Geoff’s Blog Tuesday 4^th August 2020

 Last Friday, on the day that the government announced further alterations to guidelines and rules about life in general and social life in particular, Jazz Angels had a meeting at Hedsor Club. We HAD hoped that we could dot i’s and cross T’s on having a limited return to live jazz in the not too distant future. However, this is now further down the road than it was last Friday morning.  

We are aware that before we can have an open event, where we can invite anyone to come and pay money to see and listen to live jazz indoors, we must run a trial event. This will be for a maximum of 25 people, the band making up the 30 allowed together in the room at the same time. We asked Martin Hart to “sound out” (an unfortunate phrase in these present times) “The Clive Burton Celebration Quintet” to see if they would be willing to do this. We await their reply, but it may be a variation on a theme that does come out to play for our trial run.

We also need to ensure that we do get those 25 members of an audience and so I am inviting you to express positive interest for such a future Thursday evening.

This can be done by email to Octogeoff@outlook.com giving the following information.

Name ……………………………………………………….

Address………………………………………………………

Tele…………………………Mobile………………………...

Email…………………………………………………………

please send to Octogeoff@outlook.com

Also note that until further notice, any event will need us to keep a log of who is at our events, and therefore we will be compiling a register of those who attend. This isn’t our requirement, it is a government track and trace requirement. So the information you provide will enable us to compile our “class” register. 

You will also have to be remain socially distant (but sociable!), only sitting next to people in your bubble! Hedsor Club has plenty of space, and plenty of hand cleanser. Toilets are one in one out, and it does all look perfectly safe. 

So, to book a place for the trial and to help us with future planning, please send your contact details as asked for above.

 

OK, I was never an ink monitor at school, and dislike being a provider of rules, so lets get to some of the good stuff.

Into my DropBox this week I have uploaded a Hedsor Jazz concert from February 2016. It has guitarist John Coverdale alongside Mike Wills on saxophone, with Nigel Fox and Martin Hart and I am pleased to say Ken Rankine on bass. Ken wasn’t very well at that time and in fact passed away later that summer. 

Time seems to fly, even under lockdown, but friends are still missed. 

However, this music is pretty good. The recording does have one to two loud crackles in it caused at the time by faulty processing software. It took me a long time to realise it was the software, not the recording machine, and you will have to live with the odd crack but I think you will find it worth it, and I’m sure it will bring back memories of happier times. 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0rhux4d59wj6frs/AAA4_V6XBtNO0pd1xFVedHaXa?dl=0

I listened this week to a CD that for me had an off putting cover. It was only when looking closely I realised that it had saxophonist Art Themen in it. 

So do check out not only the CD, but the entire web site.

https://www.georgedouble.com/hadleigh-jazz-records

When you actually get to the music (all pretty well known tunes in modern jazz circles) you will realise that it is some of the best that Art has produced in recent years. Listen especially to “Willow Weep for Me”. 

You can also kind of wonder at “I’m An Old Cow Hand” too! Perhaps not so well known in bop circles! 

But this music is surely how a trio should sound. Full of life and innovation and yet not being so cutting edge that you come away bleeding!

I was also incredibly intrigued by the location. Hadleigh, and East Anglia in general, has not been known as a jazz hotspot. It’s a nice place, lots of nice pubs and eateries. There used to be some jazz at Boxford, and Ipswich did have a jazz club at one time, but not so much as Bourne End and Marlow!! I noticed that the recording (which is excellent) was done in Nottingham! 

However do check out all of that Hadleigh web link, interviews, music, etc. Well worth the effort.

One final little point of interest. On the night after that Jazz Angels meeting, Ronnie Scott’s WAS going to host a re opening night. I had a message from Ian Wallis

Hi Geoff,

As you probably know Ronnie's was due to re-open tonight but this has been put on hold.

I just wonder if they had read through the pages and pages of guidelines and were prepared to follow them? 2 lady vocalists I notice were billed to appear - Liane Carrol and Emma Smith along with the Allstars.

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