In the next 2 Thursdays we have exciting prospects for lovers of the saxophone, especially jazz saxophone!

This week, Thursday September 27^th , alongside Clive and the Quartet at The Hedsor Social Club, we have Kelvin Christiane. There is much to say about this superb saxophonist, but rather than reiterate, I suggest you go to his web site, http://www.kcmusic.co.uk where you can hear him in action. Needles to say that when you do you will want to come to Hedsor this week (why have you not been the last few weeks?) and hear him “live” in the Hedsor bar, our regular Jazz meeting point. Usual price £6, usual start time for the music of 8.30 pm. Bar opens before 7 pm these days.

Then next Thursday October 4^th we have a VERY special jazz evening, one of our Big Room events! Simon Spillett is NO stranger to us, but this time he is coming with his regular quartet. Jazz royalty! John Critchinson on keyboard, Alec Dankworth on bass and Clark Tracey on drums. This is a ticketed event, and the price is £10 including a light buffet. The music starts at 8.30 pm as usual. Tell your friends, bring your mum, it will be worth your while! AND it might help US to recover the costs!!

To help promote this event Michael Eagleton of Marlow Jazz has very kindly invited me on to his Sunday Evening Marlow FM program to talk about it and to play some of Simons tracks, (and some of my favourites too). The program starts at 9pm.

This week via CD I have been listening to 2 other saxophonists. Incidentally one also has an association with Simon.

“Ben Webster – Stan Tracey, Soho Nights Vol 1” was recorded on to ¼” tape “live” in 1968 at Ronnie’s Frith Street Club and was only released in 2008. That must have been something to do with the official secrets act, because it is a recording of a great event, complete with announcements from Mr Scott himself. Stan Tracey was (always) on piano, Dave Green bass and Tony Crombie drums. Simon Spilletts sleeve notes add to your enjoyment, but the music is special. Two versions of “Londonderry Air”, and one of  “Come Sunday”, ten tunes in all. Ben may have been slipping past his best, his intake of Scotch is legendary, but his ballad playing is to die for. Go and find this CD on RESTEAMED  RSJ 106. Someone in the company obviously has a sense of humour RSJ in my parlance means Rolled Steel Joist!

My other CD goes back to a decade earlier than the Ben Webster. It also features a saxophonist in a lot of trouble. In January 1957 Art Pepper joined the Rhythm Section of the Miles Davis Quintet to record “Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section”. He was deeply addicted to Heroin, hadn’t played for a while (he had been in prison), but turned up to play a session organised by his wife, which has become legendary. I was prompted to dig out a 2010 reissue, as Alan Barnes had played a tribute to Art Pepper set at Swanage. It makes an interesting comparison. All the tracks are worth more than one listen, even when Art had the nerve to call one of his compositions ”Straight Life”! You can hear it on Original Jazz Classics Remasters 0888072319929 which could be a telephone number or 3. The original LP number was S7332!! Never mind, that’s progress.

See you at Hedsor, don’t forget to come, or Jazz will die!

Just a reminder that we have another regular session of The Clive Burton Quintet tonight, Thursday September 20th, at Hedsor. Tickets for the October 4th Concert by The Simon Spillett Quartet will also be on sale at £10. Simon’s Quartet are John Critchinson on keyboard, Alec Dankworth bass and Clark Tracey on drums. There will be a light buffet included in your entry fee. Ronnie Scott's? You have to get on a train to get there!

We Play Requests

There was a little discussion at the end of last nights session at Hedsor about the title of my request, which was played as the last tune of the evening. I HATE to say this, but my title "I wish I knew how it would Feel to Be Free" is the correct one. Billly Taylor first recorded it in 1963 and later as an instrumental around 1967, and it's original title was "I Wish I Knew". Later both Nina Simon and The Lighthouse Family recorded it with slightly differing lyrics, and the longer title. Reproduced below are both versions Lyrics.

  As sung by Nina Simone

I wish  I knew how it would feel to be free
I wish I could break all the chains holding me
I wish I could say all the things that  I should say
say 'em loud, say 'em clear
for the whole round world to hear.

I wish I could share all the love that's in my heart
remove all the bars that keep us apart
I wish you could know what it means to be me
Then you'd see and agree
that every man should be free.

I wish I could give all I'm longing to give
I wish I could live like I'm longing to live
I wish that I could do all the things that  I can do
though I'm way overdue I'd be starting anew.

