And SO Came SUNDAY

As some of you know, July 10^th is a special and sad date in my family. Stuart, our son, died 9 years ago on this day from Cancer at the age of 36. After these intervening 9 years the day still has it’s ability to promote sad recollections.

AS this years day dawned bright and sunny, I took a stroll along the front first to sit in quiet on the stone pier near the 2 marquees, and think things through for a few minutes. Then, I proceeded on my journey to see the Dorset Youth Jazz Orchestra in Marquee One. I was just in time to hear a young lady with a very powerful and tuneful voice sing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. She did it very well, but I had to leave as the tears began to sting my eyes.

Alan Barnes and Greg Abate

Not too many steps away however in Marquee Two I was able to cheer myself up listening to Greg Abate and Alan Barnes with David Newton, Andy Cleyndert and Steve Brown. Two great alto players with about the best rhythm section in the UK raised my mood and set the rest of the day off to a fine start. Excellent, off the cuff, music, where everyone listens to each other and employs the skill that the years of playing have endowed them with. The only problem was they finished playing after just over an hour!

David Newton

The JJ Vinten Band

Wandering outside for some fresh air (at least they had started to open out some of the marquees side panels to let some air in) and a sandwich from the very handy café facility set up between the two marquees, I heard some very nice sounds coming from M1. This turned out to be the JJ Vinten Jazz Band, who played a mixture of familiar jazz tunes in a sort of Dixieland style. They were very good indeed. They consisted of Jonathan Vinten on piano, Andy Dickens trumpet and flugel horn, Dave Hewett trombone, Goff Dubber reeds, Andy Lawrence on bass and Colin Miller on drums. Entertaining, good harmonies, and a good mix of repertoire. And they didn’t sound tired either!

I then took my newly found fitness (yes, I am kidding) and made my way slightly early, to Marquee Three to get a place for the Michael Garrick Quartet. Being early for this meant that I heard some of Led Bib’s repertoire. I think all I can say about them is, they were loud!

Michael Garrick and Matt Ridley

Jim Hart

Michael Garrick’s set however was a total contrast, and a total delight. Subtitled “Plays MJQ” the music was nostalgic, melodic, and beautifully executed. It is about time some of the wonderful tunes first heard with the original MJG were heard again. One of my gripes is that almost everyone who plays Hedsor at some time includes a quote from “Golden Striker” but no one ever plays it in its entirety. Well it was The Michael Garricks Quartet’s first tune! The MJQ repertoire is delicate music, with the melody often carried by the bass player, and past around between the piano and the vibraphone. The drums are also an integral part of the harmony, not just a rhythmical background. The team that has just started a UK tour with these arrangements are Michael Garrick on piano, Jim Hart on vibraphone, Matt Ridley bass and Steve Brown on drums. Rumour has it that they may well come to Marlow as part of the tour. If that proves to be the case, don’t miss it!

Swanage on Sunday

By now, we are coming towards the end of the jazz festival. An evening meal, a wash and brush up perhaps, and out for the final part. Now this is one of my caveats. You do only have 2 choices. At 7pm, you could join the cue for Liane Carol outside M2 (yes, it didn’t start until 8.15pm, but you could wait in line from then on for a seat inside) OR you could go into M1 and see The Dave Brennan Jubilee Jazz Bands final gig of the festival. Having strayed in the same digs as them for a couple of years 10 or so years ago, I always like to take in one of their performances (was it 8 this year?) and so it was this one that I went to see. I thought they played their version of traditional jazz very well this year.

Keith Nichols

Marquee One filled up, and before Keith Nichols Tribute to Louis Armstrong they were already standing at the back. I stayed put, and had a good reiteration of all of L A’s playing style from the 20’s to the 50’s. Keith Nichols on piano used Enrico Tomasso as Louis and accompanied him with Alistair Allan on trombone, who played superbly, Oliver Wilby on reeds, Martin Wheatly guitar, Jerome Davis on bass and Richard Pite on drums. Also introduced into this ensemble was none other than Alan Barnes. Alan played a remarkably well in the style of Johnny Dodds, and filled out the 30’s orchestra sound on alto sax. A couple of gripes about this set. The amplification/PA was not very good, and Alan Barnes was not used to best advantage and for a lot of the time looked like a spare part on stage. Enrico as L A was magnificent.

