A few lines of chat, and some reminders of what's on where.

Its been hot, and in some places very wet (Ealing Jazz Festival found out about rain! One of the Marquee roofs split open under a torrent of rainwater), now we have "showers". But through thick and thin, WE HAVE JAZZ!

Tonight, Monday 31st July at The Jolly Woodman in Burnham there is Swing 42.
AND ALSO tonight Monday 31st July at The Cricketers. Horsell, near Woking from 8.30pm Century Jazz plus Simon Spillett

Tomorrow night August 1st at Bourne End Community Centre, Jazz presents Cookhams fabulous Shirtlifters. Traditional jazz at its British best, from 8.30 'till 11, £4 to get in with free raffle, AND nibbles at half time. You know it makes sense to leave the telly behind and see some very live jazz.

Wednesday 2nd August at The Farnham Maltings, The Otis B Driftwood Band extravaganza.
Thursday 3rd August at Hedsor, The Clive Burton Quintet with Mike Wills
Sunday 6th August at Fifield Century Jazz with Mike Wills

For those of you who cant get out to live jazz, and rely on the recorded variety there are a couple of excellent recent releases on offer.

First on my preference list this week is another release by the wonderful Lake Records. Titled "Al Fairweather & Sandy Brown's All Stars" it contains the last of the aboves recordings made for Denis Preston. This shows the Fairweather/Brown ensemble firmly in the mainstream mould, in the company of people such as Tony Coe (on tenor sax) and pianist Brian Lemon.
The music is superb, lightly swinging, with innovative voicings (going blindfold, you can always tell that it is Coe or Brown or Al from any other read or trumpet players by their very own sound). Quality produce from 1962. The other truly amazing thing is that the master tapes for this session, recorded in stereo, were lost, and the reissue has been made from a pristine copy of the LP, which, as sods law would have it, was only ever issued in mono!! The highlight for me of an excellent cd is "Willow Weep For Me" as a Brown solo. (LACD229)

The other easily overlooked release that caught my attention this week is by The Dutch Jazz Orchestra entitled "Rediscovered Music of Mary Lou Williams, The Lady Who Swings The Band" Catchy eh?Recorded in 2005, this is an 19 piece big band that really sound marvellous. All the material is by Mary Lou, much of it originally written in the 1930's. The arrangements were redone in the 40's, 50's and early 60's, and the net result for largely little know material and a little known continental band is magic. Its available on Challenge Records CR73251 and the record companies web site is http://www.challengerecords.com/

Whatever you do, enjoy the jazz, and don't forget to support the live stuff personally before its too late.

Geoff
Pictures from the cover art of both cd's, and from a recent concert by Alan Barnes with The Martin Hart trio are on the blog

http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/

Music Licensing Law

Music Licensing Law

I’m adding in to my blog this message from pianist Ken McCarthy. You may recall that I for one have referred recently and in the past to the problems associated with the new licensing laws. Ken will keep me informed of news on this “war” front, and I will publish the info via this blog site.

Do agitate to get a better solution to whatever the problem is perceived to be. The current solution is killing live music and making criminals of us all for listening and playing.

Geoff Cronin
NB “Mike” refers to Mike Weinblatt

Hamisch Burchall was at the spearhead of the MU campaign, campaigning tirelessly on TV and in the press, to have the old licensing law changed. For those not in the know:-Till Nov 2005, two musicians could work free in any establishment without the need for an annual council licence, which was an arm and a leg for the landlord - who could then employ from a trio to the LSO for the same price. I recall an event with a trio of mine in South London where one member at a time sat out in the front row to conform with this!So - commonsense dictates that all this was a loss to the arts, employment, the pub industry, etc... Thru 2003 - 2005, the Musicians Union campaigned heavily to parliament for total abolition of the need for a music licence. Remember, a disco with 1000 people in the room needed nothing, yet a piano trio, with all the crowds this would draw in, could present a huge fire (more extinguishers, escapes) and damage risk to the building and neighbouring properties - hence the licence tax. This is the English madness which we've lived with as long as I can remember.Parliament promised to do something in their new licensing act of 2005 which is for all businesses - not just music. Kim Howells is the villain of the piece, being Environment Minister at the time. In spite of all the evidence and sweat by the Hamisch and the MU, Howells lobbied for the abolition of the "two in a bar" exemption so that even a cocktail piano player now needs an entertainment licence, and the new bill came into force last year. This is exactly the opposite of everything that was asked. Many small venues closed for live music overnight. There is supposedly a feedback on the effects of this lasting 12 months which will be reviewed in Nov 06 but don't hold your breath.Hamisch was so distraught he resigned from the MU and is campaigning in a private way, hoping that music audiences will be so outraged they will bombard local MPs demanding action. This could be our last way forward in my opinion.He is collecting all press fragments in order to build his case afresh and welcomes any info back to him about venues and gigs in trouble over this. and it's good to receive his update emails.You say, Mike, that there is an underground campaign to destroy live music in this country. I must say that the longer I play, the more I believe this to be happening. Look at "A Beneficial Impact" dated 25 July (a title that twists the gut!) where no live music in bars equals no trouble, no noise, no neighbour complaints - - - problem solved. Stay at home - watch TV.I will forward my emails received to date and future ones. Ken.

A List of Gigs from

A List of Gigs from Clive Burton, including future details for Fifield and Hedsor


Tomorrow   23rd July     At the Fifield with Century Jazz      Lynn Garner

Thursday July 27th With the Clive Burton Quintet at Hedsor    Simon Spillett

Sunday 30th July at Fifield, there will be a couple of surprise guests, well worth turning out for!

Monday 31st July at The Cricketers. Horsell, near Woking from 8.30pm Century Jazz plus Simon Spillett

Wednesday 2nd August at The Farnham Maltings, The Otis B Driftwood Band extravaganza.

Thursday 3rd August at Hedsor, The Clive Burton Quintet with Mike Wills

Sunday 6th August at Fifield Century Jazz with Mike Wills

Thursday 10th  August at Hedsor The Clive Burton Quintet with Simon Spillett

Sunday 13th August at Fifield Century Jazz plus Al Nichols and Harriet Coleman

On 17th, 20th and 27th  August the band will have Mike Wills as reedman.
(Sundays at Fifield, Thursdays at Hedsor).