Well I wish  I could be like a bird in the sky
how sweet it would be if I found  I could fly
Oh I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
and I'd sing cos I'd know that
I'd know how it feels to be free
I'd know how it feels to be free
I'd know how it feels to be free

LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY LYRICS

I wish I knew how it would feel to be free

I wish I could break all the chains holding me

I wish I could say all the things that I should say 

Say 'em loud say 'em clear

For the whole wide world to hear 






I wish I could share


All the love that's in my heart 

Remove all the bars that keep us apart

And I wish you could know how it is to be me

Then you'd see and agree that every man should be free 








I wish I could be like a bird in the sky


How sweet it would be if I found I could fly

Well I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea 

And I'd sing cos I know how it feels to be free








I wish I knew how it would feel to be free


I wish I could break all the chains holding me

And I wish I could say all the things that I wanna say 

Say 'em loud say 'em clear

For the whole wide world to hear 

Say 'em loud say 'em clear

For the whole wide world to hear 

Say 'em loud say 'em clear

For the whole wide world to hear 








One love one blood


One life you've got to do what you should 

One life with each other

Sisters, brothers








One love but we're not the same


We got to carry each other Carry each other

One One One One One...








I knew how it would feel to be free


I knew how it would feel to be free




The instrumental version was of course used by Barry Norman as his intro to "The Film Program" on BBC TV.




I know that my request caused some consternation at the end of the evening, but I was glad I asked for it, and they did play it rather well.




Don't forget, tickets are now on sale for October 4th, the Simon Spillett evening in the Big Room at Hedsor. As well as from The Stationery Depot in Cookham, they can be purchased on Thursday at Hedsor.

First, what/who is on at Hedsor tonight?

Answer, our regular guys! Clive Burton on trombone, Mike Wills on various reed instruments, Nigel Fox on keyboard, Martin Hart on drums and Steve Riddle on bass depping for Ken Rankine.

I spoke with Ken yesterday.  He is slowly improving, and has had the odd outing. His brother in law, who lives in the house where Ken fell, is a disabled person, and happens to have a wheel chair. The ever resourceful Sue “borrowed” this, and Ken was able to enjoy an outing to Weymouth, and to sit in the sun on the front. Since then, he has been given some crutches, and can manoeuvre himself (very carefully) around his cottage. He still has an amount of pain, but hopes to be able to go on holiday to his beloved Malta in mid October!!

Ken is very grateful to all of you who have sent him get well messages, and who have occupied his time by making a phone call to him. Thank you all.

Ken is having one of those enforced rests that enables you to do things you might consider yourself to be too busy to do in normal times. I told him to read a book, but catching up with your recorded listening might also be one of them.

Yesterday I had occasion to go and search my reserve stock location (the loft!) for an LP I was certain I had (Vaughan Williams Symphony No 6), but which I then couldn’t find, (it is now on order from Amazon)! However it was a bit like my past life passing before my eyes (and glasses!).

There were LP’s I had forgotten about. Music I used to pull off the shelf and listen to when the children were I bed. I still have the means of playing them, but no longer the downstairs space to conveniently store them. There is some great music up in my long-term storage unit! I really must get some down, and digitise for convenient listening.

One thing the LP gave you that the MP3 player doesn’t, and that is a sleeve note and artwork. The CD does give you some with its booklet, but the shear 12” size of the LP sleeve generated some terrific artwork, and was usually a joy to hold and observe whilst you listened. Easily read too, no 8 pt font for you here. And informative. Who is that clarinettist? When was it recorded, and by whom? You may have read it all before, but wasn’t it good to revise your knowledge as you listened again! Yes, you did get the odd crackle and click from LP’s, but a 20 minute side did seem a natural length. And you couldn’t easily jump tracks, you had to listen to each side just as the record producer wanted you to do. Now, skip and jump, reorder tracks (even play in random order!) is the order of the day (sorry), and I just feel that maybe, the “more” of CD is actually “less” relaxing!

Sonically CD’s can be more dynamic, and have a cleaner sound, (maybe a colder sound), and I know you can still go out and buy a turntable that will set you back the cost of a small car, proving that LP’s do still have a dedicated following.

CD’s might also now be on the way out. Less are being released by the major companies, and a lot are reissues of the same LP’s I have in my loft. But jazz music in all it’s forms has never been more accessible than today.