Enrico plus

It was reported at the end of the evening that people had been leaving M2 (having cued up for it earlier) for M1. The noise level coming from that tent was unbelievably loud, even in M1. Now I happen to be a fan of Liane Carrol, I have seen her many times over the years, and have always enjoyed her performances. But I object to having to cue up hours before to see her. And I would have also been driven out by the volume. I must say that I thought the choice on Sunday night was poor. I do understand the economics, more choice would mean more cost, and a lot of people go home Sunday night for work on Monday. But equally, many pay for an extra nights lodgings to extend their enjoyment of an excellent jazz festival into the Sunday night. A possible compromise could be had if one other venue was made available, and given to some quality local amateur jazz musicians to display their talents.

Criticisms aside, I have already booked my accommodation for next year. Well, I would have, but I didn’t know the dates for the next (Olympics)year festival, so I could only express interest in the room I had for next year. Another suggestion on the accommodation front. It’s getting far more difficult to find accommodation within Swanage for the festival, and what is available is suffering under the laws of supply and demand and becoming very expensive. When faced with a similar dilemma 20 years ago, Brecon asked the townsfolk if they would be prepared to increase B&B capacity by letting out their spare rooms just for the festival. It worked, and many lasting friendships were made by so doing.

Whatever the future may hold, can I ask Fred Lindup and his committee to keep up the good work, and keep on going with Swanage Jazz Festivals. Well done to all of you who had a part in organising and staffing this years event.

Swanage Jazz 2011

A “proper” keyboard, not a laptop one, and a decent broadband connection, means that after almost a week, I can write up my thoughts on this years Swanage Jazz Festival.

It was greatly enjoyable, with I suppose, one or two caveats. The sun shone, Swanage looked as though we were all in the Mediteranian, and the organisation was, as usual, very good. It is impossible to see everything at Swanage’s Jazz Festival. None of my friends saw exactly the same bands and events that I did, but that is one of Swanage’s great strengths. The level of choice, and the quality of the available music, is nearly always first rate. The cost very reasonable.

So what did I see, and what did I think of them?

Friday 8^th July

Being based this year in a B&B very near the Conservative Club, I decided that I would take my place in their upper room for the evening. I didn’t choose to see Ian Shaw, or Gill Manly in Marquee 2, or climb the hill to Marquee 3. Instead first up was a set by The Great Western Jazz Company. This was trad jazz, and seemed to me to lack some of the vitality that can be generated by this kind of jazz.

They were followed by The Andy Dickens Quintet.

Andy has played for us at Hedsor, and was part of the Zane Cronje Benefit Concert. The Quintet played some traditional tunes, some Duke Ellington Tunes, and some “modern” jazz. That’s modern as the 1950’s! With Andy on Trumpet and Flugel Horn (even at the same time once!), Craig Milverton on Piano, Julian Marc Stringle on Clarinet and Tenor sax, Rod Brown on Drums and Brett Neville on bass, they swung, and entertained superbly. The announcements by Andy were witty and the whole band seemed alive.

One incident of note (no pun intended) during the third number, Brett Neville’s bass bridge collapsed, something I have never seen happen before. He promptly carted his bass off whilst the band kept playing. He repaired it “out the back”, then carried it back on and started playing, whereupon the whole band left him to play the rest of the tune by himself!! At the end, Andy said that Brett had detuned the bass a semitone after the repair and compensated for the rest of the gig to ensure less pressure was put on the repaired bridge!

All in all a wonderful evening of entertainment, full of good music and good humour. It certainly met my criteria of producing a smiling audience! It was also a very full house by the evenings end!

Saturday 9^th July

Marquee 2

If Marquee’s 1 and 2 had faces, they would be facing the bay. Sunlight, sparkling sea, boats bobbing, children playing, and foreign students marching up and down learning everything about the seaside except the Jurassic bit they were probably sent to examine.

