Just to update my bit about jazz in Weymouth, this is a photo, not avalable to me yesterday, of the Saxophonist who sat in, with Doug Cooper, the drummer, and singer Tanya Lonergan.
A Message from the Front
Well, sea front really. Although as I type, I am only just within site of the sea.
BUT, still able to cajole you all about JAZZ.
This week, at The Hedsor Social Club, we have our regular front line of Clive and Mike, with a variegated rhythm section. I don’t know who they are! I am aware that Ken Rankine and Nigel Fox will be absent without leave, but who is in their place You will have to go to find out.
As you may be aware from my opening sentence, I am away at the moment. Not in a heartland of jazz (although I did visit Swanage yesterday, which seemed very strange, with the sun beating down, and NO marquees one and two on the grassy banks).
But the area is not without jazz. On Sunday afternoon I visited a pub in Weymouth called The Star. It is a bit to one side, in a backstreet near a car park, but from 3.30pm on Sundays it is transformed into a jazz venue. And what was on offer was of surprising quality.
It is not every backstreet pub that can boast a drummer who spent 3 weeks in Chicago with the Count Basie Orchestra, but this was one. On drums, Mr. Dougie Cooper ! He wasn’t the band leader, and “the band” was a fluctuating ensemble. The event (a regular one over the last few weeks) is organised by a once married couple, bass guitarist Chris Lonergan and his ex, singer Tanya Lonergan. The keyboard player Mark ? alternates with another yet to be heard.
It was a great coming together of people who know the music, but who don’t regularly play as a band. Proficient sitters in are encouraged, and last Sunday we had a male singer called Geoff (no not me, even when drunk I don’t sing!) who was excellent. Obviously a man of experience, with 50 years of marriage behind him! He was of well above average standard, and obviously a great professional.
A man also of some vintage, sat in for a few numbers on tenor saxophone and flute. Again, someone who had great experience, and of “Hedsor” quality.
Also sitting in for a couple of bluesy numbers was a guitarist, more used to a blues band than jazz, but non the less adding a different ingredient into the mix.
The whole event is held together by Tanya, singing, linking the tunes and the musicians, dancing, encouraging, and sounding terrific. Her repertoire was song book and I thought that if you put her together with Tracey Mendham, you would have great explosions.
I’m staying on a day longer than I anticipated, just to see them all again next Sunday afternoon.
They were good, and the experience showed through. How is it that for jazz musicians, such talent has to play where it can in today’s society? Well done to the landlord of The Star for funding it. No fee was asked of us at the door. If the trend in our culture is to ignore jazz as a musical art form, I can see such venues in the future being a bit like priests holes!
Talking of The Future, our mammoth cast list for our fundraising special concert at Hedsor on October 27th is growing fast. In no order of importance, (only of booking!) we have Tracey Mendham, saxophone and personality! Stuart Henderson, trumpet, Simon Spillett tenor sax, John Coverdale guitar, and signed up only last week, trumpeter Andy Dickens.
So there are some really star names to make you book your tickets. They are still only £10 each, and you can get them from Dee on Thursdays, or from Cookham’s Stationery Depot.
Well, that’s it for now folks, TTFN
Geoff
It’s been a week or so since I last issued a new blog, so on this lovely day for rain, I thought I would do another one!!
First up, a plug for Hedsor Jazz. I couldn’t be with you last week, but I gather you did all turn out to cover my absence, and that it was a cracking session by the regular Clive Burton Quintet. This week we have a slight reorganisation of personnel, Clive is playing away again this Thursday and with Mike Wills as our Reed section we have that wonderfully talented guitarist John Coverdale. I have a feeling that the engine at the back will be slightly changed too, with maybe a different bass player to Mr. K. Rankine!! (I think he is also playing away, this time in Dorset).
What will be usual, the admittance price. It will be still be just £5, and the start time for the music is 8.30 pm. Normal service regarding CD sales will also be resumed this week!
Do put a date in your diary. October 27th. We hope to hold another gala evening in Hedsor's Big Room. This will be to raise funds for our own bank account in order to safeguard the finances for future Hedsor Jazz. We were going to do this earlier in the year, but due to Zane’s illness we raised money for him and then for the Thames Valley Hospice instead.
Next year we hope to return to our usual Cancer Research fundraising concert type program.
CD’s Listened to Recently
Two quite different ones this week. First Chronologically is a set of John Coltrane albums from the 1960’s.
On the Rhino label is a box set of 5 of John C’s early LP’s, reissued now on CD, but with the full LP artwork for each album. At £13.99 it’s a bargain.
I must confess that I find Coltrane hard going sometimes, but these early albums are the ones that are most accessible, and contain the reasons why he became a jazz icon.
Second up is a slightly later album by a band that I always enjoyed but never saw live. Weather Report Live in Offenbach in 1978 is a new release on the Rockpalast label. A double CD with Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter with Peter Erskine and Jaco Pastorius as the Rhythm Section.