So, have I listened to anything new on CD lately? Yes, one really new recording released in April this year is by Clare Martin on Lynn Records LO 11615 entitled “Too Much In Love To Care” where she is accompanied on piano by Kenny Baron.

Beautifully recorded by Lynn, as you would expect from a Hi Fi manufacturer, Clare does a very good job on some fairly well know Love Songs. “Time After Time”, “Weaver of Dreams”, “I Only Have Eyes For You” plus 10 others. I think she does a very creditable job on all of them.

Another CD recently acquired is a reissue. The title almost says it all, because it isn’t exactly short! “Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, The Complete 1960 Sextet Jazz Cellar Session”. 17 tracks taking 73 minutes to play. Mostly recorded in November 1960, there is a 5 track “bonus” from January 1961. With 2 giants of jazz blowing, you only need to know that they are accompanied by Lou Levy on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Wilfred Middlebrooks bass and Gus Johnson on drums. It’s well worth searching out, on the Solar Records label 4569895.

Well, that’s almost it for now folks. Just one more plug. I will have tickets for sale as from tonight for the Simon Spillett concert at Hedsor on October 4^th, priced at £10. Simon is bringing his regular quintet of John Critchinson, Alex Dankworth and Clark Tracey with him to Hedsor. Jazz Royalty no less. And you can come and hear it all for just £10

JAZZ AT MARLOW BRITISH LEGION

Just to let you know that a very special gig is coming up next Tuesday, September 4^th , at Marlow Jazz Club, held in the British Legion Hall, Marlow, just down by the Railway Station.

It will be an assembly of British Jazz Greats, playing off the cuff, which promises to produce some memorable moments. It is NOT as advertised by Mike Eagleton in his monthly newssheet because of a number of unfortunate medical conditions!!

So, on Tuesday look forward to seeing and hearing Peter Cook on saxophones, Ray Wordsworth on trombone, John Coverdale on guitar, Ken McCarthy on keyboard, Steve Riddle on bass and Mike Jeffries on drums.

I hope to get back from visiting Ken Rankine, (now in Dorchester Hospital having broken his femur in a fall, he had it re pinned on Wednesday) in time to enjoy this amazing array of British talent. Don’t miss out. It starts at 8.30, and I think it will cost you around £8 to get in.

If you fancy a sample of Rays Wordsworth's normal working environment visit the following website on:-

http://www.masterspiece.eu/nav/artistes/lyttelton/lyttelton.htm

Turn on your sound and enjoy the music!

Hi Folks,

A few rushed words, as Bank Holiday occupations loom!

Today, if you fancy a bit of jazz in the afternoon, Wooburn Club’s beer festival also hosts jazz from 2 pm in the form of Ken McCArthy on keyboard and Peter Ripper on saxophone, with Steve Riddell Bass and Barry Kirton Drums.

Next Thursday at Hedsor Jazz we have a lovely evening of light sounds coming up! No blower's!! Clive and Mike are away, and in there place on the front line at Hedsor we have John Coverdale on guitar and that internationally renowned vibraphone player Alan Graham. I think they are being backup up by our usual rhythm section, but deps have been known! Anyway, do turn out, pay your £6 and enjoy a lovely melodic evening. I, unfortunately, will not be with you to enjoy such a wonderful prospect, I have an invitation to celebrate a friends Golden Wedding anniversary!

As many of you are aware, the pub just down the road from Hedsor Social Club, The Garibaldi, where the Clive Burton Quintet started out all those years ago, is closed. This has meant much more bar trade for Hedsor Club, which is obviously to there advantage. We, Hedsor Jazz, have been asked to consider if we would mind being permanently installed on Thursdays in the big room at Hedsor. We would not be asked for increased rent, and it would leave the bar free for regular new members. There are things for an against this, but I have said that I would put it to you all to sound out your opinion. Hedsor Club has been our host for over 10 years, and the bar has become our club home, but it would be to Hedsor Clubs advantage if we were prepared to move to the bigger room. Do let John Dutton or Dee Watson know on Thursday what you think.

That's it for now folks,

Geoff C

I have just been informed by Clive Burton, that our drummer this week is NOT Mike Jeffreys. 

Our dep for Martin Hart on Thursday will be Julian Bown. Julian does some work with the Remix Jazz orchestra, but also plays in a band called "Black and Blue". He is the son of Alan Bown, who had a rock group in the 60's called "The Alan Bown Set". It will be Julian's first time at Hedsor Jazz.

