Tuesday May 2nd. Coronation week, and it isn’t often any blogger can write that! So I thought I would.

Hedsor Jazz of course is pretty splendid every week, and for this Coronation Thursday (May 4th) we have two great saxophone players, Alam Nathoo and Frank Walden. Both have given us some exciting jazz already this year. Coming to be part of their evening (and ours!!) is Oxford keyboard man Martin Pickett (Ken will be on his hols!) Also coming from Oxford will be bass man Al Perrie. Martin Hart on drums will complete our line-up. Usual entry price of £10, so do consider indulging yourself and coming out to celebrate...... well JAZZ of course.

 

Martin Pickett on a previous visit to Hedsor Jazz

 

 

Last week we sadly didn’t have as expected saxophonist Ollie Wilby. This left Ian Smith standing alone! But with his trumpet and his poetry (OK some of the poems were recited tune lyrics) we had an excellent evening of first class entertainment. Tuneful, funny, enlightening and, as I said, entertaining. Just bring a friend next time you come, as even though we are now advertising more than ever before, our numbers are not growing.

Ian likes coming to us, and he has a wealth of experience as both a jazz musician, and a lecturer in English at Universities on both sides of the Atlantic! Check out the BBC podcasts, as he is available on more than one. My pictures of the evening are below

 

Now the aforementioned Ollie Wilby has let us know that he won’t be with us on May 18^th, so Nigel Price may yet get a solo feature!

Last Sunday was UNESCO’s International Jazz Day, and Hedsor Jazz did go to Church! Our event at Maidenheads URC was well received, and some of us will do it again. We had the joy of Ken McCarthy playing a grand piano (Ellington's “Come Sunday” was a delight to hear played on a fine piano) and Gill Cook‘s version of “Everything Must Change” brought tears to my eyes. As I was on stage leading the event Alam Nathoo’s tenor sax was right behind my left ear. I will say he has a wonderful tone!!, and the exuberance of Horace Silvers “The Preacher” was not lost on me either. The only photo I have seen so far comes from Gill, taken as Alam was warming up! The line-up for the morning was complete by Peter Hughes on bass and Martin Hart on drums

 

The congregation seemed to like it (there were more of them there than were at Hedsor the week before!) and we are being invited back for Christmas!

Looking further ahead Alan Barnes has agreed to be with us at Hedsor again on September 7^th. Please get back late from your holidays in time for that!!

“Now the time has come” for my coffee! See you Thursday .