On Sunday 24th August the guest will be Simon Spillett


Geoff Cronin
Jazz from Geoff

Oh yes, this is a blast from the past! It’s a Geoff’s Jazz nag!!

Back from Swanage (See the Festival report at http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com) and now sweltering in this summers heat (we are British, we WILL complain about the weather!), I thought it appropriate to nag a bit about events on the live jazz front.

Tomorrow night we have The Clive Burton Quintet at The Hedsor Social Club, 8.30 ‘till 11 ish. The last few weeks have seen a thin on the ground audience and with it being very hot, some discussion is taking place about continuing with this event. I will reiterate, If you don’t come out to support live jazz, it will disappear. The government has already done its best with music prohibition, so just think of yourselves as gangsters and molls and come out discreetly tomorrow night. Knock 3 times on Hedsor Clubs door and pay £3 at the red tin and you will be let in to music and cheep booze!

Sunday, well you could go sailing in the serpentine, but better still go to The Fifield for a bit of Century Jazz. 8 pm ‘till 10.30 pm. This is an event actually paid for by the landlord, who recoups some of his outlay for the price of a raffle ticket. Help to keep it alive!!

Mondays you can catch some live jazz at Burnham’s Jolly Woodman, so if your bag is more traditional, go for it!

Review of the week.

Well, as is now my norm, I will try to fit in 2.

First, a CD that was sent to me because of my recent association with the jazz programs on Cookham Summer FM (now sadly at an end, did YOU listen?).

This is by a group of lady singers called “The Puppini Sisters”, who have recreated the sound of the 1940’s war time harmony groups. Not quite jazz, but a very creditable effort, wonderfully well produced, and definitely in the fun category. They are also very pretty, and dress in period style. How do I know this from the CD? Simple, they have an excellent web site as well. Go and have a look at www.thepuppinisisters.com and you to can see and hear them. There is even a downloadable video of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” which is very pro. You can also sample a few seconds of every one of the tracks from the CD. These tracks include “Mr Sandman”, Bei Mir Bist Du Schon” “Jeepers Creepers” as well as more modern songs like Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” all performed ah la Boswell Sisters or Andrew Sisters. You will soon see where they are coming from. My only criticism is that I’m not sure you will want to listen to a whole CD of very similar materiel, but, as its free to look, do try out there web site and see if you like it.CD No. is UCJ 9857592, again written in print on the sleeve so small you will need a magnifying glass to read it!

The other CD to bring to your attention is one I picked up at Swanage (OK, I did pay for it!), by Steve Waterman called “Stablemates”. This is the music of Benny Golson and Wayne Shorter, and has a different line up for each. The Golson Sessions are by a quintet with Ben Castle tenor sax, Mark Nightingale trombone, Nick Weldon on piano, Andy Cleyndart bass and Clark Tracey drums. A super sound and somewhat reminisant of our own Clive Burton Quintet. The Wayne Shorter tracks are by a quartet with Anthiny Kerr on vibs, Mike Outram gtr, Laurence Cottle bass gtr, and Ian Thomas on drums. This group reminded me of “The Usual Suspects” who used to play for me at The Old Bell. A great CD, available on Mainstream Records as MSTCD 0035 (in print size I can read!).

That’s it for now, the text of this nag, together with cover art will be found later in the day over on my blog.

Have a nice hot day now!!

Geoff C

Alan Barnes and Tina May


Alan Barnes and Dave Newton
















Geoff’s Visit to the Swanage Jazz Festival Part 2

We have reached Sunday Morning (although I don’t think anyone played it!), another bright breezy day. First up was a duo by Dave Newton and Alan Barnes. They have dueted many times before, and although not regular associates, they still have the ability to know what the other person is going to do (They first met when both studied at Leeds). Alan was looking very tired, and was suffering from gout, but he still managed one of his better solos of the weekend during this set.

I had a good ½ hour chat with Dave before the session, whilst we both took the air on the little banjo shaped pier in the middle of the bay. We talked about the difficulties of live jazz and licences these days, and he told me a story from prohibition days told to him by Buddy Tate. When Buddy was playing in, I think Lucky Millender’s Orchestra, they had a residency in a Chicago nightclub. This was owned and frequented by Al Capone. On one occasion he went up to Lucky, asked him to play a request, stuffed a $20 note in his top pocket, and went off with his girlfriend of the time for a “dance” around the club floor. On one of his trips around, towards the end of the tune, he sidled up to Lucky and said “do you know who I am?” to which Lucky replied,
”No Sir, I’ve never seen you before”. “That’s the right answer” said Capone, and stuffed another $20 dollar bill in his top pocket! Try doing that with a local authority music licence vetter!!

After lunch I went down to The Kings Bar, an airless venue, but graced that afternoon by a solo spot from Liane Carroll. Most fans know now what a wonderful singer and piano player she is, but if you still have preconceptions about lady jazz singers, go and hear Liane to have them re-organised!! She is alternately funny, sad, and easy to take on board. A true character and her music can bring me to near tears with its majesty.

After afternoon tea, we had a set by one of my all time favourite lady Jazz Singers, Tina May. Together with Alan Barnes (yes him again), and a rhythm section that just wasn’t in line with their way of playing jazz, we had an edgy set. Still good by anyone’s standards, but it didn’t really work. Matt Skelton is without doubt an excellent drummer, but it sounded like he was backing a riveter! It was also unfortunate that the pianist Liam Noble, who had never worked with Tina before, had the piano setup so that his back was to her the whole time and he couldn’t see her “conducting”.

Finally, all those who had any stamina left went back to the Kings Bar, and saw a set by Liane Carroll and her trio. Not bad, but I thought the afternoon solo set better, and the room was now very hot.

Never mind, if Swanage runs again next year, I’ll be there, because it is the best British Jazz Festival going, and what a setting!

TTFN

Geoff

The Bootleg Eric Band of Dave Newton and Clarke Tracey

Laura Zakian

Simon Spillett

OK, so it’s been a long time since I updated the blog, but all for a very good reason.

First there was the Cookham Summer FM Radio Shows that I was involved in. All great fun. I wonder did any of you listened to ANY of them? Don’t worry if you didnt, all my efforts were recorded, and I will ensure that you will hear them somehow or other!!

