Hi Everyone,

Another week, another blog without jazz at the Hedsor Bar!

It is somewhat disappointing that we cannot, at the moment, run weekly Jazz events at The Hedsor Bar. It isn’t only the jazz we all miss, but the ability to meet and talk with friends we have been so used to meeting on a weekly basis at Hedsor over many years that is so disappointing.

However by this practice of abstinence (!) we have been able to maintain the quality of the jazz nights we do still run.

Last week was no exception. I will admit I was a little unsure of the combination of the trumpet of Lester Brown with the guitar of James Fenn, but to prove me wrong, they both played their socks off! i.e. they played together better than I had heard them play together before. Helping in all of this was another guest, pianist Martin Pickett, an Oxford based pianist, who really enjoyed coming to play with such an illustrious cast!

And again I have to be amazed that musicians of this quality are prepared to come and play at Hedsor and travel such distances to do so. James left the club just after 11pm, and I asked him as we went out the door if he was travelling home now, to which he said yes. He lives in Brighton!!

Some of my pictures are below.

 

Almost in complete contrast we have coming for our next Hedsor Jazz night (May 28^th) someone who can walk to play at Hedsor!

Saxophonist Alam Nathoo, an award winning saxophonist, who except for a change of family circumstances would be playing world wide today. But due to those circumstances he comes and plays for us! He should be world famous, but instead we have the privilege of hearing him when he does play. He will be bringing with him on May 28th a trombone player from his prize winning days, Tom White. Tom might play a slide trombone, but he isn’t a tailgate player!!

They have played Hedsor Jazz together once before. Expect some interesting modern jazz to be played at Hedsor that night.

A couple of pictures from their last visit

 

In this spot next week I will write up a recording from the past. My past!! I used to be a member of The 100 Club!!

TTFN

Geoff C 

The LONG GAP is over, this week’s blog can now shout out loud about a live jazz evening for Hedsor Jazz!

At The Hedsor Bar this Thursday May 14th, the second Thursday of the month, Trumpeter Lester Brown will join forces with guitarist James Fenn in front of The Hedsor Jazz trio. This time we also have a guest on keyboard, Martin Picket who in addition to playing the keyboard has been known to sing!

The rhyme used to be “Eight ‘till Late”, but these days it’s 8pm ‘till 10.30pm. Entry for just £12 each, paid in old fashioned cash!

Lester plays in a variety of styles, and, like Martin Picket, has also been known to sing (at Hedsor usually only once an evening!).

James is more of a modern jazz guitarist, well know for his work with “The Filthy Six” (http://thefilthysix.com/https/youtube/dweb8jqye6s).  

But both have been associated with Hedsor Jazz for many years. So it should be a comfortable evening of embraceable jazz. Come, relax, and drink (not excessively!) at The Hedsor Bar’s excellent bar.

Photos of our guests previous visits are below:- 

Martin Picket

James Fenn

Lester Brown with Al Pirrie

Also below is a reminder of our current poster/handbill. If you can, please print and help us publicise our live jazz events.

 

I will resume my comments about some of my record collection next blog, but I did listen to a bit of Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert this week. The first jazz concert held in this largely orchestral performance venue.

It’s provenance is a long story, but it was recorded for Goodman’s own use long before “long” playing Lp’s. 

Put away in a cupboard the acetate disks went forgotten for many years, but were rediscovered around the time LP’s were becoming a “new” means of home sound reproduction. Since modern sound shaping techniques have become available, and CD’s became a home use device, there have been a number of CD releases of this complete concert. But do take a look (out) for CBS4509832.

 

It’s amazing how fresh the sound is on this release, but the styles of the age will quickly become apparent. The drums of Gene Krupa particularly show a style that has long gone out of fashion. But it’s exciting in the way they drive the band along. Bass drums don’t get played like that these days.

The concert wasn’t just all Benny Goodman, but a real presentation of jazz and current jazz musicians of the day, including Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Johnny Hodges and Buck Clayton

The end of the concert became a template for an exciting big band finish and has been reproduced for many a live jazz concert since.

 

See you Thursday 

“A Blog a Week Helps you Work Rest and.......... SEEK?”

Because you might have to go a little further than The Hedsor Bar to seek live jazz this week. But there again that depends on where you live! 

Just to remind you that we still don’t have jazz at The Hedsor Bar THIS WEEK, but NEXT WEEK, May 14^th, we have the combined talents of Lester Brown on trumpet with James Fenn on guitar.

 

We have more good things coming to Hedsor Jazz, the latest handbill is below. Please copy it off and maybe display it in a place where passers by can see it. There are more hidden jazz fans out there than you know. We could do with them finding there way to Hedsor!

One late addition to the information on the poster is that to keep Bruce Adams company on June 25^th we have a return of guitarist Mark Ridout

 

Just to fill in some of the gap left by less frequent live jazz sessions, it has given me the opportunity of pulling things from my record collection that haven’t been played recently at home.

One CD in particular brought back names that were from the not too distant past. Guitarist Jim Hall released an LP back in 1975 called “Concierto” that featured a 19 minute track called “Concierto de Aranjuez”, based on the theme by the orchestral composer Joaquin Rodrigo.

Back in 1960 it had been adapted by arranger Gil Evans with Miles Davis on trumpet and released as part of their suite “Sketches of Spain”. 

With a fresh look by guitarist Jim Hall fifteen years later you have to realise what a superb piece of music this is. Initially written for the guitar, hearing a sympathetic jazz guitar version of it does make you wonder why the Miles Davis version got all the fame. The Jim Hall version is equally, if not more enjoyable, than the Miles. With Jim Hall on guitar were some more great jazz artists, Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Roland Hanna, Ron Carter and Steve Gadd. If you have missed it do make good that omission, its well worth finding it on the media of your choice. The CD (artwork below) is on CTI Records ZK65132

 

Another great recording, this time from the 1990’s but from the same recording studio (Van Gelder) features saxophonist Joe Henderson. Called “Lush Life” it pays tribute to the tunes composed by Billy Strayhorn. One could ask the question did Strayhorn ever write a bad tune? Well he probably did, but it’s not on this tribute album! With Joe Henderson are some other wonderful musicians, Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Stephen Scott on piano, Christian McBride bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. The opening track sets the tone for the whole album, “Isfahan”, played as a duet with Christian McBride. Quality music by played by quality musicians, and all playable in the comfort of your music room, especially if you buy the album!

 

Verve (Polygram Records) 314-511779-2

That’s about it for now. Jazz is an up to the minute music, but it goes back 150 years or more. Recorded music can trace its origins back to the 1880’s, so you can investigate jazz from a long time ago on recordings. 

Equally most of today’s jazz musicians ensure you have a souvenir of their work for you to take home (for a small fee!). So with modern technology there is always the chance to investigate that which you have not heard before.

Enjoy it all, but do try and keep live jazz music ALIVE. 

SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND

 

Geoff