Our regular pianist Nigel Fox is away on holiday (not honeymoon this time!), and we have with us again Ken McCarthy on keyboard. I don't need to tell you anything more about Ken. He is a legend already! Why don't you grab the chance on Thursday to ask him about his musical history. 

A very different shape to our usual Quintet, but one that will be exciting to listen to.  And it is still only going to be £6 entry.

We are so lucky to have such musical talent willing to come and play for us at Hedsor Jazz.

Geoff C
2.20 pm
21.8.2012

Tuesday August 21st

 Gillie Potter

Good Morning England!! (once a film and a catch phrase for Gillie Potter I think).

Just time to remind you that this week at Hedsor Jazz we have none other than award winning saxophonist Simon Spillett to keep Clive company in the front line. 

Simon Spillett

Also this week on drums we have a replacement for Martin Hart, as he has gone to Iceland (no, not just for frozen peas, but for a short holiday). In his place we have Mike Jeffries.

A brief retrospective on last week. We were well and truly Tracey d last week. Nice to see a good crowd. I think most people have now recovered from the ear splitting laughs and shrieks!

Clive Burton with Tracey Mendham

I dared Clive to call “Oleo”, and he did! I thought it was the best thing they played all night. I wonder if I dare call it again this week!! I still haven't forgotten the performance Simon gave with Art Theman at Marlow Jazz club earlier in the year. It was played so fast it was done with insolence!!

Don't forget to return to hear Simon with his own quartet on October 4th. We will have John Critchinson on piano, Alex Dankworth on bass and Clark Tracey on drums that night. A real aristocracy of British Jazz.

Until then, come on Thursday and hear the local “Sultans of Swing”, and all for just £6!

TTFN (a catch phrase from ITMA, or are you too young?)

Tommy Handley

August 6th 2012

Morning All,

I have just spoken with the leader of the Clive Burton Quintet, and can now reveal our front line forces for the next 3 Thursdays at Hedsor Jazz!

This week, it is nearly all the usual suspects, with Clive and Mike Wills out front.

Tracey, with Mike Wills and Ken Rankine

On August 16th it is Clive, Mike AND TRACEY MENDHAM. Now that should produce fireworks!

On August 23rd we have Clive, and Simon Spillett in the firing line.

Simon Spillett at Swanage this year

How we can produce such first rate talent at Hedsor for Just £6, I really don't know!! (I do really!!).

Come along to our regular Thursday sessions, which start at 8.30 pm in The Hedsor Social Club and find yourselves live jazz bargains!

Geoff C

Roy Hole

I had a phone call last night from a friend of Roy Hole. I know we at Hedsor have missed him of late, and the reason is that he is in The Royal Brompton Hospital! He has been there for 3 weeks, due to an infection around his heart pacemaker. They have now operated on him and relocated the pacemaker to the other side of his abdomen, and he is feeling fine, and bored!! He would welcome a phone call, or, by arrangement, a visit. His mobile number (which he is allowed to use in the Brompton) is 0776 0341607

The Brompton is a cardiac centre of excellence, I have experienced their life saving capabilities myself. The National Health Service do, of course, want to close it down!!

Geoff C

First off, a special mention for our Thursday this week at Hedsor Jazz.

We have a very interesting lineup for you this week.

Many of you will have heard Alan Lewis on piano. That’s if you have gone to Marlow Jazz recently. Usually after the interval, Alan is given the chance to sit in for a couple of numbers, and he is always very entertaining and accomplished. He provides fresh insights into the tunes you may well have heard before.

Well, this Thursday at Hedsor, you will be able to hear him for a whole evening, and I for one, am really looking forward to it. Ken Rankine is on bass (our usual bass player, more of whom later) and Martin Hart on drums. In front of that rhythm section will be that very melodic guitarist John Coverdale, no stranger to Hedsor at all, and a saxophonist who has been once or twice before, Mark Ashton.

All in all, an evening well worth your £6. Our evenings in the Hedsor Social Club start at 8.30 pm.

Whilst thinking of special guests, on August 16^th we will have the enormously entertaining saxophonist Tracey Mendham. This event will still be in the Hedsor Club bar, and at our usual entry price of £6. So do put it In your diary now. Last time she was with us one of our regular punters said “you could not better that for £20” as he left with an enormous smile on his face!