The Second reason is that I have been to The Swanage Jazz Festival. And again I thought that it was a real festival of British Jazz. I will admit that this year there was SO much wonderful modern jazz to be heard that I didn’t hear ANY traditional jazz except Dave Brennan’s Marching Band, which did its usual New Orleans style street parade on Saturday Morning.

This year the choices of what to hear were very difficult to make indeed, but the Friday night set one would have thought could not have been bettered. In Marquee 2 (the first one most people came to!) had as a starter the Dorset Youth Jazz Orchestra, who were good in parts (mostly brass parts!), with a good young lady singer and a couple of fun young gentlemen singing together a la Frank Sinatra.

They were followed by some superb musicianship from Steve Waterman’s sextet plus Dave O’Higgins playing Benny Golsen/Wayne Shorter tunes. The interplay between the two aforementioned, plus Anthony Kerr on vibes, Mike Outram guitar, Laurence Cottle elec. bass and Ian Thomas drums was so tingling, you had to pinch yourself to prove it was live!!

Friday night it rained and blew a bit, but Saturday dawned warm and bright, and the superlative jazz carried on with the Spike Wells trio, with phenomenal young piano player Gwilym Simcock astounding everyone. They had the assistance of bass player Malcome Crease.
You may recall that Spike Wells was Tubby Hayes drummer for about 5 years, so it won’t surprise anyone to learn that Simon Spillett joined them in the second set for about an hour of assured playing. He made a real impact on an audience that hadn’t had the advantage of hearing him at The Hedsor Social Club. One of the Swanage Club Members was heard to mention his name as late as Sunday evening as being a really good listening experience!


Saturday also had a set from Laura Zakian, a young lady singer who is beginning to make a name for herself. She seemed a bit nervous, and perhaps wasn’t performing at her best. The Kings Bar (her venue) was always very hot, which didn’t help the pleasurable experience!


She did have great accompaniment with Alan Barnes, Gwilym Simcock, Andrew Cleyndert and Clark Tracey.

Without doubt though, the highlight of the day, and for me of the weekend was the Dave Newton/Clark Tracy Band performing for the first time in public the music from their CD “Bootleg Eric”. It is a real band of British Stars, 90% of whom are now younger than the average audience!! Everyone was blown away by the sheer musical ability of the band, the millisecond timing, the inventive solos and the tremendous swing developed by the rhythm section.

The line up is Guy Barker tpt, Mark Nightingale tmb, Alan Barnes reeds, Don Weller tnr, Julian Segal tnr, Dave Newton pno, Andrew Cleyndert bass and Clark Tracy drums.


That concluded Saturday (what a High to go out on). I didn’t buy the CD (they had run out).

Later in the week I will tell you about the Sunday sessions, and what is on locally in the next few days.

Sad to say Cookham Summer FM is over, thank you to all who took part.

TTFN

Geoff C

The Ellington Birthday Concerts and the Jimmy Witherspoon Album







"Good Lord, its one of those nag things again!". You are right!! They have become a bit sporadic of late, but all with good reason. I trust at least SOME of you have been listening to the 2 jazz programs on Cookham Summer FM (87.90 or via www.cookham.com) and can appreciate that talking some rubbish on a microphone does take a little preparation! Honest.

But, at least this week, you can read about the local jazz events, and not just listen to them. If you do want to listen, then Mondays at 9 pm brings you "Mama Africa" followed by "The African Influence in Jazz" taking you to 10 pm. On Fridays "Never the Same Way Once" brings you 3 hours of jazz music and comment from 8 pm 'till 11 pm.

So now about live jazz:-

On the First Tuesday of each month, in Marlow's Liston Hall you can go and see Club Django.
ALSO on the first Tuesday of every month, you can go to The Bourne End Community Centre and see Mo's selection of living musicians for around £4, but this does include nibbles at half time. Start time 8.30 pm.

Every Thursday you can catch The Clive Burton Quintet at The Hedsor Social Club, 8.30 till 11 pm £3 to get in, raffle to get out (some never make it out!!).

Sundays at lunch time you can listen to Zane Cronje on piano at The Christopher Wren in Eton, and in the evening from 8 pm you can go to The Fifield and hear Century Jazz for free, but you will get raffled to get out.

It's not so much of "what have I been listening to this week", but what have I been playing on the radio.

One cd set that I played from last Monday has been in my collection for many years.A double album of Duke Ellington recorded during his English tour over the period of his 70th birthday in 1969. Its the Ellington Orchestra at its best, well recorded before a living audience. All the top names were in the band, Hodges, Gonsalves, Carney, Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Lawrence Brown. All playing at their collective best. My copy from 1991 was on Sequel Records, part of the Castle Communications group. Numbered by them as NED CD 183.

One cd already selected for a future broadcast is Jimmy Witherspoon with Jay McShann and His Band recorded in 1957. This album has the legendary J.C.Higginbottom on trombone (He wrote "Give Me Your Telephone Number"), and on some of the tracks Emmett Berry on trumpet. You will also find Kenny Burrell on guitar. Listen out for that, because its a cracking good blues album.

BUT, I must keep digging at the CD face, or we wont get Fridays 3 hours put together. DO listen out on Friday, because I will be taking to Zane Cronje about his life in music, and he will be playing live on air. AND Simon Spillett is coming in to give a talk about the late great Tubby Hayes.

SO

TTFN

Geoff C

Perhaps why the French love the farm subsidy?!!
The Conserertoire's own "Little Band

The fabulous John Brooks Paris walkabout!!














Well, here it is again!!

Its Tuesday (not Wednesday Night In Cairo) and I'm actually starting a Nag! The last few weeks it has been sporadic, but even I take a few days off now and again!

First an advance notice. Do look at the following web link, and you will see mention of Jazz in Thame. As this is not a million miles from your area, and jazzeddie is a really nice chap, you could think of supporting his events. http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/

Tonight, and nearer to home, it being the first Tuesday in the month, The Bourne End Community Centre will be providing you with Harry Pitch and Jack Emblow plus friends to entertain you, 8.30pm onwards in the bar. £3 to get in and you get free interval refreshments (actually I have a vague recollection that the price is being increased by £1, but its still amazing entertainment value).

