This week at Hedsor

This week at Hedsor we have our regular Clive Burton Quintet. I do hope you will feel encouraged to come along, as last weeks excellent session with the formidable talent of Simon Spillett combined with Clive Burton, Steve Pickings (on bass) and Mike Jeffries (on drums) was only enjoyed by a very few people.

I was shocked to see so few turn out. I know the road works make it slightly more difficult to get to the Hedsor Social Club, and Mr. Burton was in swearing mode because of the detour, but it isn’t that far a go round! All the bridges were working, there was no need for a ferry, and we hadn’t raised our price to get you in, but we honestly didn’t have enough of you there, so do feel told off!!

Looking further ahead than 1 week, Tracy Mendham has asked if she can come and celebrate her birthday one day early with us on April 5^th. Actually what she wrote was “Would love to come back (on) April 5th the day before my birthday. Can’t think of a nicer place to be.” We have said yes!

We have also had a request from Vasilis, who is asking for the opportunity to come with Pete Cook and have the Hedsor Experience again. We are trying to sort out a suitable date, but it goes to show yet again what a fine reputation Hedsor Jazz is gaining when first-rate jazz musicians want to come to it and play!

We are also in negotiation with Stuart Henderson’s Big Band to come and play for us on a Thursday evening. Considering there are 17 of them, this will have to be in the big bar. I’ll let you know about both events when the dates are confirmed.

One final point. Last year we offered a concession for people coming for the first time to have the Hedsor Experience on us, for free. We now feel that we have run the offer for long enough, it it is henceforth withdrawn. Sorry, but we do need the money that even first times can bring in. We still hope that you will encourage your friends to become regular members of the Hedsor Audience. it's just a thought, that members can soon become embers!!

Jazz in Black and White

I know it has suddenly become Oscarly fashionable to watch a new film with no speech and in Black and White. There is another film, shown at last years London Jazz Festival, which is also treated in the same way.

“Louis, A Silent Film” is loosely based on the early life of Louis Armstrong. It’s great fun, in a kind of vintage slapstick way, but with an excellent soundtrack written, and performed in part, by Wynton Marsalis. I have been fortunate enough to have been lent a promo DVD copy, and can thoroughly recommend it. Have a look at the trailer at www.louisthemovie.com to see what YOU think!!

Well, as they used to say on Saturday Mornings “That’s it for now folks”

A time for a little look back on last Thursdays session at Hedsor. The Clive Burton Quintet, plus one Tracey Mendham on tenor sax, voice and laugh!!

I think the first thing to take note of is her incredible tone on both tenor and baritone. A really large and rich sound.

The next thing to notice is she is really a very good player, although perhaps sometimes this is obscured by her exuberance!

And finally what a singer when she puts her mind to it. The finale to end all Hedsor Jazz nights left many of our regulars saying it would have been worth an entry fee of £20!! Not that anyone gave us the money you understand.  Louis Prima’s- “Buona Sera Signorina” with a spontaneous encore of it all again.

Another nice thing about last Thursday’s Hedsor Jazz was that the bar was FULL. If only we could do that EVERY WEEK!!

                                                                     Simon Spillett

But you do have another opportunity to fill the Hedsor bar this week. On Thursday Feb 23rd Our star guest will be Simon Spillett. Another saxophone player but one with a very different approach.

He is a recognised star on the British jazz scene and it is really a tribute to our Hedsor Jazz audience, and to the quality of our regular Quintet that Simon comes back to us on such a regular basis. He appears all over the UK, often with players of rich renown (John Critchinson for one) yet we are able to treat him as a friend. Try doing that to some of the stars at The Brit Awards!

It must not be forgotten that Hedsor Jazz is a unique jazz venue in the UK. There is not another venue like it. The band of fans (called Jazz Angels) who regularly underwrite our losses are to be greatly thanked. So far, Hedsor Jazz has been a ten-year work of art. Literally art, because jazz is an art form. It is also entertainment, and in Hedsor’s case, the art and the artists are accessible. The cost has been kept at £5 for 3 years now mainly due to our angelic supporters club. We still need an audience, jazz needs and audience, which means you coming out through thick (last week over 30 of you) and thin (the week before it was more like 15). Every musician plays better when there is an appreciative audience. Yet at Hedsor they will still play, even when less than 9 turn up as an audience. It has never been called off because of lack of support.

                                                                Barbara Thompson

TV

There has been another boost to jazz this last week, not that the BBC made any great noise about it. But BBC4 produced 2 nights of jazz content, last Friday about Sonny Rollins, and on Sunday a mixture of programs, but mainly highlighting the music, and battle against illness, of Barbara Thompson. Lets hope that due to these showings some more people have become aware of the wonderful music that you and I strive to keep alive, and maybe they will ask for more. The BBC MIGHT even be prodded into producing some new Jazz programs for TV, like the old Jazz 625 of the black and white days of the 1960’s

Finale

So, don’t be shy, we are very friendly at Hedsor, and if you haven’t been before we will make you very welcome. Why not try us this Thursday, and see and hear, and even talk with Simon Spillett, tenor saxophonist of the year. All for just £5. Be there before 8.30 pm when the music starts! Simon will wear a suit, but you don’t have to!

Late Revision.

One of the drawbacks of the impecunious way we run jazz at Hedsor is that when named artists call in late to say they have received an offer of musical employment that they cant refuse, we have to let hem go. So tonight we still have Stuart Henderson coming to play trumpet and flugel horn for us, but with him in place of his saxophonist colleague “Tolly” we have a guitarist equally well known to us, John Coverdale.

