Casting your minds back to my last blog, I suggested that the people who note down each tune played at each gig might like to share that information. I know when I suggested this that I thought it could enhance our memory of the gig, and go with any photos in the blog. Well I have had an immediate response, so thank you and please DON’T STOP yet!

First, before I look backwards, I will tempt you to come out on this coming Thursday. We have 2 fine saxophonists coming to play for us, Sue Greenway and Mike Wills. They will be supported by Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Terry Davis on base and of course Martin Hart on drums. Not only a great aggregation of musicians, but I have had a message from Mike about the music they are going to play!

Thursday it will be “a tribute to the great sax combos; so we’ll be doing arrangements of tunes played by the Jazz Couriers (Ronnie Scott and Tubby Hayes), Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons, Gerry Mulligan and Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan and Johnny Hodges, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn – and many more!  Should be a feast for sax lovers – well, I’m looking forward to it!”  Mike Wills.

Last Saturday a contingent of Hedsor regulars supported Martin at his gig in Woodley. His guest was Vasilis Xenopoulos. Vasilis played again some of  the music of Dexter Gordon, the musician who inspired Vasilis from an early age.This time the music was played without a supporting front line instrument.

It was a master class of saxophone playing given in fact by a master of music. Vasilis holds a Masters Degree in music from Berkley Collage in Boston U.S.A.

 After the gig he promised me that he hadn’t forgotten Hedsor Jazz, and will get back to us at some point in the year, which will be great. One final point, Ken McCarthy was the keyboard player on that gig too! So this Thursday he will be helping us in the understanding of other jazz saxophonists work!

Last Thursdays gig at Hedsor was also rather special. The combination of Stuart Henderson and “Tolly”, (brought to us via a sponsor) was superb music. As a one time trumpet player myself, for me the highlight of the evening was Stuarts use of the cup mute on his feature in the second set, “Willow Weep for Me”. WOW. Tolly was pretty exciting too, and our boys at the back made sure it was swinging exciting music without holes!

there are some more shoes here somewhere?

Ken McCarthy sat in in the second set

For our previous week with Kelvin Christiane and Andy Gibson I have now been supplied with a complete tune list. This gig didn’t get recorded by me, so this listing may help jog your memories of the night.

set 1 :

bye bye blackbird (flugelhorn and sax)

joyspring (flugelhorn and sax)

recorder me (flugelhorn and flute)

i guess i'll hang my tears out to dry (sax solo)

everything i love (piano solo - too much rhodes piano for me)

jordu (flugelhorn and sax)

set 2 :

caravan (flugelhorn and sax)

what is this thing called love (flugelhorn and sax)

the summer knows (flugelhorn solo)

sandu (trumpet and sax)

the thing (flugelhorn and sax)

I have also been sent some photos of the evening from our sound man, Geoff Swaffield. He did manage to capture on his smart phone camera Martin’s lightening fast drum sticks, something that my camera didn’t mange to do at all.

If you come this Thursday you will be able to pick up a printed version of our gig list for February and March. Don’t forget to put in suggestions for who  you would like to see at Hedsor Jazz in future weeks. 

Also you mustn't forget to tell your friends what a great night out can be had on a Thursday at Hedsor jazz, and most weeks you can get in for  just £7!! After that, the car parking and the music are FREE. It's just not free jazz that's all!

Until Thursday, have a great week.