A Day at The Ealing Jazz Festival

Last Saturday I visited the Ealing Jazz festival. Over the last few years I have done this at least once during the festival, having not gone to Brecon. It used to clash with either Brecon or Swanage, and I was a devotee of both! Now I can get there, and it is always great value for money.

They have a big circus style marquee, and two smaller venues. This year I managed to catch the last 20 minutes or so of Chris Hodgkins band, Chris on trumpet, Mike Nash trombone, John Evans clarinet, Max Britain guitar, Alison Raynor bass and Cherl Alleyne on drums. A very competent mainstream swinging band that have been together for many years.

After a tea break (yes, really) I got back to the main marquee to see and enjoy vocalist Gill Cook and her band. Gill I saw last year, and I feal she has been under rated as a singer. I do have a CD of hers, and until last year had not seen her. An excellent singer, with an excellent accompanying band, consisting of Christian Brewer on alto sax, Nick Tomlin piano, Dominic Howells bass and Matt Fishwick on drums. Vital singing, and vital solos from all. If you get a chance to see her/them, take it. She looked stunning and slim, and a punter asked me if she sold her workout DVD!! She was on the move the whole time! A musical and visual treat!

Next up, after a break to hear John Critchinson in the piano bar, was a band the really was a mixture of old and new faces. 

The Jack Honeyborne Quintet had 3 musicians in their 70’s or 80’s, one in his 50’s and one who is no more than 20 something!!

Jack of course is the pianist, and he was accompanied by Bruce Adams on trumpet and flugelhorn, Willie Garnet on saxes, mostly tenor, Bobby Orr on drums, and someone else you could have seen at Marlow Jazz Club, on bass Adam King. Great competent swinging music, the very essence of small group jazz. 

It is becoming obvious that when this kind of music is performed in front of a younger audience than jazz very often gets, that the younger element think it’s fantastic. As it is!! I have never forgotten many years ago, when Cookham FM first broadcast, that during a late night jazz program 2 of a local Slough radio team came out to find our studio (in the railway station!) to see where this wonderful music was coming from. They declared that, by comparison, the pop music they were playing was rubbish, their words not mine! Well the Jack Honeyborne Quintet proved that point yet again. We all, young and old alike, thought it was a great hour of swinging jazz.

The final set of the day was by the Sound of Seventeen Big Band, led from the drums by Dick Esmond. This band has been going for 40 years this year, and one of the original members is our regular bass player Ken Rankine. Sad to say this was the first time I had heard them live (I do have a couple of recordings of them). I wont list all 17, but what an ensemble of star soloist. In the band are Enrico Tomasso trumpet, Roy Willox alto, Vasilis Xenopoulos tenor, and another guy we have seen at Hedsor, Alan Berry on piano. They also have a very trim male singer, appropriately named Jim Trimmer.

They are a great big band, sharp (not in pitch!), swinging, not afraid to play new material, (some of it written for them by Ken McCarthy!) with some terrific solo playing. The crowd howled for more at the end, but 10.45 pm was the limit, and they played right up to it. One small point, due to logistical reasons, the piano and bass were separated from the main bulk of the band by quite a margin, which obviously made it difficult for them to actually hear the rest of the band. The very enthusiastic crowd were not making it easy for them either!!

All in all, a great day out!

Geoff C

Swanage Jazz Festival 2012

This nearly was the one that never happened! Due to the monsoon England has been suffering from this “summer”, with Dorset getting 3” of rain overnight at least once in the previous 3 weeks, it is a remarkable achievement that the whole thing wasn’t cancelled 2 weeks before it was due to happen. The organisers had talked about it. Then, with both the Marquees erected, on Thursday 12^th, at 8.30 pm came the report that Marquee 1, the one to hold most of the traditional jazz program, had flooded to a depth of 6”. At very short notice 2 alternative venues were hurriedly found, the Methodist Church, and Swanage Football Club. So first off, very well done to Fred Lindop and his team. What is more, on a very wet weekend, Fred and his team seamed to be able to muster up plenty of smiles.

The reorganisation required has had a knock on financial effect. With the extra costs (the flooring for Marquee 2 alone costs hundreds of pounds) and loss of sponsorship, all of the Festivals hard earned contingency fund has now gone. If you love The Swanage Jazz Festival as I do, you won’t want to see it disappear off of the calendar, so do consider making a donation to them. You can contact Fred Lindop, the artistic director of the festival via the Tourist Information Office on Shore Road, Swanage.