I’m sure the attraction of the music and mayhem of Hedsor Jazz will still draw you out, (and in from the cold), so I look forward to seeing you all supporting live jazz from 8.30 pm tonight. And all still for only £5!

Geoff C

Good Morning Jazz Fans,

Jazz at Hedsor this week is one of our “different” weeks. No doubt there will be three regular members of our rhythm section towards the rear, but up front I am delighted to say that we have a re appearance of two of our new favourites, trumpet and flugel horn player Stuart Henderson, and his Ukrainian colleague “Tolly” on tenor sax. If you missed there appearance at our Christmas concert, or when they played together in December in The Hedsor Social Club Bar, which I called “The Hedsor Pick Up Band” as only Nigel Fox was a regular Hedsor performer, then you will not want to miss this Thursday. They are truly something wonderful from the town of Reading! Improvised jazz at it’s very best, and all for just £5! The Jazz at Hedsor starts at 8.30 pm. They may even play “Bossa” again!!

Just to ensure that you march with determination from Thursday to Thursday, in addition to our regular Clive Burton Quintet, on Thursday Feb 16^th we have saxophonist, singer, and bombshell, Tracey Mendham coming to play for us again. Place this in your diary now, you really don’t want to miss this one.

CD’s Listened to

A few weeks ago, I mentioned my listen to a CD on the label JLP with a band called “One For All”. The album was called “Incorrigible”, and was a very enjoyable listen, very well played and beautifully recorded. I have now made an effort to trace more of the labels products and have found one by another young player who was previously unknown to me. “Grace” by Michael Dease I think will appeal to all who like the kind of jazz we put on at Hedsor. It has plenty of melody, wonderful recording and tremendous playing. Michael plays trombone, and soprano and tenor sax. Alongside him are Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Rufus Reid on bass and Gene Jackson on drums. A very talented bunch of American musicians. They have a number of guests with them including Roy Hargrove on trumpet and Eric Alexander on tenor sax. Tunes from a wide range of composer/performers have been included (Jobim to Beiderbecke via Cotrane!), which makes the listen an interesting one. So, for me, Jazz Legacy Productions have done it again! JLP 1001009 is the number.

Another CD comes in mono, not as well recorded, but what a treasure. Recorded by an enthusiastic amateur in The Dancing Slipper Ballroom in Nottingham in 1966 Humphrey Lyttelton and His Band with Buck Clayton is a real joy for all of those who, like me, listened to Humph and his band live in those years. The additional joy of having Buck Clayton on board means for me it was a “must buy”. But it also has a 19 year old Tony Coe on tenor sax and clarinet, Eddie Harvey on piano, Dave Green on bass and Tony Taylor on drums. We do tend to forget how good a band Humph always led and he himself was no slouch on trumpet either. You try and tell who is playing the trumpet at any one time, it’s almost like double tracking!

It’s jazz, it’s largely British, and it is best! OK the recording has limitations, but it doesn’t detract from the music. It’s released on Humphs own label “Calligraph Records” CLG CD 048 AND it’s a double album!!

TTFN

Geoff

Hi Jazz Lovers,

Last weeks little blog was a bit late, this week’s is a little early! But there are one or two things to mention coming soon, and one thing to report back on.

First then, looking backwards, Cookham’s fabulous Shirtlifter evening of Ineluctability last Saturday was a great fun evening. Being a Cookham resident, I have listened to them on and off for a long time, and slowly, they have improved, and although they have always had a great following, the effort is now well worthwhile!!

It was good to see both Titular Head (Charles Benson) and singer John Brooks back to health, and it was also good to have more of Geoffrey Palmer-Moore as a singer, he has a good voice. Two things stand out from the evening in my mind.

In 1954 I used to listen to the Chris Barber Band at The White Hart in Southall, and after the interval, there was Lonnie Donegan and the skiffle group. It was a great Ineluctable innovation, and a nostalgic tug to have Geoff P-M recreate 2 of the early Donegan hits, including of course, Rock Island Line. A tremendous cheer went up after the shirts rendition! Who would have thought skiffle would be back!

The other memorable event on Saturday was a performance of a song I have always held dear. Whilst John Brooks was incapacitated this year I sent him a compilation of early George Melly made from off of my collection of 45’s. The song in question was, and still is, “My Canary Has Circles under His Eyes”. Not only did John sing most of the original words, but he also played the part of a canary right down to the feathers! I know one of John’s lines at these shows has always been “Now that’s jazz”, but this time it should really be “Now that’s show business”! Well done all, and well done for giving so much money away to so many local charities. All money earnt from playing their kind of fun music. May the sun never set on “Cookham Dean Parade”.

OK, now to the future.

Thursday at The Hedsor Social Club we have another variant of the Clive Burton Quintet. Our regular pianist Nigel Fox is taking a night off, and in his place we will have none other than Ken McCarthy himself, now with a working amplifier for his keyboard, the previous one going into meltdown at Mo’s Bourne End gig a couple of weeks ago!

Ken and I have more than our love of jazz in common. Whilst I worked for the RAF under what was then The Air Ministry in Whitehall, Ken was there at the same time working for The GPO (as it was then). I maintained the encryption machines whist he maintained the wires!! So, to hear how good he can play the keyboard and reminisce, come out to The Hedsor Social Club at or before 8.30 pm on Thursday February 2^nd. Usual charges (£5 to get in) apply.