Inside The Frank Griffith Sextet.

Frank on reeds (he has also played Hedsor in the distant past), Bob Martin on Alto sax, Steve Fishwick trumpet, Tim Laphorn piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Matt Fishwick on drums. A good clean sound, slightly edgy in a 1990’s modern way.

I had not heard Bob Martin before, an American apparently spending a fair amount of time in the UK. I was impressed by his playing. Mick Hutton was also a "noticeable" bass player.

John Critchinson

Dave Green and Jacqui Hicks

Next up was another great British jazz man, who has also played Hedsor in the past, John Critchinson, with Art Theman on sax various, Dave Green bass and Dave Barry drums. They were joined from time to time by singer Jacqui Hicks. An excellent set, combining the well know talents of all the players.

Greatly enjoyed, but having been on a plastic chair for over 4 hours, I decided that a stroll, cup of tea and piece of cake was the answer.

After this refreshment I climbed the hill to Marquee 3 to see James Evans' Rocket 5.

This is a strange mix. Interesting, and the audience loved it, but when I tell you that it was made up of Alan Barnes on reeds, James Evans on alto, and a kind of amplified clarinet (which he used mostly to generate bass notes),

Jake Gill on a 6 string banjo,

Tom Kincaid on piano, and Al King drums it will tell you that it was well played interesting!

It was a kind of modernised trad, with bouncy, never before heard tunes! Definitly the stuff for a jazz festival where you can sample "different" without it costing you more money!!

Swanage veterans then had a recess for food in the Black Swan, and reconvened in M2 for the Swanage Festival Allstars, who were.

The only problem was that the Marquee was not large enough for the audience . For those who like modern swinging jazz, this was probably the gig of the festival, but having stood at the back from only 10 minutes after the start until the interval I gave in around 10 pm and went to bed! They were a stellar line up, and they were all seen by me at some point in the weekend in greater comfort, but not for long on Festival Saturday night!

The lineup was:-

Alan Barnes reeds, Art Theman reeds, Don Weller tenor sax, Bruce Adams trumpet and flugel horn, David Newton piano, Andy Cleyndart bass and Steve Brown bass.

They were a great combination, but the venue was too small!

There I will leave you. Sunday news comes up after a nights sleep!

Where's the Jazz? Two views of the Western Edge of Portland Island

Good morning jazz fans.

A quick message from the front (well almost sea front!), using a very dodgy wireless link.

This coming Thursday we hope to have back at Hedsor our regular reed section.

Yes, Mr. Mike Wills is being allowed to attend!!

We also anticipate trumpeter Stuart Henderson.

We may even see the rest of the Clive Burton Quintet.

So why not turn out in the promised rain, spend £5 to get yourself in to Hedsor Jazz, and listen to some of the best modern jazz you can hear outside of London.

By which time I will be in Swanage ( in the rain!!).

TTFN

Geoff C

First a quick (OK Late!) plug for tonight’s gig at Hedsor.

Our illustrious guest tonight is saxophonist Simon Spillett. We have Clive to harmonise with him at the front on the trombone, and a guest drummer to propel them both along (I think that will be Mike Jeffries, Martin is taking a service break), with Nigel Fox and Ken Rankine to moderate the rhythm section! It all starts off at 8.30 pm, and we still only charge £5 to get in. There is nowhere else in Britain where you can have so much fun and see so much jazz talent as at Hedsor on a Thursday, so why not break a habit of a lifetime and come along. Do I mean smoking? Well perhaps I do, but I also mean that habit of lethargy that we all sometimes get struck down by! If you like the sort of jazz that we play at Hedsor, come and help to keep it a living music, not a historic one.

As mentioned last time, I will be away until after the Swanage Jazz Festival, I will not be taking my crystal ball with me (or Kenny) so I wont be able to let you know who will be with Clive Burton at Hedsor in July. With luck, Mike Wills will be making his reappearance, as long as they pass him fit to drive again. Looking on to the end of July, on the 28^th, we will all be joined by the ebullient Tracey Mendham, saxophonist, singer at cat fan. She is terrific fun, so put that in your diary NOW.

