on alto and soprano sax, Alex Hitchcock on tenor sax, and beside John in the rhythm section he has Paul Jeffries on bass and Greg McCarthy on drums. They produce a good modern “bop” sound, but with hints of the lyricism that comes through from John’s compositions. All the titles are written by John. My only adverse feeling about the CD is that I have never been attracted to the very “cold” style of playing of Steve Fishwick. He is a superb technician, but for me he doesn’t add to the melody of a tune. The other horn players on his album seem to mange that better somehow.

As I said, I will play it again. It is superbly recorded, and many of the compositions in this release are really good tunes. I particularly liked “It’s Up to Her”! As a CD dedicated for one of his daughters (Kate), I couldn’t but help feel that maybe a father had run out of logical argument. I too have a daughter! Anyway John, well done, a great release on JAYDE Records, it was recorded in July this year.

I have another link to John and his 3 daughters, they have all gone to St Clement Danes School in Chorleywood. I am an Old Dane myself, having gone to the school when it was in Hammersmith. In those days sadly there were no girls present. However, this coming Friday I will be attending again as it is their Remembrance Day Service. This takes place in their large performance area known as The Barbirolli Hall. The head of the school has always been impressed by the fact that I have actually shaken hands with Sir John Barbirolli.

Thats all for now folks, 

Geoff