Looking further ahead at Hedsor two more dates to put in your diary, because you wont want to miss a return of Stuart Henderson and “Tolly” in front of the rhythm section on Thursday 9^th Feb.

You will also want to put in your diary Thursday February 16^th because we have the regular guys, plus Tracey Mendham. Come early or you wont get a seat because both these events are in the bar!!

                                        

Even further a field in time, but two musicians that I always enjoy listening to will be combining forces at the Marlow Jazz Club on March 6^th. Vasilis Xenopoulos and Nigel Price. Don’t miss it!

CD reviews later in the week perhaps, but for now

Goodbye

This weeks blog is a little on the late side. BUT it does need to be written today!

Yesterday I was very disappointed in my effort to plan a day of Jazz at Hedsor Social Club. Despite agreeing on a date in May (12^th) and a cost for the hire of the club for the afternoon and evening and having confirmed bookings for Vasilis Xenopoulos plus for Stuart Henderson’s Big Band, plus many other famous names, I was told by phone last night that the club would now not be available to us. A booking (albeit, seemingly done without reference to a book!) for the day had been made for over 2 years before and was an immovable event! Some of you I know knew about our plans, and this unexpected outcome for them is very disappointing. I will keep you informed of any outcome and possible future dates for later in the year.

We can take heart however from last nights wonderful turnout for our regular quintet. It was great to see so many there, new faces as well. With a complete alternative rhythm section at the bar that only came to listen, it is a tribute to our regular guys and their musical standing.

As a matter of historic interest I discovered in my documentation the original poster for the first gig by The Clive Burton Quintet, and it was on Thursday 27^th January 2001.

We do have things to look forward to.

Coming up in February we will have Stuart Henderson and Tolly, Simon Spillett, and Tracey Mendham (she is with us on Feb 16^th). You will be pleased to hear that they are not all on the same night, but stretched across February. A diet of top notch jazz for your Thursday nights.

I’ll write a bit more next week, but I have one final piece of sad news to write today. 

Guitarist Brian Wilson passed away on Monday night. He had become increasingly frail and confused in recent months, but had enjoyed Christmas with members of his family. He had played regularly in the London area for many many years, and only stopped within the last 3 or 4. He used to be the interval act for the outdoor Cookham Jazz Festivals organised by Charles Benson and the Shirtlifters, so many of you will have been aware of his talents. He will be sadly missed.

TTFN

Geoff

A few brief word about today's jazz .

Tonight, January 19th, we have an almost complete Clive Burton Quintet, as Mike Wills is back with us this week as our complete reed section. The only non standard item (well almost, he is seen pretty regularly) is drummer Mike Jeffries at the back in place of Martin Hart. Martin is having another little break in New York. My wife asked me if he was playing there!! He may be, but I rather feel that New York has some rather good drummers of their own!!

A CD Listened to this week

Was rather a pleasant surprise. A band that I didn’t know on a CD that hadn’t been disposed of through the second hand sales was kicking about my workshop, so whilst mending a broken computer, I stuck it on. It didn’t have any sleave notes, so initially I didn’t even know from whence they came. Since then I have established them as American. The band are called “One For All", and the album is called “Incorrigible”

It’s superb 1950’s sort of Jazz Messengers bop sound, superbly recorded, with tunes that draw you in, and swing. Interesting rhythms on some tracks as well. They are really very good, and have been together, so the Internet tells me, for 13 years. The album was released in 2010 on the JLP label, which I mistook initially looking at the CD as being The cigarette manufacturer John Player. No, it stands for Jazz Legacy Productions, and they have some really good stuff  in their catalogue as seen on their web site. All JLP CD's seem to sell in the States for $10 each too.

The "One For All" line up is Jim Rotondi trumpet, Eric Alexander tenor sax, Steve Davis trombone, David Hazeltine piano, John Webber bass and Joe Farnsworth drums.

I really thought they were all very good players, and well worth looking out for in the future. The close understanding of the members of the band with each other is obvious from the music they play, and was a treat to hear. The band’s name really sums up their attitude “One For All”. The number of this release is JLP 1001005

A final thing to put in your diary in pencil is May 12th. Why? A very special day of jazz may be taking place at Hedsor. The "May" isnt a pun, it is still being looked into, but almost certainly the afternoon and evening of that day will be full of Hedsor Jazz!!

This Weeks Guest: Peter Cook

Good Morning Jazz Lovers.

This week we have as our guest at Hedsor saxophonist and bandleader Peter Cook. 

It’s been a while since he was last with us, and it will be great to have him combine his talents again with our illustrious Clive Burton and his quintet. 

We start at 8.30 pm. Admittance is still £5, and has been now for the last 3 years. We hope, with your support, that this will still be sufficient this year to enable us to keep bringing you the best in jazz locally, which is not the same as the best in local jazz!! 

Our typical guest list contains world-renowned musicians, and we hope that in 2012 we will be able to continue bringing you this quality of performer. You don’t even have to pay for parking!! 

We do need an audience, and so do the other gigs and venues around, so if you are a jazz lover, keep coming out at least now and again during the year and do your bit to keep live jazz alive.

CD Listened to.

I mentioned last week the new album by young South London trumpeter Paul Jordanous. The artwork on this his first album under his own name as bandleader has refreshingly clean artwork.  I have now had a chance to actually listen to it!

