Good Morning Everyone

The sun is out and for once it’s in abundance! And with even more in the forecast! So in typically British fashion it will now become too hot!

And this week we have some really great jazz at The Hedsor Bar. Yes, this Thursday is one of our two Thursdays a month for Hedsor Jazz.

So let me cut to the chase. Coming to Hedsor this Thursday we have two really great jazz musicians. Trumpeter Bruce Adams and guitarist Mark Ridout. Behind them will be our Hedsor trio with Ken McCarthy on keyboard.

To keep the jazz cool, we will also have air conditioning. So why not come out and have a double benefit from your £12 entry. It’s an 8pm start, and you can ask your taxi to collect you after 10.30pm!

It really will be one of those gigs you don’t want to miss. I know it will be an effort to shift out from the shade of your home, but this combination is a must to see.

I know I write a lot about how good Hedsor Jazz is, but I really do believe that many local jazz fans are missing out on what we are presenting at Hedsor twice a month. Other organisations tell you more about the people they invite in to play in their newsletters but I tend to think that if you know the names we present you won’t need more encouragement. If you don’t know them I know you have the initiative to look them up! And we still only charge £12 entry!!

At home here at Cronin Towers we are going from one problem to another and this blog is coming via a laptop wired up via extension leads (one for the laptop and one for the router) because last night’s electrical storm seems to have killed off the original circuit of our house ring main. So this week it is brief. All I will add in today is the latest poster artwork for you to print and display if you are able.

 

I think it is a brilliant set of forthcoming gigs, and we are still busy booking further ahead. If you can positively support Hedsor Jazz in any way, with advertising, attendance or simple dogs body help do let John Dutton, Peter England or myself know. If you have a favourite musician you would like to see at Hedsor do bear in mind that you could sponsor an evening or even just part of one. A number of people do this already.

And to end on a popular political note, be assured that Hedsor Jazz is a totally undemocratic, unelected, none profit making organisation of volunteers!! We haven’t changed in over 20 years!

 A shortish blog this morning as it is one of Hedsor Jazz’s NON JAZZ weeks!!

In addition I cannot report back on last week, as due to some very unfortunate circumstances I wasn’t able to get there myself!

One can never really foretell future health, but my long standing heart problems decided that I needed to be reminded that I had some.

SO with a muttering heart I was taken to hospital very early last Wednesday morning by ambulance, lights and bells ablaze. I was seen too immediately, treated very well, patched up with meds and sent home (by a different ambulance) and told to rest, all on the same day! I haven’t always been able to thank Wexham Park hospital, but this time they got everything right, well done all of them!

I was also assured by the Cardiology Dept that these things do sometimes happen, that my heart was in the same condition as 5 years ago (good!), and would settle down without further additional interference!

They were right, and it has!

I am slowly getting back to whatever is my normal, and will get to back Hedsor Jazz next session!! (Now I should know by now that that is tempting fate, so I will modify it to say I am hoping to get back to Hedsor Jazz next session)!

Last week

I have been provided with some photos by Peter England, who was taking your money last week. They are below

 

I have been told by a number of people that it was a very good session (what do you expect, its a Hedsor Jazz presentation!) with some great arrangements from Martin Dunston for everyone to play. I’m sorry I missed Pete Rudeforth et all, but I’m sure we will invite them back soon.

Below is a guide to our next few gigs at The Hedsor Bar. Perhaps, if we all try hard enough, we can make enough audience noise to compete with whoever is playing or watching football! So do let this information be widely known!

 This Week at HEDSOR JAZZ we have a live jazz!

Yes, I miss the weekly jazz at The Hedsor Bar, but dropping to just 2 jazz sessions a month has enabled us to keep presenting top quality live jazz music at Hedsor.

This week, not only is it real live jazz, but real live jazz with 2 great musicians coming out to play for us. Ex Chris Barber trumpet man Pete Rudeforth, and big band saxophonist Martin Dunston will be supported by Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Al Pirrie on bass and Mike Jeffries on drums. A real treat after two complete weeks of live jazz abstinence!