CD’s that I am taking with me.

Three really enjoyable CD’s have come out of the woodwork recently. They have some commonality, they are all on the Arbors label, and two of the three have Chuck Wilson on Alto Sax and Howard Alden on Guitar.

“Ruby Braff, Our Love Is Here To Stay” was recorded on consecutive days in April 1998. It is so good to still have previously unreleased material from Ruby being released now. This one follows his usual relaxed and melodic style, with him playing alongside very compatible musicians on tunes that have largely stood the test of time. Relaxed, swinging, never sounding hackneyed. “Day in, Day Out”, “I’m Coming Virginia”, “Deed I Do”, have all been played a million times, and if you have any Ruby Braff in your collection you would have heard them from him before. But he was always so inventive and melodic. Chuck Wilson adds a bit of Hodges like alto, and Howard Alden is as good as he always is, consistent and pleasant to listen to. On a few of the tracks they are all joined by Scott Robinson on Tenor Sax, and Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet. The rhythm section is Marshall Wood on Bass and Jim Gwin on Drums. The CD Number is Arbors ARCD 19426 Braff fans need to add this to their collection.

Next one up is under the name of Chuck Wilson, “Echo of Spring”. Again, a very accomplished, relaxed sound by guys who play so well that they no longer have to remember how to do it! This time, Chuck and Howard are joined by a lovely trombone player Joel Helleny, who sadly died in 2009. The overall sound is kin to the sound we often get at Hedsor. “Echo of Spring” is a Willie “The Lion” Smith tune, but they have also managed to include for my benefit the Billy Strayhorn tune “Isfahan” from the Duke Ellington “Far East” Suite. Also by Strayhorn is “Upper Manhattan Medical Group” written when Billy was being treated for the cancer that eventually killed him. Small group music beautifully played. Murray Wall is on Bass and Tom Melit Drums. Arbors ARCD 19206

The last one in this little roundup is slightly different, and you may think why am I writing about a CD entitled “The International Hot Jazz Quartet Havin A Ball”, because the title alone is a lot of keys to push! 4 players, all great instrumentalists, playing trad tunes? Yes and no. Because in the selection they have elected to play for us is Jelly Roll Morton’s “Sidewalk Blues” and “King Porter Stomp”, but also Jimmy Giuffe’s “Four Brothers” and Charles Thompson’s “Dynaflow”. It is all great fun, played with real thought for each tune, and not anything like British Trad of the 50’s and 60’s. The players are Duke Heitger on Trumpet, Englebert Wrobel on reeds, Paolo Alderighi on Piano and Oliver Mewes on Drums. It was all recorded in 2010 and is on Arbors ARCD 19407. I don’t have proper artwork for this one, as it was a rescue from a critics floor job, but search it out as it is great fun and will bring a smile to you face. You cannot believe it is only a quartet that is producing the lovely sounds.

So, TTFN Geoff

“To blog, or not to blog, that is the question”

or even recently "Can I blog at all"!!

Apologies to those who have turned to my blog pages this last 2 weeks or so to discover what is on and where in the local jazz scene, I have been unable to write the page due to an unpleasant and debilitating illness. I am ever so glad to say that I am now much better, and in a position to let you know what is happening, not only tomorrow, but next week as well!!

Tomorrow, June 16th at Hedsor Jazz we have a saxophonist that we haven’t seen for a little while. Peter Cook will be alongside Clive. It will be good to have him back with us, and I hope you all feel energetic enough to come out and hear the combined efforts of Clive, Peter and the rest of the boys(?) in the Quintet. To catch up with Peter’s career, try his web site http://web.mac.com/petecook/Site/Welcome.html from which you can tell he IS well worth turning out for. We have had some wonderful sessions with him in the past, and tomorrow will not be the last time we invite him.