It is a very clean and crisply recorded album of 8 Tracks, all composed by Paul, and played by some of this countries young and up and coming. Certainly Kit Downes on keyboard must be included in that description. He is after all a Mercury prize nominee!

The tracks vary in the number of players, giving slightly different aspects to the sound. It is nice to hear the vibes of Lewis Write featured on 4 tracks. It’s also nice to hear 2 musicians familiar from the Vasilis Xtet too in the shape (OK, it’s a CD, so that really should be “sound” of) Chris Nickolls on drums and Mark Rose on bass.

Added to this rhythm section are Piers Green on alto sax, Paul Booth on tenor sax, Tom White on trombone and Bill Mudge on keyboard whenever Kit Downes isn’t!

I first heard Paul a number of years ago at Swanage, and he has a rich tone and a great technique. Overall, I would place the bands sound as cool modern bop. They all seem to be college trained musicians, and perhaps the album does sound a bit like that, a bit too serious sometimes and just a bit like its all an exercise. I know I’ve written recently about the jam sessions of the late 40’s and how they swung, how they generated excitement sometimes by the use of space. They also often used popular tunes to start from (even if they did rename them). I noticed on Paul’s own Facebook page that his likes don’t include any musicians from the late 40’s or early 50’s. I hope he does at least have a listen to some of these, often self-taught, guys from the past. They didn’t all have the technique these young players have, but they gave of their own identity.

This is a good album of 21^st century jazz. Perhaps sometimes it is just a bit too cold. Sample it and see what you think. A video link can be had at http://pauljordanous.webs.com/apps/videos/videos/show/14656450-paul-jordanous-ensemble

I think Paul, and the rest of the ensemble, are to be commended for following the star of jazz. It is still on the horizon to be followed! They have a lot of skill, and have obviously given a lot of their time already to the journey. They are not inexperienced, and it may well be that age will add the individual identity of sound that I feel is sometimes lacking in this first album. 

TTFN

Geoff C

A Happy New Year to all our readers!! 

I know that ever since December 22nd you have all been looking forward to our next session of Hedsor Jazz, and it’s TONIGHT!

It will be almost the regular Clive Burton Quintet, the only exception is that Steve Riddell will be on bass in place of Ken Rankine.

The usual start time of 8.30 pm and admission cost of £5 still apply in 2012.

Don't forget that tonight's absentee (Ken Rankine) will be leading a band of his choice at The Bourne End Community Centre on Tuesday 10th January from 8 pm.

Our guest next Thursday at Hedsor will be saxophonist Peter Cook.

Tell your friends about Jazz at Hedsor, especially those who came on December 22nd and enjoyed the super quality of our music. We have some great ideas for 2012, but we need an audience to make them happen!!

Recorded Music

I have yet to really listen to any new jazz CD's over Christmas, I was too busy listening again to our December Jazz Party, recorded via my trusted mini disk recorder. But I have been sent a new recording by trumpeter Paul Jordanous. Not yet listened to, but it is already comment-able. The CD artwork is refreshingly different. No photos, no black on mauve print, but lovely pastel shaded sketches of the band! The outer (card) cover is show to wet all our appetites. More after my listen!

TTFN

Geoff

Christmas is nearly upon us, but I wanted to thank all of you who made last nights Hedsor Jazz Christmas Concert such a success.

First, ALL of the musicians. What a wonderful array of first class talent, from our own regular rhythm section, through each of our special guests. And wasn’t it nice to have Clive back with us again. His organisation of the guest musicians was very tasteful, and gave everyone a good opportunity to deliver of their best, which they all dully did. So just a reminder of who they all were:

On the stage, Mike Jeffries Latin percussion, Martin Hart drums, Ken Rankine bass, Nigel Fox keyboard.

Next row:

Nigel Price on guitar, Alan Graham on vibraphone.

And on the front row, sometimes all at the same time:

Clive Burton trombone, Stuart Henderson trumpet, “Tolly” tenor sax, Willie Garnet tenor sax.

And not forgetting the interval pianist, John Slater, or that lovely singing from Ingrid.

Then we must thank all who provided that wonderful buffet.

And thank you too to all who donated raffle prizes for the traditional Hedsor Jazz Raffle!

And finally a thank you to all of you who were in the audience. I hope you enjoyed it every bit as much as I did.

Thank you all for making the evening such a special one.

 Alan Graham on vibes and Nigel Fox on keyboard

 Clive Burton duetting with John Slater

 A wistful (and blurred) John Slater

 Nigel Price

Almost the entire ensemble, 

Clive's trombone, Stuart Henderson, "Tolly", Willie Garnet and Alan Graham, 

with Ken Rankine and a partly visible Martin Hart

To all of you, Happy Christmas, and we will look forward to seeing you in the New Year in the bar at The Hedsor Social Club. Don’t forget we meet every Thursday from January 5^th onwards. We will try to keep 2012 Thursdays as a haven for all jazz lovers.

Geoff C

A BLOG FOR CHRISTMAS

Just so that I have time to wrap my Christmas gifts, I thought I would write up my Christmas Blog today, Monday!!

It is composed in 3 parts!

First. To all of you who read this, and have yet to receive a Seasonal Card from me, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing you all a Very Happy Christmas. I also hope that we can all have a successful New Year too. Perhaps the EURO countries will gain sanity, and not lead the world into trauma in 2012. We can but hope.