Thursday (it could be half-past two in Khartoum) The Clive Burton Quintet play the Hedsor Social Club, 8.30 till 11 pm, £3 to get in, raffle on top to get out, and wonderful music in between. Audiences have been a bit thin these last few weeks (OK I wasn't there, but I do have spies) and there is a genuine concern that we cannot continue on its present basis. It is unfair on the musicians to expect them to come and play to half a dozen people. So during the next few weeks, record the football, we wont tell you the result and you can watch it when you get home!!

Sunday, Jazz at Fifield from Century Jazz 8 pm onward, raffle funded. The Fifield will still do you a cooked evening meal, which is unusual for a pub on a Sunday. The food is excellent by the way.

Also on Sunday at Lunchtimes you can catch Zane Cronje and Lynn Garner at The Christopher Wren on Eton Bridge. So if you fancy treating yourself to good food and good music at Sunday lunchtime, do give it a try.

One last thing. Commencing on Monday 12th June Cookham Summer FM will start broadcasting 24/7 on 87.9 FM. and Jazz will feature at least twice a week. I'm doing a 1/2 hour slot on Monday evenings about the African influence in Jazz, and together with Charles Benson and Richard Kellaway we will be presenting "Never The Same Way Once" An eclectic program of jazz music and interviews from 8pm to 11pm every Friday evening. Do tune in. If you are outside the range of this local radio station, it will be available as a web cast on you computer. Just go to http://www.cookham.com/ and follow the link. Do that, and you will be able to listen to some of the recorded jazz that I have been nagging on about these last few months (and years!!).

So listen up!

See you soon at a gig near me!

Geoff C

Some of the pictures (in reduced size format) taken on Cookham's fabulous Shirtlifters triumphal tour of Paris. You will notice the enthralled audience, and the band bar pastimes, as well as the actual musicians in full flow. I would point out that ALL the photos were taken without flash, using available light only in order not to disturb either the audience or the performers.

More info on local jazz comes again next week. And a full jazz nag for all the lucky recipients

Some of the concert pictures.
















First, a big thank you, to all who supported the Concert on Friday to raise money for Cancer Research UK. As a jazz evening it was superb, and in one respect, historic! I personally predict a great future in modern jazz tenor saxophone playing for Simon Spillett, so to have the evidence on camera of him playing the clarinet, alongside 2 other clarinet players will be one of those "I was there when..." memories!!

Financially it wasn't as successful an evening as last year, but we did still manage to raise over £420 for CR UK. More photos are available, so do get in touch if you want a copy.

All in all it was a great evening, that gave The Clive Burton Quintet the respect they are due by putting them up on stage for all to see and hear.

Locally, more casually, they can be seen TONIGHT as Century Jazz (only the bass player changes) at The Fifield 8 pm till 10.30 pm. Raffle funded.

Tuesday both Scott Hamilton and Lynn Garner are at High Wycombe Town Hall as part of Wycombe Arts Festival, it starts at 8 pm, its unreserved seating (like our concert, cafe style around tables) and tickets (if still available) are priced £8. Box office number is 01494 512000

Thursday Clive Burton Quintet play Hedsor Social Club. 8.30 pm till 11 pm. Entry £3, also a raffle to help costs out, do please support this local regular live jazz event. Its not as though the music is bad!! so it isn't a hardship to listen!

Next weekend I shall be accompanying Cookham's fabulous Shirtlifters in a return to Paris. A conservatoire has asked them back to help out in there music festival. Fame Eh!

So, to enable me to get the time to put the pictures on the Blogg, I shall, for the time being, say no more! But SOON, you will be able to listen to me on the Radio!! Cookham Summer FM is back. Watch this space to get tuned in!!

Two previous Zephyr Records Brian Lemon releases, parts of which are included in the CD reviewed below.


Hi Folks,

Further on from yesterdays quick email about the Tim Saunders gig at Mo's last night, this nag will be brief, as the following wind is now in an adverse direction!!

For those who missed last night, you missed a treat. Tim's Quartet were in good form, and we had the added real pleasure of Sheila Scott as his guest vocalist. It was an evening of very pleasent and sophisticated jazz, and the audience (from comments overheard) would like some more of the same soon!!

Tomorrow night (Thursday) at The Hedsor Social Club we have the Clive Burton Quintet plus one. Watch out for a well fed Dutch trumpet player imported from France(!) for the occasion. Entry £3 plus raffle, and,yes, we do still need your money as well as your company!! (even Mo's gig will be going up by an extra £1 next month).

Sunday, Century Jazz at Fifield as usual (8pm start).

Don't forget (well, I wont let you forget, but you know what I mean) the concert for Cancer Research UK on Friday week (12th May). Don't let a happy man get very old, do come along. I know you will have a super musical experience (look at the cast!), and its in a cause we all have reason to support.

What have I been listening too?

The CD that has impressed me most this week is a compilation of music from the Zephyr label, all of which includes British pianist Brian Lemon. I've been a fan of Brian's for many years. Another fan I met at Brecon referred to him as "the thinking man's pianist", which I can heartily endorse.

The Zephyr label has been issuing various collaborations which include Brian for many years now, and they have recently produced a retrospective of his work. I have most of the albums reflected in this new issue, but believe me, I had forgotten how good our best players can be. Here we see him with the likes of Dave Cliff, Tony Coe, Alan Barnes, Ruby Braff, Scott Hamilton, Roy Williams, George Masso to name but a few. It's a well recorded as well as a well played set, and if you haven't got all of the previous Zephyr releases, its a good place to start. Zephyr Records ZECD36 "The Brian Lemon Anthology" will get you it.

That's it for now folks, as usual you will find some artwork on the blog page.

TTFN

Geoff C

http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/

Geoff's Jazz nag, which, as you remember(!), is a constant reminder of local jazz events, and some "reviews" of CD's in my collection that you may still be able to buy (there is always EBay!).

First this week, the live stuff.

The Regular events :

Thursday, The Clive Burton Quintet at The Hedsor Social Club, 8.30 pm start, £3 to get in, but we would strongly advise that you buy some raffle tickets as well!!

Sunday The Fifield hosts Century Jazz from 8 pm. dine or just listen, but do the management a favour and buy a raffle ticket or 5.

