Like most things these days, we are all adjusting to a new “norm”, and the new norm for my blog is LATE!

I have an excuse, we had a final pickup of the computers for Ghana yesterday (brought forward of course due to the new lockdown) and getting that done has rather preoccupied me.

It is of course Thursday! I have a vague recollection that I used to go and listen to some jazz on a Thursday! One day we will be able to do that again.

We would be planning a Hedsor Jazz Christmas event for Thursday 17^th about now, but you might like to put that date in your diary anyway, unless you already have another festive event happening. We may be able to pull of a quick limited edition covid safe event, but it is only an “if” at the moment. I feel that in this covid year we are being pulled through with different “hopes”. Coloured lights at the end of a tunnel, which strangely, doesn’t seem to have an end to it!

So, just to make the page look pretty, some pictures of Hedsor Jazz's Christmas in Past Years

 A listen I have indulged in this week is a fairly old CD by singer Norma Winstone called “Manhattan in the Rain.” It has one of my favourite reed plays on it, Tony Coe, and it is a superb exploration of voice, words and reed skills. If you get the chance to sample it on one of the multi media streaming devices around try for track 6, “People will say we are in Love”. A superb solo from Tony, and another from keyboard player Steve Gray. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAPs9bFXXk

It was recorded in 1998, which somehow now seems to be just yesterday. I can still remember how I heard it first, on a Jazz Club Radio Program from Ireland. It is a simple trio accompaniment to Norma, with Chris Lawrence as the bass player. I still think it is one of the best Norma Winstone records around.

 

Well, I’m off to play with my toys now. Do let me know, via octogeoff@outlook.com what you are doing to occupy lockdown No 2, and if you have found gems to share with the rest of us.