Ok, so the weather was mostly awful, cold, wet, and windy. The ground was unwalkable, you would sink into it at the same time as destroying the grass. But the music? Well I enjoyed nearly all that I got to listen to. Access was more restricted, and I never did find out where the football club was. Reports of its acoustic ability did rather deter me from the effort!

Friday

 The Matt Wates Band

 Shadows on the Wall

My only listen on Friday was to the Matt Wates Sextet. Matt on alto and excruciating jokes, Martin Shaw trumpet, Steve Main tenor sax, Leon Greening piano, Malcolm Crease bass and Matt Home drums. A really tight modern jazz group, with a great ensemble sound and great solo capability from all. Leon Greening is a very exciting piano player, and having purchased both Matt’s and Leon’s latest CD’s I’ll let you know what I think of them another time. All in all a great start to a jazz festival.

Jazz festivals take some stamina by the way. Even if you have the (luxury?) of a chair, plastic chair fatigue will grip you before Sunday is over.

Saturday

After a very filling breakfast, curtsey of Claire at the Robertsbrook, (yes I have booked again for next year) I settled down to listen to the Simon Allen Quintet. I did get soaked getting to Marquee 1. It was my own fault, I stopped to watch the finish of a ½ marathon race at which at least 3 of the 

Olympic Flame Holders were there with there flame torches. I actually got to hold one myself. Getting wet was payback time!!

 Simon Allen

Simon Allen I have seen many times. He is a product of what used to be known as The Berkshire Youth Jazz Orchestra. He is a very talented tenor sax player. As a 16 year old I watched him take on Art Theman and Don Weller, and I haven’t forgotten the look of surprise on Arts face as he turned to look at this kid making them all look old (Art was born in 1939!). With Simon were Mark Williams trumpet, Tom Cawley piano, Patrick Bettison bass and Mike Bradley drums. Modern jazz played by young guys. There is hope for us all with young people playing like this. The only problem I see is where are the young jazz audience and the young jazz promoters. If you look around you at a jazz festival audience, over half can get a free bus pass. Now look for a festival promoter, and the same applies.

Simon Allen’s Quintet are well worth looking out for you to go and hear, and if you feel like a spot of promotion, booking!

 Jean Toussaint and Peter King

Reubin James at the microphone

Peter King Studying The Score

Next up in Marquee 2 (now the only Marquee operating of course) was supposed to be the Abram Wilson Septet. Sadly Abram died from Cancer on June 9^th. As a tribute to him, the rest of his Septet played the session anyway, and what at treat that was, as it was made up of Peter King on alto sax, Jean Toussaint on tenor sax, Winston Rollins on trombone, Reuben James on piano, Alex Davis bass and Dave Hamblett drums. A really first-rate session, with a couple of things standing out for me. Peter King now looks older than I do (he was born on August 11^th 1940, whereas I was born on August 7^th 1938!), and Reubin James is an extremely accomplished 19 year old, who not only plays very self assured piano, but can speak very assuredly too. It was an extremely entertaining set tinged with the sadness that another relatively young talented life had been cut short by cancer, another August boy, Abram Wilson, this time born on August 30^th 1973.

 Alan Barnes, Craig Milverton, et al in church

In order to survive the rigors of the day, I retreated from the tent in search of food, and then made my way to The Methodist Church for Alan Barnes with Craig Milverton’s trio performing a live version of the new CD “The Art Trip” now out on Woodville records. I have already heard the cd, and was looking forward to hearing the music live, however I found the church acoustics very challenging. For me, in the stalls, the sound was blurred and the piano tone tinny! The line-up was Craig on piano, Alan Barnes on alto, Al Swinger on bass and Nick Millward on drums. You may guess from the title of the album that all the tunes played were associated with Art Pepper, one of Alan Barnes musical heroes. Alan also gave us a lot of “interesting” detail about Art’s life and habits, the actual performance was superb. Much credit must go to Al Swinger, who had transcribed the recordings for use by this quartet.

