THIS WEEK AT HEDSOR JAZZ

We have a return of guitarist James Fenn. When our poster for November was printed we didn’t have a partner for him at the front, but I am delighted to say that it will be Mark Aston, saxophonist, who has an extraordinary collection of reed instruments that he could bring, as well as a trombone. Yes he can play them all too! We will of course be providing a suitable rhythmic accompaniment for them, with Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Peter Hughes on bass and Mike Jeffries on drums. Our start this month is still at the time of 8.30pm, but do remember that from December onwards our start time will be 8.00pm.

 

I’m sure James will have a little dilemma on his hands this week. Last time he came from his home in Fifield by bicycle. With darkness and rain against him, he may now choose to come by car, BUT of course, curse curse, (it is Halloween!) Cookham Bridge is now closed. Cars no, bikes yes!

Last week we had a return of that legend, Alan Graham. At 95 still an energetic and wonderful vibraphone player. I just wish I knew (and had been taking) what he has been taking this last few decades!!

He was helped along for a few tunes by saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jr. His tone and his phrasing were great to hear and almost as big as his music stand! 

They were accompanied by Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Ester Ng on bass and Martin Hart on drums

My pictures are below.

 

Our audience was slightly larger than the week before, do keep it up. Just to encourage you, below is our musical promise for December!

 

Hedsor Jazz this week has the return of a Legend.

October 26^th will see Vibraphone player Alan Graham with us again, alongside saxophonist Duncan Lamont Jr.

Having now celebrated his 95^th birthday and being interviewed at Hedsor Jazz for a regional TV program, (now available on YouTube) he now returns to play some more vibrant (!) Jazz for us. Backing them will be Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Ester Ng on bass and Martin Hart on drums.

 

Last week we had another surprise, as we had expected Nick Mills to be joined by trumpeter Ed Benstead. However, in place of Ed, at the last minute Nick had brought along saxophonist “Tolly” (Anatolly Vyacheslavov!) whom we hadn’t seem at Hedsor for a year or so due to his other music commitments. A delightful swinging evening was had by all, my photos are below

 

Next week, the first gig for November, (November 2^nd) we will have a return of guitarist James Fenn, so do make sure that your clocks have all gone backwards, and that if you are coming from Berkshire, you have crossed The Thames by any other bridge than Cookham! Cookham Bridge is closed and won’t reopen until March 22^nd, and I’m sure that date is published in hope!

 

For November our starting time will remain at 8.30pm, but from December onwards we are going to start all of our jazz evenings at Hedsor at 8.00pm. This change has come at the request of our audience and I do hope it won’t put off too many people. We did take a democratic paper vote of our audience and a large majority were for this change. Our usual 2 hours of music will be provided and our entry fee will remain at just £10.

Don’t forget to tell your friends, both about Hedsor Jazz and about the quality of its product!

Hedsor Jazz in The Hedsor Bar, free car parking, club bar prices. SL8 5ES

Our NOVEMBER Program

 

 

This week’s view ahead for Hedsor Jazz may well become this fortnight’s view ahead for Hedsor Jazz,

 As my next 2 weeks become somewhat complicated.

 If you have yet to reach the age of “retired” then take my advice. Pencil in days for being “off”. DO not commit yourselves to too many voluntary, even pleasurable, events, because it becomes important to have time for you, sometime the unexpected you! "It could happen to you"!

 Coming to Hedsor this week (Thursday October 12th) we have “our” Mike Wills, who at one time came every week, as a complete saxophone section in his own right. He will be accompanied on trumpet by someone who was with us LAST week, “our” Lester Brown. Perhaps we will have some new arrangements of old tunes, or perhaps some old arrangements of some new tunes? But to be assured, an excellent night of swinging jazz will be yours for your £10 admittance fee. On keyboard will be Ken McCarthy (having recovered from a recent wedding anniversary), on bass Peter Hughes, and on drums? Back from his recent holiday Martin Hart!

