I write this as the temperature goes past 80 Deg C on my (old) room thermometer. I am late writing today, as we have just had our boiler serviced. Some kind of contradiction there!

BUT there was another sort of “contra” at Hedsor Jazz last week! A contra alto clarinet!

Last weeks session featured “our” trumpeter Lester Brown, with a fairly frequent friend, saxophonist Mark Aston. After half time Mark produced a very strange looking instrument (as you will see from my photos). It was a clarinet, but it blew deeper notes than a bass clarinet, and was called a contra alto clarinet.

Very fortunately, during the one tune it was played on, Lester took a short video of Mark playing it, and this will be included in this blog posting.

The rest of the band deserve having their photo published too, so here they are

There may well be a different kind of temperature this coming Thursday, August 29th as our guests this week are Stuart Henderson on trumpet and “Tolly” on saxophone. Another of Hedsor’s sessions not to be missed!

We are fortunate in getting Stuart to come to Hedsor fairly often, but his companion this week is also a very busy man and it is a delight to get him to play with his long time associate Stuart. Do look up his CV (and his full name) via this link:-

https://dirtybootsalbum.com/anatoliy-vyacheslavov

Mind you Stuart is busy man too, with his lead role in “The Remix” big band, and numerous club appearances. Another good friend of Hedsor Jazz.

This session on August 29th is being SPONSORED. If YOU would like to put your money (where your mouth is?) into paying for a session of your choice, then do speak to John Dutton or Martin Hart, or even me, and we can see what we can do to arrange YOUR session.

Our first gig for September (5th) features “OUR” band, The Clive Burton Celebration Quintet, with Lester Brown and MIKE WILLS. Don’t miss this one either!

Are you aware by the way that if you actually become a member of The Hedsor Club, you will get a reduced bar bill, do check it out.

As the temperature is now climbing (yes the boiler has now been tested!), I will finish for this week. Perhaps you can remember to record BBC 4 on Friday 6th September for Duke Ellington’s Concert of Sacred Music. A rare chance to hear this work. If any musician would like to put together an ensemble to perform this locally, I do have the score!!