Tuesday, March 21^st 2023. Another blog day, with quite a few things to mention this week.

So first something to wet your expectations. Hedsor Jazz this week has “our” reedman Mike Wills coming to play for us. And coming with him from Oxford will be fellow saxophonist Sue Greenway. Our usual trio led by Martin Hart will be behind them, and Mike has emailed me this week to outline their program.

“Just to let you know ... that Sue & I (and the trio!) will be doing a special Big Band Tribute show – playing tunes associated with the great Big Bands, Ellington, Basie, Goodman, Buddy Rich etc – even a Glen Miller!  Should be fun!”

And so it should. Tell your friends and neighbours, they may even recognise the tunes! And don’t forget to come yourselves!

Sue and Mike at Hedsor Last June

 

 

A quick look back now at last weeks session with Vasilis Xenopoulos and Stuart Henderson (pictures below).

 

And what a session! “Terrific” is an understatement using a well worn word. It was “I must pinch my self, is it real”.

Wonderful harmonies, explorative solos, and tunes not often heard. “Society Red”, “Milestones”, Nardis”, “On the Trail” were all played that night. One of our regulars at Hedsor Jazz said to me at the end “I have been coming here for over 21 years, and this was the best night”! At the end of the evening I think everyone in the room was wearing a broad smile!

So you see, magic does happen sometimes. Jazz is a live vibrant music and just sometimes everything works to create an amazing experience. All the musicians on the night just happened to play the best you have ever heard them. Try and recreate it and it will come a sort of second best. Those of us who were there had a special experience. You weren’t there? The word “pity” comes to mind.

Tony Coe

Whilst those of us who were there were having that great experience, elsewhere one family weren’t having such a good time. On March 16^th that great, perhaps undervalued, British saxophonist Tony Coe died at the age of 88. I for one have valued his playing for most of my adult life. I have seen him play a number of times, and talked with him on 2 or 3 occasions. No matter if he were playing clarinet, alto or tenor sax, his sound, his phrasing, was identifiable, surely the mark of a great musician.

He came to prominence in the Humphrey Lyttelton Band of the late 1950’s and early 50’s, and during his time with Humph formed a Quintet with the then Humph trombonist John Pickard.

In that period he created for me one of his best recordings, which has never been released on CD, or even ever in stereo! “Swinging Till the Girls Come Home” had me hooked as a fan ever since it was released in 1962. He has had many other great recordings issued since, both under his own name, and as part of a band led by others. There are so many, do look him up on your favourite search engine. I cannot list all of his output, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Coe will help you. You will see the scope of his work. He will be greatly missed.

As it is rare, I will leave you with the LP cover to “Swinging...”

 

 

One final postscript. June and I moved to Cookham in 1969. Our first experience of live jazz was in  1970, at Maidenhead's "The Bell" pub opposite the railway station. That first gig was with the resident Quintet there, that of Lennie Best on vibes. With that group that night, and what attracted us to that gig, was Tony Coe and John Pickard! I asked him for a tune from the "Swinging" album, and he asked me if I was a promoter! 

I wasn't then!!