Second. Our Party Plans for December 22^nd are complete. We have some superb guests coming. I dare not mention too many names, but Stuart Henderson and “Tolly” are coming. We also have Alan Graham on vibes and Willy Garnet on tenor sax. Clive has also promised to be with us. Michael Weinblatt will be running the RAFFLE, and in the second half of the evening we have every expectation of guitarist Nigel Price joining us after a strenuous day in the recording studio. We start at 8 pm don’t forget, and there are no seat reservations!! We are going to run the raffle early in order to have at least a full hour of Jazz after our buffet supper, so don’t leave it too late before coming!

Third. I did promise to at least mention a couple of CD’s you might like for Christmas.

One you may well be able to buy on the night and comes from Nigel Price. His Organ Trio Live!

In 2009 at Cookham we heard Nigel with a Hammond Organ player in The Vasilis Xtet. A memorable night. The advantage of a Hammond Organ is that it can fulfil the needs of a bass player as well as a keyboard player. And the sound can also have an amazing “swell” to it. Well, Nigel’s trio doesn’t have the same player, this time it has Pete Whittaker, but he does have another player with him who graced this years Cookham Festival stage in the shape of drummer, Matt Home. The CD has been recorded, as the cover tells you, “Live” ( I know actors can corpse, but I don’t know how you can record dead musicians!), in three different locations. The sound quality is excellent, and the playing throughout superb. Three musicians, but a very full sound. Matt on drums pushes all along with that effortlessness that means he has made many efforts before, it all swings wonderfully well. Nigel is a great Wes Montgomery style player, and can also drive all along with him. Pete makes the sound of the three totally homogenous, blending, standing to one side, commenting, also soloing when the need arises as can the other two. Its well worth considering for self imposed spending and is out on the JAZZIZITRECORDS label JITCD0953 AND is available via Amazon!

The other CD is by someone I have never heard “live” at all, only on CD. But for Christmas I thought it very appropriate. After all, Christmas is for the (small) child in all of us.

The Dominic Alldis Trio are Dominic on piano, Stephen Keogh drums and Mark Hodgson drums. Dominic has been recorded as a self accompanying singer before now, but on this album he just plays a Steinway Concert Grand piano, (and it sounds superb too). He is playing a range of tunes that we all must have heard as children. Tunes like “Rock a Bye Baby”, “Three Blind Mice”, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and 7 others. He makes them live again as real tunes, improvising, enhancing and perhaps illuminating for us these well know titles. “Songs We Heard” is available on Canzona Music CANZ CD6

Well, that’s it for now, do have a very merry Christmas.

Geoff C

Max Brittain

This Week

Just to let you know that This Thursday, December 15th and the last one before our Big Room Party, we have guitarist Max Brittain as our special guest. Clive Burton is still unable to play due to his broken collarbone, and Mike Wills is house moving, so it could be that we have a very guitar led session this Thursday. As Max is one of the most experienced guitar players in the country, I’m certain that this will be no hardship at all! If you are in any doubt about that, check out his web site at http://www.maxbrittain.com/

Stuart Henderson and "Tolly"

Our Party Plans for the 22nd are well under way. We have “definites” in trumpeter Stuart Henderson and his Ukrainian tenor sax-playing colleague “Tolly”. We have a strong “maybe” from guitarist Nigel Price, and we still have a few other musicians up our sleeves. With a light buffet on offer, the £10 ticket price is a steal. The evening kicks off at 8 pm, as all our “big room” events do, so come out, brave the weather, and enjoy some of the best live jazz around.

I will try very hard to let you have a review or two of CD's listened to recently later in the week, but in the meantime do your best to help keep live jazz alive!

John Coverdale at Hedsor in 2009

Thursdays Guest

A VERY sad Clive has just rung to say that our guest tomorrow is that wonderful guitarist John Coverdale.

John has been to Hedsor many times before, and it will be a great pleasure to have him back with us again.

Clive has been told to keep his arm in a sling, and to "persevere" with it, even though it hurts more in the sling than out of it!! Such is life!!

Geoff

Clive Burton at Last Years Christmas Party,

with saxophonist Tracey Mendham

Good Morning Jazz Lovers

News of Clive Burton

As we all know, Clive managed to fall down the stairs 10 days ago, and he hurt himself quite badly. He was told that it was “just” bad bruising. However yesterday he went to Hospital again for a further check, and after a series of X-rays that told him he had broken his collarbone. He is due back to hospital today to visit the fractures clinic for more information about this.

The break means that he cannot drive, or play his trombone, for some time, to enable his collarbone to mend. Currently, his arm is in a sling and he is very disappointed at this prospect.

As of the moment (i.e right now!) we don’t know who will be with Mike Wills at Hedsor this Thursday, but as soon as another guest is announced, I will let you all know.

Hedsor Jazz Christmas Party

Looking to the future, some good news. Our Christmas Party on December 22^nd will now have at least 2, possibly 3 guests. Those of you who were at last weeks tremendous Hedsor Session will value a reappearance of Stuart Henderson on trumpet, and “Tolly” on tenor sax. We may also have with us for some of the evening that wonderful guitarist Nigel Price. He has expressed interest and has at least asked for directions on how to get to The Hedsor Social Club! He is on day 2 of a recording session in West London, and if he can make the evening, he will. For those of you regular readers who have NEVER BEEN to Hedsor Social Club, it’s post code is SL8 5ES

Recording For Sale

For those of you who were at last week’s session of “The Hedsor Pick Up Band” I have got it on CD now. If you could express your interest in a copy (a double album in a card sleeve) let me know. I will make a £5 charge, but any money will be donated to Cancer Research UK. I have 3 available at the moment, but will produce more to order.