Tomorrow you will have the joy of passing ME the £5 entry fee. Dee will be away, and I have been loaned the RED BOX!! And the shopping bag to keep it in!!

The following week (with Dee back in charge of the £5 notes) we are delighted to have saxophonist Simon Spillett back with us at Hedsor again alongside Clive. I have always thought that those two can put together great harmonies, and we are privileged to have such support from professional musicians like Peter and Simon for our Hedsor Jazz.

For those of you who enjoy another of the saxophonists who have graced Hedsor Social Club, Vasilis Xenopoulos you might like to know that his Xtet will be playing this Sunday (now you haven’t forgotten it is Fathers Day have you?) at The Lodge Tavern in Ealing.

If that venue is outside the range of your motoring experience, then you might like to know that he will be at the Marlow Jazz Club, held in the Marlow British Legion Club, on Tuesday June 21^st. AND he will be playing alongside Mr. Art Theman, recently retired from his day job as an orthopaedic surgeon. Art has been a giant of the British Modern Jazz Scene for a number of decades, and you may not have realised that music was not his day job!

Coming back to us we hope in July will be our regular saxophonist Mike Wills. Keep your fingers crossed as he needs to get his driving licence back since his little episode with his pacemaker, but he hopes to be with us very soon. We have arranged a little welcoming match for him. On July 28^th, that lady of the saxophone, Tracey Mendham will be joining us again!

Bye the way don’t forget that we can always add in an additional star musician of your choice into our regular Thursday night mix. If you would like to sponsor someone, either on your own or together with some friends just tell Clive or me and we will see if it can be arranged.

You will see above the Certificate Awarded to Hedsor Jazz by Thames Hospicecare after our presentation last month of the proceeds of our Tribute to Zane Cronje Concert (£635). So well done to all of you for making it such a worthwhile sum.

In a week or so I shall be getting into training for the Swanage Jazz festival, and will be disappearing from your ranks for 2 or 3 weeks. I promise to try and tell you before I go of some of the CD’s I would recommend you taking with you on your holiday. OK, you may MP3, but you don’t get the sleeve note or the artwork, and yes, I do MP3 as well!!

So, with this first blog since coming out of the closet, I bid you adieu (It wasn't an earth one I promise, here in Cookham the ceramic ware is really quite sophisticated!).

Tuesday 31st May 2011

Good Morning,

That was a bank holiday that was! And here we are back to our normal day time week time activities!

And I do hope that ONE of those activities will be listening to live jazz. Not only live jazz, but live jazz at The Hedsor Social Club (sing together in unison now!).

This coming Thursday at Hedsor Clive rejoins the band. He will be alongside singer Lynn Garner. It will be so nice to have her back in the small room atmosphere of the Hedsor Bar.

Now that much of the Quintet is fixed. Who else will be there, I am as yet unsure! Well, even poorly paid musicians do sometimes take a holiday!

I do hope however that YOU are back from your holiday break. Last week we were a bit thin on the ground, and, like I keep saying, unless we get bodies on chairs, we wont get bodies playing jazz!

That doesn’t only apply to Hedsor Jazz, but all musicians need support, and as jazz gets little support from the Media (mentioning no national broadcasting organisation in particular) most need to advertise as economically as possible.

You may have caught up with Vasilis Xenopoulos’s new web site, but if you havent bookmarked it yet, its www.vasilisx.com

It is a very good value site, with lots of links and music for you to listen to, so do go and have a look. It tells you where he is playing next, and contains a link to the recent Cookham Festival Concert. You can watch a 10 minute video clip of that concert if you dig into the site. Well worth doing. Not that I’m biased, I only booked him for it!

Last week we took a trip to The Thames valley Hospice in Windsor and handed over a cheque for £635, the proceeds from our tribute to Zane concert.

Many thanks to all who came and contributed to that sum. They were very grateful, and the picture above is of Margaret and Dee with a representative of the Hospice at the handover.

That’s it for now folks, see you all Thursday.

It is nice to see that John Balsom of The Maidenhead Advertiser has picked up on Zane's SA TV tribute at the SAMA .

