So, one  bank holiday weekend down and we are back to another Tuesday.

This week do I need to remind you what Hedsor Jazz is doing on Thursday? I hope not, because Thursday May 5^th is our special fund raising night of jazz to raise money for the desperate situation of the people of Ukraine.

 

 

Tell your friends, bring your friends. Every pound generated by this coming Thursdays night of jazz will go to the Disaster Emergency Committee for that purpose.

What a night we have in prospect. In addition to the very special musicians advertised on the poster we have heard from that veteran Vibs player Alan Grahame that he wants to come and be part of it too.

So, “You and the Night and The Music” will make history!

This will be the first Hedsor Jazz event for May 2022. We have now been back running live jazz every night bar one since covid locked us down. We reopened in May 2021 and apart from a longer than anticipated Christmas break we have been running every Thursday since. We plan to carry on and below is our future guest list.

MAY

12^th     Lester Brown Trumpet, Mike Aston Reeds, Nigel Fox Keyboard

19^th     Lester Brown Trumpet, Frank Waldon Reeds, Ken McCarthy Keyboard

26^th   Duncan Lamont Jr Reeds, Mike Innis Trombone, Ken McCarthy Keyboard

JUNE

2^nd                    To Be Confirmed, This is the Jubilee Weekend

9^th      Lester Brown Trumpet, Mark Aston Reeds, Ken McCarthy Keyboard

16^th      Al Nicholls Reeds, Stuart Henderson Trumpet, Ken McCarthy Keyboard

All our guests are backed by a trio led by drummer Martin Hart

  Advanced Notice

 August 18^th Alan Barnes reeds, Stuart Henderson trumpet

 December 15^th  Hedsor Jazz’s Christmas Party

Below are my pictures from last weeks session where we welcomed back a guitarist not seen at Hedsor since before covid struck, Terry Hutchins. Alongside him was a young saxophonist Mike Wilkins. It was a splendid session. Mike blew himself into the gig and by the second set was giving us some very big toned big phrased jazz. Terry was his usual accomplished self. He is an underrated player, which may be why the audience wasn’t as big as it should have been. I can assure those who missed it that we will be asking him back very soon.

 

One of the advantages of having lived into my 80’s is that I have had the privilege of hearing many great jazz musicians. Someone whom I have enjoyed many times over the years sadly left us last month.

Saxophonist John Barnes was a stalwart of the British Jazz scene, starting with Manchester’s Zenith 6 and going on to be a major part of both The Alex Welsh Band and The Humphrey Lyttleton Band. In both those bands he played alongside trombonist Roy Williams. And, yes, he did play with The Clive Burton Quintet for a couple of Sunday gigs in Fifield.

I saw him many times both at The Swanage and Brecon Jazz festivals and many other places in between. Who could forget The Alex Welsh Bands regular appearances at Maidenheads “The Bell” pub, opposite the Railway Station. “Our” Mike Wills was inspired to play reed instruments by him when Mike lived in London, John being a near neighbour at the time.

One comment he made has always stayed in memory. At one of the Swanage Jazz Festival gigs he didn’t have with him any “personal products” (CD’s) to flog, but he did step up to the microphone to advertise some “previously used” saxophone reeds in a variety of flavours, including beer and crisps!

However, for a really good write-up about John, do read that other saxophone playing Barnes. Alan Barnes, no relation, has written a wonderful and personal obituary https://deathobits.com/2022/04/20/john-barnes-death-saxophonist-john-barnes-has-passed-away-at-age-89/

Finally another jazz orientated chance to give money for Ukraine. Christ Church Marlow is running a fundraising event next Sunday afternoon, do check it out:-