The group is at its most spacious, crisp and cogent. Released on two discs, the 18 pieces are taken from every stage of their decade-long history with only three from hit 1977 album Heavy Weather. Extensive in every sense. Wayne Shorter is very involved too, which always helped. Exciting, tuneful a great addition to anyone’s Weather Report Collection. Jazz Rock at it’s best. MIG 80092 2CD
Tonight, Thursday August 4th, at Hedsor Jazz , as a very special guest we have saxophonist Don Wright with Clive Burton and the quartet. Many will remember the beautiful saxophone solo he played at Zane's funeral. That was a sad time, but tonight I'm sure it will be just as memorable, but with a little more lightness as well. Usual £5 entry 8.30 pm start time.
CD REVIEW
For some years now we have been constantly asking Vasilis Xenopoulos where his Cd was? Many of us think of Vasilis as being a major player in Modern Jazz, who excites us every time he plays. To do this for over 3 years and for us not to have the means of buying a souvenir of our live enjoyment has been a real disappointment.
Well, the waiting time is over “Loud City” can now be yours!
Has it been worth the wait?
Yes!
BUT it has waited since 2009 to get this far, as the recording is of the band that first came to the Cookham Festival in 2009, it being recorded in April that year. For lovers of Hammond Organ that is no bad thing, as it has Sam Gambarini as 2/3rd of the rhythm section! Sam has now returned to Italy, so having him on this CD is an added bonus.
The material is all composed and arranged by Vasilis, and anyone who has heard him over the last 3 years will recognise many of the tunes. “EJF Theme Tune”, “Street Dance” and “Loud City” itself will all be familiar.
Nigel Price is on guitar and Chris Nickolls on drums. It all goes to make this a very enjoyable CD, well worth buying for anyone, including the Cookham Festival crowd, who heard the music live.
The wait I think has been because it is now out on a major jazz record label, 33 Records. This should give it the wider spread distribution that I think it deserves.
Lets just hope that it doesn’t take as long again for us to have a recording out of the version of Xtet that did this years Cookham Festival!!
33 Records 33JAZZ224
PS
One of the titles on the CD is "Lazy Sunday". I don't think Vasilis knows what that is! If my information is correct, last Sunday he played Merlins Cave until 3 pm, and then helped to close the Ealing Jazz Festival with The Sound of 17!! He probably even had time for tea!!
First of all, a retrospective (OK, a look backwards then), on last Thursdays Hedsor Jazz with Tracey Mendham.
Initially, the day didn’t start well! Clive had booked his passage on a riverboat trip, thinking he would be off the boat in time to join us for the majority of our session at Hedsor with Tracey. Unfortunatly, the boat must have crossed a time zone, as the boat docked at 9pm, not 8pm! This had an unfortunate knock on affect, as HE had the raffle bag, and the PA. OK, we managed to resolve the PA by borrowing Michael Weinblatts (Ta Muchly). The raffle prizes were promised to be withus by 9.45pm, so, no panic then.
Tracey, who travels from South Ockenden, then got cought up in a bad day at the M25 and again mild panic, but travel was eventually resumed in time.
BUT, on the plus side, our room was full, and for the first half Tracey put on a stella performance with our rhythm section of Geoff Clarke keyboard, Ken Rankine bass, and Martin Hart drums. Her brand of tenor playing (meaty, but she is a vegetarian!) was equalled only by her laugh and vibrant personalty.
Clive managed to get a few notes in sideways upon his return, and at the end of the evening, Tracey had sold a number of copies of her CD “The Orphan Manuscript”, and we all had an grin on our faces as we left. A wonderful evening of entertainment for your £5, and some of you went home with a raffle prize as well.
Next Thursday our guest is Don Wright, another saxophone player with a big tone, and notes to match.
Now another retrospective.
Gill Cook
Saturday I went to The Ealing Jazz Festival, something I have now managed to do for the last 3 or so years. It is always great fun, well organised, with excellent jazz content. This Saturday was no less enjoyable than in previous years, despite the increase in both admission charge and the cost of the beer! We are approaching Marlow Crown Plaza money for the booze there now AND you can only get in 4 cans of bought out alcohol (your bag is searched!).
First up in the main tent was Gill Cook, a very slim blond singer with a great talent. I had only listened to one of her CD’s before, but she is a very talented lady, and she had an excellent band with her consisting of Jamie O’Donnell – Alto Saxophone, Nick Tomalin – Piano, Dominic Howells - Double Bass, and Paul Cavacuiti – Drums. An unexpected pleasure for the start of a jazz day.
Next on, after ½ hours reset time was Xantone Blacq’s Brazilian Connection featuring Gui Tavares. Lots of bells and whistles, but not really my scene. If my memory is correct, this band were a better experience last year and I must admit to taking a break for coffee and cake during this set.