We were very fortunate in having Zane play for us for 10 years. As Lisa Amato said when Zane first played with Lisa and guitarist James Fenn, "We must keep a track of this guy, he knows all the cords"!

And as "The Usual Suspects" they did for some years play together at "The Old Bell" in Wooburn, until the landlord decided that conversation was better than the music!!

I remember James saying as we left the last gig at The Old Bell, "He doesn't know what he is turning away"!

Geoff C

A slight rearrangement of guests tonight at The Hedsor Social Club.

Lynn Garner is unable to be with us tonight, still being in France.

She will now be with us NEXT WEEK together with Clive Burton.

In her place, to keep John Coverdale company at the front, will be saxophonist Mark Aston.

Usual start time of 8.30 pm, usual entry fee of £5. I hope to see you there.

Geoff C

Another Tribute to Zane

Zane’s sister Lisa has just emailed me with the news that Zane was paid tribute to recently on SA TV. The following is from one of Zane’s cousins, still resident in SA

“I watched the SAMA awards on TV tonight and they had a roll of honor with the names of SA music greats who have passed on and there was ZANE CRONJE!! Well my tears flowed and Carol phoned me crying as well. It was just so wonderful to see and know that Zane is definitely honored and remembered for his amazing talent and contribution to South African music.”

Lynn Garner at the Tribute to Zane Night

Whilst blogging, let me remind you that this Thursday at Hedsor, we have that wonderful singer Lynn Garner, with the added bonus of guitarist John Coverdale. Clive is still “in service” so it will be a very intimate jazz evening this week. Tell your friends, no, just bring them!!

Nigel Fox and John Coverdale at the Tribute to Zane night

Geoff C

The Cookham Festival Jazz Night 20th May 2011

I listen to a lot of live jazz, I often write about it on “my” blog. I often seem to use words like “superb”, tremendous”, “great”. Most times, I feel these words to be true of the performance I have listened to. Last night, somehow none of these adjectives seemed at all appropriate. The quality of the music, and of the musicianship was totally superb and outstanding.

So, what, and who, did we hear?

Under the heading of “Vasilis Xenopoulos and His Xtet” I had been asked “What is an Xtet”?

Last night we found out.

From the back to the front all the musicians were world class players, who happen to try and make a living by playing jazz.

Drummer Matt Home is a regular with the house band at Ronnie Scott’s, and also with Matt Wates Sextet and the Nigel Price Trio.

Nigel Price was on guitar. His trio won the Parliamentary Award for Best Jazz Group in 2010.

Mark Rose on bass is a regular with both Vasilis and with singer Michael L Roberts bands.

Leon Greening was on keyboard. He is also a regular member of the prestigious Matt Wates Sextet.

Michael L Roberts, jazz tutor at Trinity Collage, is one of those unique people, a male jazz singer, who really does sing jazz.

And Vasilis. He is a master of music from Berkley Collage in Boston, the premier “university” for jazz musicians.

Individually they are remarkably talented. They came together as a group last night, and became one. An Xtet!

The music was modern jazz, today’s modern, with homage to past modern jazz tunes, but with a whole new perspective. It was Rocky, driving, with the complete band showing exceptional musicianship and cohesion. At times you honestly couldn’t tell which of the instruments were making the notes that others were including in their solo. And they were all equally great. Every solo was awe inspiring. Collectively, they were one of life’s “WOW” experiences.

It is a tribute to the appreciation that jazz now has in “The Cookhams” that the night was a sell-out. Matt Homes was surprised at how many people were there. He just didn’t expect that level of support. All the band enjoyed the evening, but did the audience?

All those great adjectives came back to me at the end of the evening from various members of the audience. “Extraordinary” was also added in to the collection. One lady was so full of joy at the end, that as the perceived organizer of the event she said I deserved a hug, which I dully got! Another of the audience said it was the best jazz gig they had ever been to. Someone said to me that the saxophone seemed to be an integral part of Vasilis, and not just an instrument to pick up or put down. He seemed permanently attached!