Looking slightly further ahead Tuesday May 2nd has the Tim Saunders Quartet at The Bourne End Community Centre, admission by raffle ticket at £3. This is a real bargain gig, as you even get half time nibbles thrown in at the price. Tim is Hammersmith's answer to Pat Metheny, a wonderfully fluid guitarist, whom I'm delighted to say we've heard before!

Again in May, on Friday 12th we have the Jazz for Cancer Research Concert at The Bourne End Community Centre (Give and Take Five Again). A star studded concert with Clive Burton and his Quintet, Richard Kellaway as our guest on clarinet (to add some of those Traditional Jazz vibes), and Simon Spillet as our guest on tenor sax. I really hope that with Mike Wills present on reeds as well, we will have a super mixing of the styles in a jam during the second half. Tickets £10 each, all profits are going to Cancer Research UK, who will be there with their information stall (thank you Liz). We will in addition be running a raffle, so do turn out. Tickets are on sale now from Crocks and Crystals in The Parade, Bourne End, or from me! And you know its a worthwhile cause.

Also in May (Tuesday 16th), Scott Hamilton is appearing at the High Wycombe Town Hall, with a superb British rhythm section (John Pearce on piano, Dave Green bass, and Steve Brown on Drums). BUT in addition, that lovely lady singer of Little Jazz Bird fame, Lynn Garner will be guesting with them. Tickets are £8 from The Swan Box Office. The event will, like our concert on the 12th, be around tables, so there is no reserved seating.

BUT THERE IS MORE,

You can catch Lynn again back at The Harrow in Hughenden Valley, with Ken McCarthy on piano and Brad Lang on bass on Wednesday 24th. 8.30 pm start. These are lovely, intimate, musical evenings where you can see, hear, and talk to these fab musicians. AND ITS FREE!!

At Home this week I have listened to a couple of CDs that are very different.

First off, on Columbia Legacy was "Ambassador Satch" with Louis Armstrong and his All Stars recorded mostly during a European tour in 1955. We tend to overlook Louis these days, but I still remember going out to buy 78's of him before I could afford LP's, and the awe with which we trooped to Earls Court to "hear" him on a revolving bandstand. The Sound was dreadful, but is was him, live, in front of you!
On "Ambassador" he still had that powerful trumpet sound, wasn't doing too much singing, and was playing tunes from his New Orleans roots (Royal Garden Blues, Muskrat Ramble, West End Blues, Tin Roof Blues). There is still a lot of Louis out there to be bought, so do consider giving him a second chance!!

The other listen this week couldn't be more different. Jacques Loussier Trio playing Bach's Goldberg Variations. Super sound, recorded in 1999, with musicians on bass and drums that he considers more sympathetic to his musical aims than the original trio from the early 1960's. Its a Telarc CD, and I'm sure readily available in the shops if you can find a shop selling recorded music anywhere!!

Well, I hope I have entertained you for a few minutes, and made you feel guilty enough to turn out and support live jazz. If you don't, you will then HAVE to go searching for those few shops selling jazz CD's wont you!


TTFN

Geoff C
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com

My ticket for the attached event arrived this morning, and I though I would like to share with you the details of the concert. I hope to see some of you there.

Geoff C

I thought that as we have all had an Easter break (even with some added sunshine), I would start this weeks gentle reminder of all things jazz local with my thoughts on a couple of CD's I listened to over the break.

First up very appropriately was a concert given by Gospel Singer Mahalia Jackson at New York's Lincoln Centre on Easter Day 1967. OK, its a niche market, not everyone's taste, but what a great singer she was. All the songs are full of deep felt emotion, whether they are about her assurance for the future (In My Home Over There), or her slow burning fervour of "Were You There?". One is amazed by her range and control. This is all the more surprising considering that she had had 2 years off, being unable to sing due to heart problems (which I can especially empathise with!). This concert was the first after that break. What a stress raiser, not exactly a small auditorium!! She was accompanied by Edward Robinson on piano, Charles Clency on organ and Jo Jones on drums. That first track does show a little of the uncertainty in her voice, but it soon disappears and the whole concert is full of that gospel swing now embedded in many modern jazz songs. The CD may still be around (my copy was published in 2001) and it was on Columbia Legacy 503018 2. See Blog for cover art.

The other CD is again in the mammoth auditorium category. And again of some vintage. Most jazz fans are aware of the Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall Concert of 1938, which was privately recorded for his own benefit, discovered in a cupboard some years after and then released on LP then CD. But are any of you aware that the Paul Whiteman Orchestra was recorded at a concert in the same place and in the same year? Its available on a German label (Nostalgia Arts) as a 2 disk set. And like Mss Jackson's album it was a Christian holiday date! December 25th 1938!! Its a bit better recorded than the Goodman and was in fact the last in a series he had performed there called "Experiments in Modern Music". Not many tunes you would recognise from the swing era (after all, he pre dated it really), but the concert concludes with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" ( an 8:45 min version of it in fact). Its possibly worth tracking down if you like finding out the beginnings of what we all take for granted (and even think of as old!), or chasing your library to get in for a loan. The CD Number is 303 3025.

OK, so what's around in the next few days for you to go out and listen to?

Thursday, The Clive Burton Quintet are at The Hedsor Social Club, 8.30 pm till 11 pm, £3 to get in, and we would be very please if you supported the raffle as well. The band have been in great form of late, and the team, plus its reserves, have been doing a fair bit of work recently, gaining the kind of recognition some of us have thought of as long overdue.

Sunday, Century Jazz are at The Fifield from 8pm. Good food, free entry, raffle funded.

Please don't forget the Concert for Cancer Research at Bourne End's Community Centre on Friday May 12th. Clive Burton Quintet, plus Simon Spillet, plus Richard Kellaway. Tickets from Crocks and Crystals or me £10 each.

There are a number of jazz links coming in to me these days, I will point you at one a little further away, but still local enough, for you to reach.

http://www.jazzeddie.f2s.com/

But in the meantime, that's it from me folks, see you at a gig near to me!

Geoff

http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/

Good, you have got this far before hitting the delete button!!

First, I must wish you all a very Happy Easter. There is a promise of sunshine, and for many, 4 days break from paid employment!!

There is also JAZZ to be had!

