One more week of July to go

And another week of the returned Hedsor Jazz.

Our week by week jazz sessions at Hedsor Club carry on, with more than enough room for 30 people (please make sure you reserve your space via Tracy (tracy.georgiades@gmail.com) and great joy at every session so far. A variety of jazz styles so far too, and last weeks was a surprise! Gary Woods is a great trumpet player, but it turned out he was a singer as well!

And he sang songs that reminded me of another trumpet player. 

Al Fairweather had been the trumpet player with Sandy Browns Jazzmen, and although Al didn’t sing, he ended his playing career in a band where they did have singers! AL was involved with a Bristol based band called “Groove Juice Special”, and they recorded and played some gigs with girl singers “Sweet Substitute” and it bought a big smile to my face when Gary Wood sang “Ain’t Nobody Here but Us Chickens”, one of their (and Louis Jordan’s) songs.

Try looking up “Groove Juice Special on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Sghy0BQt4 will give you “Big Bill”

And https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iSQld0mdMY will give you “Save the Bones for Henry Jones”

And you will see what I mean about jazz being special and fun.

“Big Bill” was written by Al, and I had the privilege of hearing him play it with Groove Juice at a Brecon Jazz Festival.

But one search leads to another, and whilst searching for Al and “Groove Juice” I came across 2 20 to 30 minute portions of clarinettist Sandy Brown in video, see links below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s803Kga3v3c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPdxXWltr3U

Sandy was a unique voice in British Jazz, and there is almost no video of him playing. He did leave behind a great legacy of recorded jazz, so do look him up. 

I clearly remember seeing his band at The Royal Festival Hall in about 1956, when he came on after, I think, Acker Bilk’s band and the audience started to leave! It was sad because Sandy was playing mature jazz in a traditional format, but NOT British Trad!

I saw him and Al Fairweather a number of times at Southall’s “White Heart” where his band was the dep for Chris Barber in their regular weekly Wednesday night slot there.

Well, enough of memory lane, but thanks Gary for nudging out the memories!

Last Weeks Photos:-

The Link to my DropBox  files for last weeks music is here:-

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tv95cab27pj4pr5/AAASiYBIpQGBui-M7oBlUq4ya?dl=0

I have yet to add a cover design, but the music is all there. 

There will be more memories to be created THIS WEEK at Hedsor Jazz, as we will be celebrating with Alan Graham the fact that he has reached just  94 years! Do come and be part of it, but don’t forget, tell Tracy your coming, and please be aware that THE VIRUS has NOT gone on holiday!