So, in my view it was a successful evening. People were smiling, which is the best tribute an evening of music can generate. Someone even said they would come again!

So Thank you Cookham Festival for letting me book the Xtet.

Geoff Cronin © 2011

www.jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com

Simon Spillett with Clive Burton

Michael L Roberts with Vasilis

Stuart Henderson with Mike Jeffries on drums

Just a quick nag this morning (where does the time go to?), to say that TONIGHT (May 19th) at Hedsor we have a VERY special night of jazz.

There are 3 guests with the band tonight. Clive is still doing community service, so in his place we have that superb trumpet and flugel horn player Stuart Henderson. Accompanying him is saxophonist who star has truly risen(!!), Simon Spillett.

As Martin Hart is helping Clive with his service to the community, drummer Mike Jeffries will be in the middle of it all. On Keyboard Nigel Fox, on bass Ken Rankin. 8.30 pm start £5 entry.

Then tomorrow another superb night of jazz. For the Cookham Festival Jazz evening at Pinder Hall, we have Vasilis Xenopoulos, and his Xtet. That means, if you have yet to get a ticket, hurry up, it will sell out, there are really only a few left. Try ringing 01628 531178 (The Stationery Depot in Cookham) to see if any are left. If you do have one, what a treat we have coming up. With Vasilis will be singer Michael L Roberts, Nigel Price on guitar, Leon Greening on piano, Mark Rose on bass, and Matt Home on drums.

I dont know how we do it!! But from 8 pm on Friday night, we do!

TTFN

Geoff

Hi Everyone,

Painful though it must seem, having dwelt on the passing of a master musician for the past few weeks and months, we must now look to the future. Not just at Hedsor, where this weeks guest will be BBC Big Band trumpet star Paul Eshelby, but to other jazz events too.

Coming very soon, on Friday May 20th we have a tremendous jazz night lined up as part of The Cookham Festival. Just to increase everyone's awareness of this event, I have produced a simple poster, a jpeg file of which is above. If you haven't already received a PDF file of this by email from me, and would like to have a copy to let you print from it, email me at

geoff.jazzsuspect@tiscali.co.uk

with your email address and I will send you one.

Although the official box office is The Stationery Depot, for anyone coming to Hedsor, I do now have a few tickets to sell myself.

That week we have a cup overflowing with great jazz, because at Hedsor on Thursday 19th, we have with us yet again that wonderful saxophonist Simon Spillett.

Then the following week at The Marlow Jazz Club on Tuesday 24th, there will be another mouth watering event. Saxophonist Bobby Wellins, with John Critchinson on keyboard and, Andy Cleyndert on bass.

Inflation is set to go up to and beyond 5% this year, but at Hedsor, we have decided, after much debate, to fix our entry fee at its current level of £5. This has been the same for nearly 3 years now, and we feel that it would be better to concentrate on getting more audience than getting more money from the existing one. I hope that YOU will become one of the new, if you are not already one of the existing. Hedsor Jazz meets in The Hedsor Social Club from 8.30pm every Thursday. The bar, which now stocks Rebellion Beer, is open at 7pm.

It was very nice to meet 2 guys who read my blog at the Woodley Jazz event last Saturday. Maybe I'll see you all soon at a jazz event wherever it may be.

Geoff C, helping to keep live jazz ALIVE!

The Morning After the Night Before

Last night we held a concert at The Hedsor Social Club in memory of Zane Cronje, and to raise money for the Thames Valley Hospice, which I think is now called Thames Hospicecare.

It was a very pleasurable affair, and I'm sure Zane would have been delighted with the mix of music and musicians. It was great fun, and I have put with the blog some of the photos I took last night. I'm sure more will follow; John Slater was also taking pictures, as well as playing (at different times!), trumpet and keyboard.

Our stated aim was also reached, we will soon be able to pay over to TVH £600 directly raised from last nights concert.