TONIGHT, Clive Burton and his merry men play for us at The Hedsor Social Club from 8.30pm. Mike Wills is holidaying in Amsterdam as I type, so wont be with us. It will be exciting to find out who will be!! Maybe even YOU.
Remember, if you don't come, the music will stop, and become a fond memory of things past. You will of course be able to tell your grandchildren that once upon a time, you could listen to people playing on instruments and see them whilst they did it. AND it was real!! Not on their i anything, but LIVE MUSIC!!

BUT for £3,and a contribution to the raffle, you can enjoy it for real, and ensure it has a future! (Nag, nag, nag again!) at Hedsor.

And you will be able to do it all again on SUNDAY, where at The Fifield, Century Jazz perform from 8pm onwards. Great music, great food, and a great atmosphere!

Last night we had a reunion! The Harrow took life and limb by the throat, and invited back Ken McCarthy, Lynn Garner and Brad Lang to play and sing. I'm pleased to say that a good audience turned out to see them again after a gap of 6 months, and I only hope that Elaine will manage to summon up the courage to do it again soon. It was a smashing evening, which only reminded me of how casually we all took the regular weekly concerts at The Harrow.

CONCERTS! Oh yes, I'm running another one for Cancer Research UK at The Bourne End Community Centre on Friday May 12th, from 8pm. Tickets £10 from me, or Crocks and Crystals in Bourne Ends Parade. The Clive Burton Quintet will be assisted by Simon Spillet on tenor saxophone, and Richard Kellaway on Clarinet. Richard says that that cant be at the same time as Simon, BUT WE WILL SEE!!

CD listening this week has been somewhat curtailed by the need people have to get their computers fixed!! But last week I asked for the CD's you had come by recently that represented today's jazz scene. Not many of you replied!!
There are some though, that you can play over and over again, and that you can end up whistling the tunes from. (Try that with recent releases from major labels!). 2 stick out in my recent listening.

Scott Hamilton's "Back in New York", released in 2005 has that lovely warm melodic tenor sound playing tunes like "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face", "Fine and Dandy", "Bouncing with Bud", ably supported by the wonderful piano playing of Bill Charlap, plus Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. Well recorded, a really tuneful listen, in a slightly out of fashion style.Concord CCD-2274-2 the back cover is on my blog!

Another CD I've mentioned before, which just goes to show you that I find it most playable, is Tommy Smith on Tenor and Brian Kellock on Piano. Just the two of them. Both Scott's play standard tunes (Cherokee, Moonlight in Vermont, Pure Imagination, for example) but with a very fresh approach that made my skin tingle the first time I heard it. They somehow find a combination of the many notes that are around, to make these tunes sound fresh and exciting. Modern modern jazz at its very best. Again, the back cover will be on the Blog. Its on Spartacus Records, its called Symbiosis, and its number is STS010.

Well thats it for now folks,

Geoff C
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/

The Nag is Back, at least for one week, at its original publishing time!!

The reason for this primarily is to tell you of TONIGHT'S gig at The Bourne End Community Centre.

From 8.30 pm onwards, we will have an almost Kansas City Experience!! "Jammin at Mo's" could well describe tonight's event. Its going to be a JAM SESSION. No, nothing at all to do with strawberries (raspberries perhaps!), but all to do with the players out there who would like to sit in with the likes of Ken McCarthy (who will be the pianist) and "play that thing".

A number of well known and respected local musicians have already committed to this project, but if you play, are unemployed tonight and fancy a blow, come along. If your free tonight, don't play, and would like the excitement that this kind of event can generate, come along. It will cost you the magnificent sum of £3 to get in, you will have a chance to win a raffle prize, AND you get food at half time!! Come on out, and leave Poirot to the TV!

NEXT WEDNESDAY April 12th, those wonderful hosts at The Harrow have decided to run a musical reunion. And so Lynn Garner and Ken McCarthy will be playing their from 8.30 pm just like old times. You know it makes sense to come and support them, look what happens to gigs that don't get your support. (Yes, it IS called a nag!).

THURSDAY The Clive Burton Quintet are at The Hedsor Social Club from 8.30 pm. Please come early, pay your £3 entry fee, and listen to some of the best jazz music around this area.

SUNDAY The Fifield hosts Century Jazz from 8 pm. If you miss Sunday lunch, catch up on it at The Fifield with some really swinging tunes as well!!

INTO THE FUTURE, but not so far away that I'm not beginning to panic! is The Jazz for Cancer Concert at The Bourne End Community Centre on FRIDAY May 12th. Tickets £10 each are available from me, or Crocks and Crystals at The Parade in Bourne End. The Clive Burton Quintet (no deps this year I'm told) will be ably enhanced with the guests Richard Kellaway on clarinet and Simon Spillett on Tenor Sax. We hope to offer a wide range of jazz styles from these superb artists, so do everyone a favour and buy you tickets early.

CD's

At this moment in time (i.e. the longhand for "now") I just want to make you think! If you had to write a review of a recently recorded jazz CD, what would it be, and why? Answers by email please, and I will write some more with my thoughts latter in the week,

But as that other Geoffrey (Smith) will say, "but for now, Goodbye".

Geoff C
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com

Well, at least its a day earlier than last week. My drains are working this week!

Gigs

Tomorrow night, The Clive Burton Quartet at The Hedsor Social Club, 8.30pm till 11pm, entry £3, Raffle, cheep booze, lemonade.....something missing? Oh yes, GREAT JAZZ, and sometimes an audience worthy of the performance!! You can also buy second hand jazz CD's at this gig now. Very reasonable prices!

Sunday Century Jazz at The Fifield Inn, 8pm till 10.30pm. Entirely funded by the raffle, which obviously needs jazz fans to buy the tickets of!

Tuesday 4th April (already!), Mo's Jazz at The Bourne End Community Centre. 8.30pm till 11pm. £3 at the door includes a raffle ticket. If someone lets me know who is on, I'll tell everyone! But if you can turn out for this gig, it is one of he wonders of Buckinghamshire. Always good value, you even get sustenance at half time!

Whilst mentioning The Bourne End Community Centre I Must mention the Cancer Research UK Jazz concert on Friday May 12th. as it will be held there. I have some tickets (£10 each), and so do Crocks and Crystals in The Parade, Bourne End. If anyone can usefully promote this event via a notice board that people see, contact me as I have some A4 poster.