Lester and Mike earlier this year

 

Last week Lester Brown was accompanied by saxophonist Alam Nathoo, who has been a fine addition in recent months to our line-up at Hedsor. Alam and family move this week, but fear not, they will be even nearer to Hedsor Jazz as they move even nearer to Bourne End railway station than to Cookhams!

 AS this may be a blog you will refer to for 2 weeks rather than one, October 19^th will have that fine trombonist and band leader Nick Mills playing alongside trumpeter Ed Benstead. Ed has only played Hedsor Jazz once before, and I was on holiday at the time, so I am looking forward to hearing him. Ken will be on keyboard and Peter Hughes on bass.

Nick Mills

 

Ed Benstead

Please remember that Cookham Bridge will be closed from Monday 16^th October until March 2024. Yes, that's right, way into next year. Do be prepared for a diversion if you come from South of the river and use Cookham Bridge as your river crossing.

 Last Friday a number of folks seen at Hedsor Jazz were to be seen at The Progress Theatre in Reading. Stuart Henderson was alongside saxophonist Karen Sharp, with Leon Greening on piano. It was a lovely evening of modern jazz. We will have both Stuart and Karen with us at Hedsor on November 23^rd with Ken McCarthy on keyboard. The Progress Theatre was full, lets hope the same will be said of Hedsor Jazz in November.

 Talking of things later this year, on December 15^th (a Friday) there will be an evening of Christmas themed jazz at Maidenheads United Reformed Church. You will see many familiar faces at that event, so put it in your diary now.

 Some of my photos from last week are below. This week’s photos, as yet untaken, will be above? 

Last Weeks Grand Ensemble

Hedsor Jazz

This week has “our” Lester Brown on brass (!) and Alam Nathoo on tenor sax, a combination that was forged last month alongside Alan Barnes. That was so good we are repeating it but sadly WITHOUT Alan!

However supporting those two at the front we will have Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Al Pirrie on bass, and perhaps, even a return of Martin Hart on drums.

 

Last weeks session had the lone front line of Ian Smith on trumpet. Yes, he did recite the lyrics into the microphone, especially when reminded to do so. He had been a friend of the late Michael Gambon, and told us one or two amusing stories about that great actor, who died last week. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002091/ 

Sadly Ian and the trio were playing to the smallest audience we have had at Hedsor for a long time. Obviously it was a collusion for everyone to go on holiday at the same time! Almost as rare as a total eclipse!!  Those who were there enjoyed the evening, as did that lonely trumpet player at the front! 

A couple of my pictures are below.

 

Last Saturday 3 or 4 of the frequent Hedsor faces did manage to get to the Wooburn Festival Jazz Supper and had an excellent evening led by Claire Martin and Jim Mullen. The first half was good, but the second half, after an excellent light repast, was very good. Not only had the audience relaxed, but so had Claire, who seemed more herself and communicated to the audience with her obvious love for the music. A quite impromptu encore finished the evening. Claire came on stage to collect her microphone, which the audience thought meant an encore. However the band had started to clear up, and when Claire realised that the audience would LOVE a bit more, got the bass player to accompany her in one last song. Now that IS jazz! The rest of the band were made up of Drummer Steve Brown and bassist Jeremy Brown, unrelated!

 

Do look back at previous jazz from geoff blogs for our list of future gigs.

 

If you feel you would like more jazz this week, then as I write there were 15 places left in the Progress Theatre for Stuart Henderson, Karen Sharp, Leon Greening, Raph Mizraki bass, and Simon Price drums, check out to see if there are any left. https://progresstheatre.co.uk/whats-on         Partners in Time – Historic Sax/Trumpet Partnerships

 

The Wooburn Festival was a sell out! It looks like the Progress Theatre gig will be too. Once upon a pre covid time, we also turned people away from Hedsor Jazz now and again. We still offer first class jazz at an unbeatable price!

 

Geoff C

Tuesday, 03 October 2023