“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