CD's

I'm a great Duke Ellington Fan, a lot of famous musicians from a more modern era are also fans of this elegant bandleader who arguably was also one of America's greatest 20th Century composers. I'm sure most of you have heard, or heard of, The Lincoln Centre Orchestra as led by Wynton Marsalis. They have performed and recorded The Duke's music a number of times with great effect. In 1998, Wynton composed and performed a suite of music very much in the Ellington tradition called "Big Train". It was first performed in The Lincoln Centre, New York, and subsequently recorded in the December of that year. The CD was issued in 2000, and you may have missed it. But I recommend that you now go out and search for it. Its a wonderful orchestra (with Scotland's own Joe Temperly on baritone sax) full of "names" and if you like Ellington's sound (perhaps as it might now be) and trains, then this is one for you. For Blog readers, you can see the cover artwork, hopefully sufficiently well to read the "track" titles! Sony Music (Columbia) CK69860

Another Scottish gentleman who is having something of a revival is Bobby Wellins. He came to prominence with Stan Tracey in their recorded version of "Under Milkwood" back in the 1960's. He sort of faded from view, but is now very much back in the forefront, having recently done a tour with Stan recreating "Milkwood" (some of us saw it last year). He is playing even better than before, and a new CD is out on Trio Records TR 572 called "When the Sun Comes Out". Here he is teamed with Spike Wells on Drums, Mark Edwards on Piano and Andy Cleyndert on Bass. A good mixture of tunes, well played and recorded, live, at the Appleby Jazz Festival last July.

So there you have it. All these people giving of their best so that you can still listen to wonderful jazz! But I wouldn't be doing a nag justice if I didn't make you feel uncomfortable by saying "Do you?"

TTFN

Geoff C

OK its late! My excuse is the blocked drains I had to get sorted out yesterday!!

But TONIGHT, at The Hedsor Social Club, Clive Burton and his Quintet will entertain you for the measly sum of £3. We do of course still run the raffle, somehow we have to pay the band!!

There is a risk to our method of paying the band. The Management of the Hedsor Club have found out that for the last 3 weeks we have taken more than the bar has! They now want to charge us rent for the room!! I wonder if they would like to refund some of the bar take for the last 2 years where we have lost an average of £50 per week!!

This attitude contrasts strongly with that of The Harrow in the Hughenden Valley, who week after week financed jazz from their own pockets (free entry, no raffle) and were eventually defeated by the local authority licensing laws. Well, for those of you who miss these sessions, there will be a "reunion" at The Harrow on Wednesday April 12th, so put it in your diary and make sure you help The Harrow management take more on the bar than their costs!!

Saturday at The Bourne End Community Centre, Mo is organising another Jazz Supper, and, unusually, I understand that there could be a few tickets over. MO's number is 01626 520170.

Sunday, Century Jazz at Fifield from 8 pm onwards. Raffle funded, but more punters would be very welcome, or that will be yet another venue closed down!

Into the future, I do now have tickets on sale (£10 each) for the Jazz for Cancer concert at Bourne End on Friday May 12th. I'll attach a copy of the flyer so you can print and distribute in your area. We all know its a worthwhile cause. First Keith Vitty was in our thoughts when we planned the first one 4 years ago, then my own son Stuart who died 4 months after Keith and finally Ernie Evans last year are all poignant reminders of friends who have succumbed to Cancer.

Tickets for both Mo,s Supper, and the Cancer Research Concert can be obtained from Crocks and Chrystals in The Parade, Bourne End.

Simon Splillett has asked me to let you know where he is playing in the next few weeks (one of those gigs will be that Cancer Research Concert!), so they will follow this para., But wasn't it a good session at Hedsor with Simon and Clive dragging harmonies from the air. Wonderful fast paced stuff too! You missed it!! Its your own fault, but we will try again!

"However closer to home I have three gigs coming up;

Sunday March 26th - Fifield (Mothers Day!)
Monday March 27th - The Fox and Hounds, Englefield Green, Surrey (with Pete Davies Quartet)
Tuesday March 28th - Seer Green Village Hall (with Vic Poole Trio)" Simon.

CD wise its been a barren listening week, with one of exception.

that was a CD that so intrigued me that I had to try it out immediately. All about classic ragtime's roots, it's called "Classic Ragtime, Roots and Offshoots" it contains recordings that go back as far as December 7th 1909. And as history these early sounds are marvellously reproduced. The last one on the album is from 1939 and it's fascinating to hear how jazz took on board the music that was being played around it, and transformed it into a much freer, more syncopated music.
Its on an RCA Victor BMG album as "Classic Ragtime", and it number is 09026 63206 2 (or is that someone's free phone number!).

More jazz next week, but until then,

Goodbye for now!!

Geoff C

My Nag is a little late, as I have been holidaying at home this week!!

But not TOO late to mention that The Clive Burton Quintet is at The Hedsor Social Club TONIGHT, Thursday, as usual from 8.30 pm onwards, £3 to get in (pay the Red Box!), a raffle for all of our joys, and CD's for sale at BARGAIN prices. There is a good crop of new ones, so if you want the pick, be an early bird!

Last week we had the launch of Martin Harts new CD "Mind Games", which was a very pleasurable social event (well done the catering committee), and we had a preview of some of the music on the CD played by the band.

The CD itself is incredibly impressive! A number of the musicians on it are regular attenders at Hedsor, but with a few additions. On the CD they perform in any combination from 3 up to 6. The music has all be written by Martin, who plays drums on all bar one track and its a truly wonderful CD. I have listened to various live bands for too many years, and to the Clive Burton Band for well over 5 years in its various forms and leaderships. BUT I was completely knocked out by both the musical content and the playing. Its very hard to believe that these guys have been playing live for us for at least 4 years at Hedsor. They are just so good. My 2 favourite tracks are "Blues for Booker" and "Samba Therese", but all are both thought provoking and entertaining in one. It's a must buy CD

And when you have purchased it for its music, you will be very impressed by the artwork and production quality of the sleeve notes. Well done to all involved in the project.