Both Pete and Martin have played for us at Hedsor many times, (some pictures from previous Hedsor performances are below) so this Thursday, June 11^th, at The Hedsor Bar from 8pm is something to really look forward to. A mere £12 will get you in!

 

A couple of weeks ago I promised to write about a CD I have that was originally issued as an LP, a battered copy of which resides in my loft!

Like many jazz fans, I started out listening and playing traditional jazz, but as my exposure to the music grew many of us found first, big band music as personified by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, but then modern small group jazz.

Also performing that transition was Humphrey Lyttelton and his band.

The CD I have recently revisited is called “Blues in the Night”, where Humph added to his pervious small group to include Jimmy Skidmore and Jo Temperley making it an 8 piece band. And they played arrangements!

The original LP was released back in 1960, and the CD of the same name has had some additional material added to it under the same title from recordings the Humph Band made up to 4 years later, all put together by Lake Records.

What a talented band, as the additions were added to a band with Tony Coe and John Pickard in it, with of course Humph and Ian Armit on piano, Brian Brocklehusrt bass and Eddie Taylor drums.

These days we tend to forget how good such musicians were, and LP’s and even CD’s are less produced or listened to. If you want to hear what quality and innovation we older types were able to listen to back in the 50’s and 60’s grab a listen to Lake Records LACD216. Artwork below.

 

A Tuesday Blog for a week without Thursday Jazz at The Hedsor Bar.

Therefore a Dry Week, but written in a week where it has started to rain!

Last week it was very hot, but some excellent jazz was performed to Air Conditioned perfection!

The ability of saxophonist Alam Nathoo has been demonstrated at Hedsor many times in the past few years, and we have been very lucky to have him come and play for us. He is also without doubt the nearest player to The Hedsor Bar, and often walks from his home to play for us.

His accomplice last Thursday, trombonist Tom White, had been only once before. I can assure all of you who experienced last Thursdays jazz that he will be back.

He is as good a trombonist as Alum is a saxophonist, and that makes both him, and the pairing of them together, something extraordinary!

Next day Ken McCarthy, our pianist on the night said “It was quite dazzling last night. Tom achieved expertise that I’ve never heard on a trombone before. He seemed unstoppable! Alam was great as always”.

For anyone who reads this blog do take note.

I am not writing glowing words too boost our audience, although I would like our audience to be far larger than it is.

But I am writing about it in these terms because I am genuinely saddened that many local jazz fans still don’t know what superb quality jazz we are getting at Hedsor.

We all have to make choices about time and financial worth, but if you enjoy modern jazz played by expert jazz musicians please come along to one of our sessions.

Some are better than others! But none are bad. 

Some are better than others but that can be explained by people’s personal style choice.

Over the year we try to cater for most peoples choice and we do feature most jazz instruments played to perfection by expert jazz musicians.

But tribute must also be paid to our regular trio, who most weeks back the stars on the front line. Pianist Ken McCarthy and drummer Mike Jeffries both live locally, and are both in demand for other gigs during the week. This is also true of our bass player Al Pirrie but he comes from Oxford most weeks just to play for us, and loves doing so because the magic of Hedsor Jazz doesn’t happen at every venue he plays!

Just take a look at who we have coming in the month ahead.

Next up, on June 11^th we have ex Chris Barber trumpeter Pete Rudeforth, paired with saxophonist Martin Dunston.

On June 25^th we have trumpeter Bruce Adams, with a little encouragement from guitarist Mark Ridout

July 9^th Trumpeter Steve Waterman matched against saxophonist Alam Nathoo

 

Then on July 23^rd we have a return of New Orleans Singer Nancy Zang, with Martin Dunston on saxophone

 

Every gig is a Stella Gig.

Dont just take my words for it, come and prove me wrong. £12 will let you do that!!