Just like that old petrol advert (back in the day when they had to persuade you to buy their petrol, and you had your choice, not price as a serious deciding factor) this weeks blog looks *forward, and then backwards.

Coming to Hedsor this Thursday, May 25th, is that established friend of Hedsor Jazz Al Nicholls. He will be joined at the front by “our” Lester Brown on trumpet and flugel horn. He may also sing! Saxophonist Al is used to having a singer near at hand, as he is a mainstay of the band “Blue Harlem”, but usually the singer is female!

Al and Lester at an earlier Hedsor Jazz session

Behind them will be Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Peter Hughes on bass and, wait for it, Mike Jeffries on drums. It would seem that Martin Hart, having purchased a new snare drum, has just had to take another holiday. I’m getting my own back in June, and again in July, so do read these high value texts whilst you may (or June, July, etc).

Looking backwards to last week, all I can really say is “WOW”. It was a flawless demonstration of the jazz guitar from Nigel Price. The rapport amongst the extended rhythm section was also wonderful to behold. 3 out of the 4 players all needed to know their chords, and boy, didn’t they explore them. A comment from Nigel asked the audience if we had counted the number of quotes Ken McCarthy made in one of his solos, as Nigel had counted at least 10! The thing was, none were misplaced! Our bass player for the evening, Al Pirrie, was also highlighted by Nigel. They had never met before. First class music, and all at Hedsor Jazz, and all for £10 per head.

 

One last thing to mention is that The Woodley Theatre are presenting the Ken McCarthy Trio with Art Themen on Saxophone on Saturday 27th. Tickets at £12 are available to book online or you can telephone the box office.

Woodley Theatre Box Office Telephone: 07488 337838. Email: boxoffice.woodleytheatre@gmail.com
Website: www.woodleytheatre.org

I normally get to these excellent small theatre sessions, but this month I sadly have a prior commitment.

One final point. I still have some second hand jazz cd’s for sale at each Hedsor Jazz session. They are usually £1 per disk, and all the money goes to Cancer Research UK. Since March this year I have paid in £140 so everyone gains. Look out for the box on a side table.

*One final final point. When I wrote the top of this piece I had a clear memory of a petrol advert with a helmeted face looking both ways, indicating the speed of passage. I then wanted to put that picture of it up with the blog. I have just searched the internet and I cannot find an illustration of it anywhere. I now have a vague memory that it may only have been allowed up for a very short time, as it was considered an incitement for speeding!