The Second new CD that I have listened too this week I don't feel I can rave about so enthusiastically. I have grown up with The Humphrey Lyttelton Band. In fact it was a very early outside TV program of his band at the 100 Club that got me involved in the music in the first place. And the band are still a great ensemble sound. They also have a good mix of young and older musicians.

All the tunes on his latest release ("Sad, Sweet Songs & Crazy Rhythms" Calligraph Records CLGCD042) have been recorded by various manifestations of the band before (some more than once), but for me, now, Humph has run out of breath! His playing on both trumpet and clarinet sounds frail, variable, and for me the listener, uncomfortable. He was never the worlds best singer, yet on this album he sings no less than 4 of the songs, and they are really sad, but not perhaps as he meant them to be! Recorded again is one of my favourite songs of his. "We Fell Out Of Love" was recorded first by Elkie Brooks with Humph in the 70's. Humphs new recording adds nothing to the earlier on, and is truly a sad song. I know it is almost sacrilege to criticise this stalwart of British Jazz, but I feel I must. The rest of the band (Jimmy Hastings, Karen Sharp, Ray Wordsworth, Ted Beamont, John Rees-Jones, and Adrian Macintosh all perform faultlessly, and it is almost worth buying for their parts alone.
But not quite!

TTFN

Geoff C

PS taking a leaf out of Mind Games advertising, Give and Take 5 Again is Coming!!

Good Morning Jazz Fans,

So its raining and grey, but YOU know that good times are just around the corner! Well there round the Hedsor Social Club Corner tomorrow night, Thursday 9th March anyway!

AND its going to be a very special night too. The launch of Martin Harts new CD "Mind Games", with The Clive Burton Quintet (of which he is a founding member) and some of the guest musicians that appear on the CD. I am informed that one of these will be that wonderful guitarist Peter O'Brian. Party food, plus your opportunity to purchase said cd. Ask nicely and I'm sure Martin will sign a copy for you.
We will also be selling jazz CD's at silly money prices, just to help your collection grow. We did this for the first time last week, and it was a very popular addition to our evening. Don't forget to pay at the RED cash box your £3 entrance fee, and of course do still buy a raffle ticket.

Hedsor is a really unique jazz venue. Its small and intimate, with plenty of opportunity to get to know other fans as well as the musicians. It does need your active participation to keep it anything like solvent, (welcome back our treasurer, John Dutton, from Spain, by the way!!), especially in these times of closing venues. And just as a matter of interest, Cores End Church have discovered they need an entertainment licence now under the new rules!!

Coming up soon is Mothering Sunday, and pianist Ken McCarthy has asked me to let you know about his gig that night, so attached to this email is his flyer (blog readers will also be able to see it).

This week I have carried on listening to LP's by that unique British musician Bruce Turner. A couple of us have discovered that we are both fans of this alto player, and have been digging in dark corners for the music we haven't played for some time.

In my blog this week you will find a resume of his life that was published in the Telegraph on his death in 1993. He was such a gifted player, and considering the LPs I have been listening too were from his Jump Band period (1959 - 1963) he was showing a freshness of approach that totally disregarded any of the popular trends of that periods jazz fashions. Even though he studied under Lea Konitz, he wasn't playing bop (despite the "dirty bopper" label) and certainly wasn't playing Trad! But it was tight small group swing. And to think that the band failed its first BBC audition too!! Just shows you how out of touch the BEEB were in those days. The LP's I have dragged out and listened too are, in order, "Jumpin at The NFT", which was originally on the "77" Record label as 77-LEU-12, "Accent on Swing" which was on the "International Jazz" label as AJZ/4/LP and finally "Going Places" which was on the Philips label as BL7590. Over the period of the jump band, the personnel changed a bit, but the instrumentation was always Alto, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass and drums. It is well worth keeping an eye on the second hand shops for copies. Again I will put the cover artwork on my blog.

that's it for now folks

Geoff C

Hi All,

A couple of things that could be deemed "important", not on a global scale you understand, but for your musical entertainment and future enjoyment!

Tomorrow (Thursday), we have The Clive Burton Quintet as usual at The Hedsor Social Club from 8.30pm onwards, but for the first time we WILL be making an entry charge. A very affordable £3 will be charged for your attendance. We will be running the raffle as before (please give just as generously please, we do need the funds so raised), and we will be asking you to seek out the red cash box to pay at. The geography of the club makes it impossible to actually ask at the door for you cash!!

In addition to this, I will be selling second hand jazz cd's at silly money prices, just to give a bit of added interest to your attendance!!

You may have been aware last week, if you were with us at Hedsor, that we had a newspaper photographer with us for most of the first half of the evening. This was due in part to our desire to gain more publicity for the evening, AND because NEXT WEEK, Thursday March 9th, at Hedsor we are launching a brand new CD, with some very familiar names on the personnel label!! Drummer Martin Hart has written and arranged all the music for a CD called "Mind Games, and the first sale of this will be at a special launch party on 9th March. This will be a really special event, where some of the guest musicians associated with the CD will be performing some of the tunes from the CD. You will also have the opportunity to purchase your copy of said CD, and I am assured for all of us who like parties, that a light buffet will also be part of the evening. Tell your friends, you may even bring someone else's daughter!! But do make a note of the evening. It really will be something special.

So what CD's have I listened to this week?

There is an excellent CD out on the Swingsation label of Benny Goodman and his orchestra. The sound quality is excellent, however, the label does appear to insist on denying you any information about when it was recorded, or who was in the band at the time. Its in reasonable Hi Fi, so it may have come from out of the BG in Hi Fi period.All the expected tunes are on it (Stompin at The Savoy, Let's Dance, And the Angels Sing), but also some tunes usually associated with other big bands of the swing era (One O'Clock Jump, King Porter Stomp for example). Its from GRP Records as GRD 9954 and its simply called "Benny Goodman"!

The other cd of note is also trying to spread the appeal of jazz music, and is a compilation of Modern Jazz, with one track each for the likes of Chet Baker, Bud Shank, Gerry Mulligan and surprisingly David Newton, the well known British pianist.
This CD is on another strange label, Emporio, as EMPRCD 724 "All That Jazz". Well worth looking out for as its an excellent compilation.

That's it for now folks, see you ALL tomorrow night at Hedsor.

Geoff C