Geoff C

The Hedsor Jazz Pickup Band

"Tolly"

Stuart Henderson

The Pickup Band

WOW.

I’m just glad I had my old mini disk recorder with me last night, because the magic that is JAZZ, just happened last night.

Sometimes the sum of the parts is greater than the individual components, and last night it was about double.

Congratulations are due to the band members. They all reached beyond themselves to play to a pretty full Hedsor Bar, and were rewarded at the end of the evening with a standing ovation. One of our frequent visitors said to me excitedly as he left, “I have been coming many years, but that was the best jazz I have ever heard. I’m not kidding, I mean it”.

No more for me to add at this point. Those who visited Hedsor last night all knew it was something very special. Jazz synergy.

Just to repeat, the individual parts were, Stuart Henderson trumpet, “Tolly” tenor sax, Nigel Fox keyboard, Steve Picking bass, Mike Jeffries drums. The synergy was HEDSOR JAZZ.

Some of them are coming to our Christmas Party on December 22^nd. Will you be there?

Geoff

Stuart Henderson

The Hedsor Pick Up Band

Just to confirm that tonight at Hedsor Jazz we have the following lineup:-

Stuart Henderson trumpet and flugle horn, “Tolly” tenor saxophone, Nigel Fox keyboard, Steve Pickins bass and Mike Jeffries drums!

“Tolly is of Eastern European origins, and I wouldn't be able to spell his name even if I knew what it was. But he has been to Hedsor before, and he is a super player, so tonight should be well worth turning out for.

I have spoken with Clive, and he recons to have recovered from his fall by about 5%. I think that means he is still very uncomfortable. To all who asked about the damage to the wall at the bottom of the stairs, he has said that when he is better, he will get his own back!! I think he meant on you, not the wall.

Usual start time of 8.30pm, usual entry charge £5, usual exit charges apply!

Geoff

Hedsor Jazz

First, news of Clive. Those who were at Hedsor last week will have heard that he had had a fall. I spoke with him on the phone yesterday, and he has actually fallen down stairs, hitting the wall at the bottom, and he is very uncomfortable in a lot of very bruised places including bed! I’m sure everyone wishes him a very speedy recovery.

In the meantime, this Thursday we have a definite from Stuart Henderson on trumpet and flugel horn, and we are hoping to get his saxophonist companion “Tolly” to come and keep him company. Mike Wills is moving house! The rhythm section is slightly modified as well, Steve pickings will be on bass and Mike Jeffreys on drums. Nigel Fox is on keyboard I think!

Looking back on last Thursdays modified band, I thought it all worked out rather well. With Simon Spillett leading from the front on tenor sax it was always going to be good. Our regular saxophonist Mike Wills and our regular keyboard man Nigel Fox played as well as ever. Peter Hughes on bass in place of Ken Rankine meant that the bass section was still top rate, but our advertised drummer who was depping for Martin Hart (on holiday), was replaced by another dep. All the way from Fleet in Hampshire we had a first visit from John Nettle who did a very fine job and still made the 30 mile drive home! Well done everyone.

Hedsor Jazz Christmas Party

We are now in a position to sell you tickets for our Christmas Party, in the big room at Hedsor. These will cost you £10 a head, and we are hoping to gather a stellar cast to perform for you. Without doubt, with a buffet included, it will be a great night of preparation (if you need any) for the Christmas festivities. Tickets from Hedsor on Thursdays, or from Cookham's Stationery Depot tel: 01628 531178

Listened to This Week

Mention of Christmas brings me to one of the CD’s I’ve listened to this week. I have always enjoyed Stan Tracey’s music for “Under Milk Wood” that he recorded in the late 1960’s, and it became even more enjoyable when he started performing it live with the Dylan Thomas words added in by an actor. Now he has just released another Dylan Thomas inspired work, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”. It is completely magical, and blew me away. With Stan on piano, he has Simon Allen (who came up through The Berkshire Youth Jazz Orchestra, now known as Pendulum) on tenor sax, Andy Cleyndert on bass, Clark Tracey on drums, and the poem is narrated by Stan’s grandson Ben Tracey. It is wonderful and magical and another masterpiece for sure. It can be obtained from Resteamed Records RSJ 111 www.reSteamed.com

I have had great fun recently resurrecting some of my old LP’s. Having digitised the “Just Jazz” concert from 1947, commenting on the way about how well they could all swing, even at very slow tempo’s, I turned my attention to an LP of the First Esquire Concert, performed in New York’s Metropolitan Opera House in January 1944. It’s a very scruffy recording, but with a couple of real high spots.

We have on two tracks, Billy Holiday. On both Ellington’s “Do Nothing ‘Till You Hear From Me” and on her own “Billie’s Blues” I was again captivated by her. A legend, yes. We all know how good she was, but I wonder how often now we actually listen to her recordings. When I do, even after a period of months, I am amazed by the emotion, pain even, in her voice. “Billie’s Blues is straight from her inner soul.

The lineup around her is also astonishing to us now, but Roy Elderidge, Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, Al Casey, Oscar Pettiford and Sid Catlett are the band, and Louis Armstrong is a guest. I only have volume one, an LP issued in 1974. Hi Fi it aint, but JAZZ it is.

TTFN

Geoff

This Week at Hedsor Jazz

We need you!!

For the second week running, this week we have the full Clive Burton Quintet. Sharp tunes, swinging music with great solos. I’m sure for our second week running it will be just like last week. Melodic fun.