Ron Drake
Next onto the main arena stage was the Adrian Macintosh Quartet. This was basically the old Humph rhythm section plus Ron Drake on Tenor and clarinet. Excellent, and again I was surprised at how good they were. They swung, and Ted Beaumont on piano sounded remarkably like Gene Harris. John Rees-Jones - was on the Double Bass. Straight ahead jazz, played superbly, and it got the full appreciation of the audience, who would have been happy to have heard more.
I would point out at this stage that the audience at Ealing are not your usual jazz fans. Yes, they are there as well, but so too are local families out for a sunny afternoon in the park with children and an idea that sun, sand (well, very dry grass) plus the available hooch, was a recipe for a great social gathering, which it was. So, for the uninitiated to have stormed for more at the close of the Adrian MacIntosh set was quite something.
Vasilis Xenopoulos
Slightly more understandable was the great reception for Nick Mills and The Blue Note Project. Here some truly wonderful soloists played very recognisable tunes. It was nice to see some old friends from Hedsor and Cookham playing for this group, made up of Nick Mills – Trombone, Freddie Gavita – Trumpet, Vasilis Xenopoulos - Tenor Saxophone, Kit Downes – Piano, Mark Rose - Double Bass, Matt Home – Drums.
Matt Home
Liz Fletcher
Jim Mullen
Lastly, as the light faded from the park, up on stage came Liz Fletcher with a very star studded band. She looked a million dollars (or a million of whatever currency you feel safe with these days), stunning in a red dress, with matching hat. The band were not Georgina Jackson – Trumpet as stated on the web program, but a good (male) trumpet player non the less, Alison Neale – Saxophone and Flute, Jim Mullen – Guitar, not Gareth Williams – Piano as stated on the program, but again a very competent player, Adam King - Double Bass, and Sebastian De Krom – Drums.
For me, this set just didn’t work. The main bulk of the audience loved it, but to play well known jazz tunes to a funky/rock backbeat simply doesn’t work for a jazz audience. It wasn't helped by the sound system, which produced a very messy sound and I could not hear the saxophone at all. (I was 4 rows back).
The arrangements for such an experiment are going to be complicated, and the band appeared under rehearsed. Only one tune was played in 4/4 time, and to hear Duke Ellington’s “It don’t mean a thing if it aint got that swing” played with a non swinging back beat was painful. Jim Mullen I think was the only instrumentalist who managed to make anything he soloed on sound reasonable.
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise great day. Liz has done so much better on previous occasions, and she did ask at the beginning of her set to let her know if we liked it, because she has an album coming out with these arrangements. Well, now I have, sorry.
Next time I blog, there will be a review of Vasilis Xenopoulos’s new album. Yes, at long last he has a CD out on 33 records. More of that next time.
Geoff
This week we have as our special guest, lady saxophonist extraordinaire Tracey Mendham. Not only is she a musician who has something to say with her saxophone (not all do!) but she has a terrific personality, bringing her big smile to lighten up any room. As holidays are about us, I am not sure who is in the quartet behind her, apart from Ken Rankine on bass, but Clive Burton will be playing the trombone at Hedsor this week! So we have a great evening in prospect for Thursday.
The following week, August 4th (where is the summer going, we shall all soon be playing Christmas Carols), we have that wonderful saxophonist Don Wright coming to play for us. Those of you who have heard him before will need no second invitation. He is well worth coming out to see.
The rest of August we have a regular Quintet! Mike Wills, complete with car, will be with us for the rest of the month. Watch this space for any news regarding accompanying musicians.
The last two blogs concentrated on my view of the Swanage Jazz Festival. Another more local festival is approaching, Ealing is running during this week, right up until Sunday evening. Do check out the event list, and find out more about it by going to
http://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/200247/ealing_summer_festivals/501/ealing_jazz/1
Recently Heard CD
Terry Seabrook is a name I don’t know. Yes, probably I should have done by now, and you have I know, but when I saw a CD entitled “Sketches of Miles” I initially thought of it as a Miles Davis reissue. Then I noticed it was being played by Terry Seabrook’s MILESTONES. So I looked more closely at the cover, and found it features Alan Barnes, Spike Wells, Graeme Flowers, Ian Price and Dave Whitford. It is a very good tribute band, and they don’t just play Davis originals either. The first 7 tracks are a suite written by Terry Seabrook called “Sketches of Miles”, followed by 4 tunes composed either all or in part by Miles Davis himself. It was all recorded in performance last year at either Bury St. Edmunds or Warwick. It is well recorded, and you cannot tell at which venue any one piece was recorded. I enjoyed it greatly and I think you will to. TSM Records CBCD4 2010. Also have a look at www.milestonesjazz.co.uk
Well that is enough for now, more probably soon!
As some of you know, July 10th 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.
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 8th 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 9th 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!
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 28th, 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
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 21st. 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 28th, 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!).
