It’s that Blog again!

 Following on from last week, where I “cogitated” about the restart of live jazz music at Hedsor Club, I must say that I couldn’t have timed it any worse! The next day the government cast the spell of 6 for meeting people.

BUT to increase ones dilemma, Norden Farm IS still seemingly going ahead with its program, including Alan Barnes for September 25^th.

I have also been informed that there is a rather nice, all be it, out door gig, at The Four Horseshoes pub at Sherfield on Lodden, RG27 0EX, with Peter Bingham on tenor sax., John Clarke on guitar and Marianne Windham as his  guest bass player. This is on Sunday September 27th and seems to run from 12 until 4pm, and you can book in for food by ringing 01256 882296

THEN I read in The London Jazz News the following article:- 

https://londonjazznews.com/2020/06/30/reflections-on-unlocking-live-music-by-tony-dudley-evans/

I can see that with tightly controlled virus measures, some small gigs can take place. Again for me there is a BUT. The virus IS gaining ground again, not being inhibited by schools and universities back in action.

Neither does there seem to be any swift enough measures in place at the moment to control or identify anyone carrying the disease. Without those measures its multiplication could have been foreseen!  So with hand on heart (yes, even MY heart) I couldn’t encourage others to gather indoors in a group bigger than six. My own GP surgery is struggling to keep pace with anyone wanting any sort of GP contact. I would like to have a conversation with a GP who has actually met me before, but even a telephoned appointment made yesterday is still a month away!!

SO, on to perhaps brighter things.

It is a great thing that we can have entertainment brought in to our homes via PC and TV. Recent advances in technology even mean that we can have both on the same screen, and YouTube can carry live music, and long since past music from the jazz greats. Just take a look at this from 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DmtPvFa_W8

 

Pity it is only about 8 minutes long. But do watch it, even if you can’t identify all the players. It’s a great capsule from, well, my past anyway. OK, you tried the identity check? In fact they were

Charlie Shavers, trumpet; J C Higginbotham, trombone; Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, tenor sax; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet; Harry Sheppard, vibraphone; Willie "The Lion" Smith, piano; Dickie Thompson, guitar; Vinnie Burke, acoustic double bass; Sonny Greer, drums

On YouTube other great clips surround them. 

But if you want a full hour of the same quality go to

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Ok2Gjf1T4

 

This is a classic bit of early black and white television the music from which has also been issued on cd. The TV is more “real”, the CD was recorded back in a studio after the broadcast! Do watch out for the tenderness displayed by Billy Holiday to Lester Young

But for now (great song), I need to eat!!

If you would like to give me feedback (no pun intended, I'm having a sandwich!) please email via

octogeoff@outlook.com

 

TTFN

 

Geoff C