What I hope wont be like last week is the audience! Not enough of you turned out to welcome “back” our trombone blowing leader from his bed of back pain. This week, he will be fitter than ever, so come and find out. Please!!

Music Listened to this Week

Following on from my theme of Swinging 40’s and 50’s music from the “Just Jazz” stable I have something old, and something new (er). Having just written that down, it has also reminded me that once there was an LP released by the De Paris Brothers New New Orleans Band entitled “Something Old, New Gay , Blue”. They had no idea what the word “gay” was going to come to represent, they just meant it was “tres jollie”.

Old, in as much as it comes from the 1950’s is a super reissue on the Avid label of 3 LP albums headed up by Lionel Hampton. Lionel came to fame with the Benny Goodman Quintet of the late 1930’s, and in 1955 a film was made called “The Benny Goodman Story”, and much of the earlier recorded work was re created for the film. To free themselves form the constraints of film recordings, Lionel got together with Gene Krupa and Teddy Wilson in another studio to make an LP of their own. They added in bassist Red Callender and remade some of the earlier hits, this time without Mr. Goodman! So, on the first part of this new Avid double CD reissue we have “Avalon, I Got Rhythm”, “Moonglow”, “Just You, Just Me”, (still very popular, obviously, in the Just Jazz concert recordings I wrote of last week it was represented 4 times) and “Airmail Special” from the past. They are very good quality mono recordings. The double album goes on to give you the “Lionel Hampton and His Giants” LP and the “Apollo Hall Concert from 1954” LP.

You will find on this Avid reissue (AVID AMSC993) many of the players who were in the 1940’s “Just Jazz” line-ups, including Harry Edison, Art Tatum, Barney Kessel and Buddy Rich. It’s all great swinging music. That’s swing, not frantic!

Following on from this new issue comes a newer recording but older issue CD!! “The Benny Goodman Quartet Together Again” was recorded in stereo in 1963. It has the same line up as the 1955 Lionel Hampton recording mentioned above, but this time WITH Benny Goodman. I have had this since the dawn of CD’s, and it is really excellent. Beautifully recorded in the days when they were trying very hard to “sell” Hi Fi, it has some of the classic BG Quartet tunes that were originally recorded in the 30’s including my favourite “Seven Come Eleven”, but also “Runnin’ Wild”, “I’ve Found A New Baby” and 7 other great tracks as well. If you need to be introduced to the Benny Goodman Quartet, go and find this CD. I have it on the Bluebird label (an RCA derivative) number ND86283.

One final bit of sadness this week. We have had the news of the death of Michael Garrick. He died last Friday.

There is so much of his work to remember him for, but those of us who heard him at Swanage this year, or at The Wooburn Festival very recently will be saddened that he couldn’t further our remembrance of the MJQ, something he was in the process of bringing to us.

He was 78 years old, still working to almost the last, and had just had a heart operation.

Jazz at Hedsor

Thursday night we have the genuine Clive Burton Quintet, complete with a recovered Clive Burton. He is healed enough from his back injury to play, but not, perhaps, to put his whole back into it!! Our regular saxophone section will also be with us, so look forward to some of the close harmony and special head arrangements that come out when the two of them get together.

Recorded Music

Thinking of head arrangement usually leads one to think of pre organised jazz orchestration, well, at least to top and tail a well-known tune that is then played “off the cuff”. That was something lacking on one of the phenomena that was the original modern jazz jam session. Back in the late 40’s and early 50’s Gene Norman organised a number of jazz concerts in California under the banner “Just Jazz”. They were real, old fashioned Jam Sessions, with almost no pre arrangement of the musicians (apart from booking who was in town at the time), which becomes very apparent on some of the recordings when it came to ending a tune!

Over the years, some of these early concert recordings were released, most famously the Lionel Hampton led band playing “Stardust”, which came out on both sides of a 45. Recently, I have re mounted my Lynn turntable and have dug out a few LP’s to play, one of which is a 3 LP set of “Just Jazz” concerts all from 1947/8.

Part of the artwork for the 3 LP set

It is really interesting to hear some of the jazz greats performing without the limitations imposed by a regular band, or by a studio a recording, which usually only allowed 3 to 5 minutes per tune. LP’s themselves were only released in the USA in 1948 and did not come on to the British scene until 1949. The extended playing time of 25 minutes a side for a 12” LP (usually initially reserved for “Classical” music) did away with these limitations for tune length, and we became used to the extended solo on a recording we could buy and take home that was the norm for a live performance heard in concert.

Back in the 1980’s I bought “Gene Norman’s Just Jazz Concerts”, a 3 LP set. I paid a bargain £4.69! The cast list for Gene’s concerts was drool worthy. He could sell out the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (2978 seats) in 1947 at $2 each! Who did they hear? Vic Dickenson, Benny Carter, Charlie Barnet, Dodo Marmarosa, Howard McGhee, Sonny Criss, Wardell Gray, Errol Garner, and many more. And they were all on the same night, April 29th 1947. Wow.

OK, the sound in the hall probably wasn’t great, and it isn’t great on the recordings either, but it is a real treat to hear some of these guys playing on there day off for a little extra pin money. Real Jazz, dare I say, just like the sort we often hear at Hedsor.

I don’t think the LP’s (vogue VJT 3003) are still available new, but last week one was available on ebay for about £17.

I couldn’t see any reference on the web to the music being reissued at any time onto CD. What a Pity!