Can I take this opportunity of thanking all the musicians who came and took part and all the musicians who simply came to be in the audience, including the Estonian Ambassador (!) Also a big “thank you” to all the fans who came and supported in memory of Zane. It was wonderful to have Margie back at Hedsor again, with members of her family. It must have been very hard for her, she would have been missing a pianist. But she is a brave lady, and I did notice that she had a smile on her face by the end of the concert.

We have all lost friends and family to cancer. What you have all done by supporting last nights event is to add a little comfort and support to those who are going through the dreadful final process of the disease.

More later, but for now….Thank you.

Hi Folks,

Just an update on tomorrow night's Tribute to Zane Cronje at The Hedsor Social Club.

In addition to the guest musicians I mentioned the other day, we have now 3 more who will be coming to pay tribute, and to entertain.

Saxophonists Mark Aston, and Stuart Henderson's Russian friend "Tolly" will be with us, and I am delighted to say that singer Lynn Garner will also be with us for tomorrow night.

Also coming to be in the audience for the first time since Zane's benefit Night will be Margaret, and one or two other members of Zane's family.

Dont forget we are in the big room, it will start at 8pm, and it will cost you £10 to get in. All our profit from the evening will be going to the Thames Valley Hospice in memory of Zane, who spent his last few weeks in the Windsor branch.

Let's make it an amazing turnout.

Geoff C

Hi,

Another Monday, but this time, fortunately, a Bank Holiday. Not that bankers cant afford to take the odd holiday of course, but at least, the rest of us are given a holiday today by a grateful government!

More importantly perhaps is that this is a Monday that follows the Thursday where we said farewell to Zane Cronje.

I’m pleased to say that a lot of you did, which shows the respect so many of us had for Zane. In the days and weeks to come I’m sure we will all carry on sharing our recollections of Zane, and it will be a specially difficult time for his family. It was really nice to meet some of them at his funeral. The crematorium ceremony was a fitting tribute to such a renowned musician, and Don Wrights alto solo was particularly moving and must have been very difficult for him to perform. Emotion is an entirely understandable thing at times like this, and Don performed perfectly.

Don Wright Playing at Hedsor earlier this year

The gathering afterwards at The Fifield Inn was another point of nostalgia. Century Jazz played there for many years, Keith Vitty’s wake was carried out there, and Zane played with Century Jazz AKA The Clive Burton Quintet for around 10 years there too. However, it was a joyful experience, music was played, and many conversations took place. We really ought to be able to have funeral wakes without the funeral, to have a joyful excuse to gather on an afternoon, play music and chat, and share our very humanity with each other.

Sketch of Zane by Keith Wilkins

Maybe we will have an opportunity to do something like that on Thursday evening this week. May 5th, apart from giving you all the opportunity to say “yes” or “no” over AV, gives us all another opportunity to pay tribute to Zane. At Hedsor from 8 pm onwards (note the time, we are in the big room!), we are having a special gathering of musicians and friends to play a tribute for Zane. Please come along. The Clive Burton Quintet will provide the basis of the band, but all who played with Zane are welcome to come and have a blow.

We will be charging £10 to get you in. We do have to pay to rent the room, but more importantly, all the profit from the event will go to the Thames Valley Hospice. I don’t know who will be able to come and play. I do know that Simon Spillett (who played so well at the wake last Thursday) and Tracey Mendham are both playing at a charity concert to raise money for the Japanese Emergency, so will be unable to be there, but Stuart Henderson will, and so will John Coverdale and John Slater, but I anticipate many more.

Just a reminder and a notice. Vasilis will be playing at The Woodley Theatre this coming Saturday with the Martin Hart Quartet, and on Friday May 20th Vasilis and His Xtet together with guitarist Nigel Price and singer Michael L. Roberts are playing the jazz night for the Cookham Festival. Tickets for this are available from the Stationery Depot in Cookham 01628 531178

Next Thursday, May 12th at Hedsor we have as our guest BBC Big Band trumpet star Paul Eshelby. We will be back to our usual entry charge of £5 for this.

So, after a week of holidays and of sadness, we will all be getting back to a new norm. Life goes on, and evolves. I hope for Hedsor Jazz YOU will be part of its evolution.