Why not catch a Thursday Night session at Hedsor for £5 instead?

Geoff

Octoberfest

Clive Burton, Simon Spillett, and the band

John Coverdale

Simon Spillett and Tracey Mendham

Well, wasn’t it a great night? A HUGE thank you to all who came to play, all who came to help on the night, all who provided food, and finally all of you, who came out in order to help keep live jazz alive at Hedsor Jazz.

As a musical experience it was fabulous. One of our audience emailed me later:-

“Music was great (thought SimonS and JohnC's rendition of "A Nightingale sang..." was worth the price of admission alone) and what great entertainment from the front 'persons' - we certainly went home with a smile on our face!”

And they were not alone in the “smile” stakes. It was first class entertainment all round. I think the biggest thank you of all must go, as Simon Spillett said on the night, to Clive Burton. His links and humour, his playing and organisation of the players and their sets, was first class. He has been that front man for over 10 years now, so we are greatly in his debt for helping to keep it all going through the thick and thin.

There were many there at Hedsor last Thursday who had not been before, at least one jazz fan who actually lives in The Hedsor Road had not been before, and she has promised to come again.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could attract that same number of people on a weekly basis. Think of the guests we could invite to play for us then. Just as a thinking point. Do you think that the reason people tend not to come to the small room is because it is “small”, and not as comfortable as the big room? Do email me with your thoughts on this.

One final point, yes, we did succeed in raising more money than we spent on organising the event, and we have replaced in Jazz Angels coffers some of the money that we need to keep Hedsor Jazz alive. Most weeks we don’t take enough in the small room to pay for each weeks event, and most weeks it is subsidised by the Jazz Angels.

Don’t forget that there are other live jazz events for you to keep supporting, Tuesday at The Bourne End Community Centre we have Al Nicholls as I mentioned in the last blog.

We return to our normal location and band this coming Thursday at Hedsor. I hope to see you there.

Geoff

OCTOBERFEST

I know you all know, but just to really NAG you, tomorrow is our very special Gala night for jazz in this part of the world (South Bucks). In order to raise funds for Hedsor Jazz, we are putting on a VERY special night, tomorrow from 8 pm (note the earlier start time). We have performing with the Clive Burton Quintet:- (ladies first)

Tracey Mendham on tenor sax and personality!

Simon Spillett on Best Tenor Sax in the UK (performed with tie)!

Stuart Henderson on Trumpet. Yet to win an award, but I have yet to hear a better trumpet man.

Andy Dickens on Trumpet and vocals, possibly jokes as well.

Can I request “I Cant Get Started” now please, it was a hit at Swanage this year.

John Coverdale on guitar. A quiet man, but hear and watch how he plays!

I’m sure more musicians will come out of the woodwork just to be part of the night. I hope you come out too. It’s only £10 a head, including a light buffet (OK it may be a packet of crisps!) AND a chance to win one of our infamous raffle prizes!

Support live jazz at Hedsor!!

BUT do save some energy for next Tuesday, because at Bourne End Community Centre they have Al Nicholls who emailed me to say:-

“it may be of interest to you and the good folks at Hedsor (?), that I am playing at Mo's club at the Bourne End Community Centre on the 1st November with Bob Haddrell piano, Nils Solsberg guitar and the indefatigueable Rex Bennett on drums. It would be nice to see some friendly faces there.”

Can I stand the pace? But you can!!

TTFN

Geoff

PS. If you really cant make either of those two events (flu, child birth, world financial crisis, are only excuses you know!), you could order on line "Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton Play The Blues". It is Preposterously good!

Those of you who have looked at this mornings posting, and were expecting to see a bit of video, well, so was I !! Google Blog hasn't managed to complete the task yet!! I will have another go later, in the meantime, here is a photo of Julie Lewis, also taken on Sunday afternoon at The Star in Weymouth.

The Return from Weymouth

I am now anxious to get you to buy as many tickets for the Ocoberfest jazz concert, now rushing towards us on October 27th. We need you as much as you need us, but to help you make up your minds, the cast list of guests is growing.

So far, as well as our regular guys (all thanks to Allbran!), those committed to the task are:-

Tracey Mendham, saxophone, song, dance and personality, Simon Spillett, saxophone, tie and personality , Stuart Henderson, trumpet (not heard him sing yet!), Andy Dickens, trumpet, and song (yes he does!), John Coverdale, guitar (not heard him sing yet either), and more yet to come.

We need YOU, to come and sing and applaud, and pay your £10 entry. All the profit from this super evening of live jazz will be going into Jazz Angels coffers to ensure we can keep live jazz alive locally, especially at The Hedsor Social Club (we can all sing that!).

Tell your friends, kidnap them if needs must (they do!), and ensure that the big room at Hedsor is full.

For those dedicated to the Hedsor Jazz cause, this week we have another of our fantastic combinations of talent in the Hedsor Club Bar. Our regular rhythm section will be behind (in every sense), Simon Spillett and Mike Wills. If saxophone summit wasn't the name of a band, we could call this Thursday “Saxophone Summit”, or even “Two Tenors for a Fiver” ‘cause it will only cost you £5 to get in, slightly more to get out of course.

Just one more item. Whilst in Weymouth I visited again the pub I wrote about last week. This time I took my camera, and attached to this issue is a video of the super lady pianist who was at the keyboard there in "The Star" last Sunday. You will recognise the bass player, but the lady at the piano is Julie Lewis.

TTFN

Geoff