The Octet

I then took another break for dinner with friends and eventually returned to M2 in time to hear the Dave Newton-Clark Tracey Octet. For me the cherry on this years Swanage Jazz Festival cake! The line up was fabulous! Dave piano, Clark drums obviously, but they were joined in the back row by bassist Chris Hill. In front were, Martin Shaw on trumpet and flugel horn, Adrian Fry on trombone, Art Theman, Andy Panayi, Alan Barnes and Simon Allen reeds. I had met David before the gig, and he said he still had to go through the scores with the lads, as they hadn’t all played them before. I jokingly said that with guys of that quality I am always amazed at their sight reading capability, and he said it wasn’t always that good! But it was. They really did sound like a small Duke Ellington Orchestra. Yes, I did see The Duke “Live”, and the 2 hours of music the Octet produced that night could not have sounded better. It’s what makes jazz festivals special. No one promoter can afford to put on a performance like that. Well, not if they want to eat again that month!

And so to bed! With the wonderful sound of 8 top jazz musicians ringing in my ears.

Sunday

Dorset Youth at play

Was another chance to hear David Newton and Alan Barnes in duo format. So back to M2 I went. I was expecting ½ hour of anticipation, but was surprised to hear the sound of a big band coming through the walls of the tent as I approached. Inside, rescheduled out of the rain, were The Dorset Youth Orchestra, who did a very good job of reading and playing well known big band tunes. A young trumpeter stood out amongst the other young players as being a particularly good trumpeter, and it is indeed encouraging to hear and see young people playing in public in such an accomplished way. Well done to all who have encouraged them to do so, spending their time and enthusiasm, and I would guess not a little money to achieve this result.

David Newton, Alan Barnes and Fred Lindop 

David Newton

Alan Barnes and David Newton, who followed, did the thing they have done for years. Dueting! They first met at music college in Leeds, and have an understanding of each others playing that makes dueting sound easy. It aint! No drums and cymbols to hide behind. No bass player to keep time and position. It was interesting that in there set, they did in fact play mostly tunes from the more traditional era. I think a lot of modern jazz players have forgotten some of these very good tunes.

 The Amazing Percussionist

Next up was a band that I have already written about in my blog when I had come across their CD’s. The Magic Hat Ensemble. They play recognisable tunes, but reconstruct them in a very individual way. Often they are extended into mini symphonies, with various movements included. The Magic Hat ensemble are Steve Chadwick on trumpet (and hat!), Tony Ormesher guitar, Andzrej Baranck piano, and Bob Turner on drums, and it was he, Bob Turner who was the true star of their show. I have never ever seen or heard a jazz percussionist play anything like it. He is truly amazing. And a delight to watch. How he managed to get so much energy into his playing and stay alive is amazing, yet it was always exciting and in place. His overall ability and perfomance it beats me, (no pun intended!). The Magic Hat Ensemble reminded me in their approach of “Back Door”, and like “Back Door” they come form the North of England. Seek them out whilst you may. As an ensemble, they will inevitably go their separate ways eventually, but do try and hear them while you can. It is worth mentioning that they had driven down from Liverpool overnight to perform at Swanage. Once they had woken up, their leaders sense of humour was another great piece of entertainment.

I then did a walkabout to clear the mind, and rest the posterior. I set of eventually for The Methodist Church, intending to be well placed to see our friend Simon Spillett and his quartet. I got there in time to see about ½ hour of the Arun Ghosh Horn and Bass Quartet. I quote from the program notes: “Arun’s music combines music of South Asian origin with a contemporary jazz attitude, rocking urban beats and the passion of punk” Well, the crowd enjoyed them, but I really didn’t think they were in a jazz category. 15 minutes of a one chord Paul Lennon composition is something, in my view, (and it is my blog!), to endure rather than enjoy.

 John Critchinson

Dave, Simon and Clark

The final jazz of the festival for me was Simon Spillett and his Quartet. John Critchinson on piano, Dave Green bass and Clark Tracey on drums. Always excellent, always exciting, and you will be able to hear them with far better acoustics than at the Methodist Church when they come to Hedsor on October 4^th

The blurred sound just didn’t do any of them justice on this occasion. By the way, does anyone else manage to play “Oleo” as fast as Simon?

The Finale for me at this year’s festival was the meal with friends. A group of jazz loving friends (this year there 9 of us) meeting up on the Sunday evening for dinner has become a regular part of my Swanage Festival. We have used The Black Swan for the last 4 years, and it has always been an excellent occasion, with good company and good food. It is a little way away from the usual jazz crowd in the centre of town, and the meal gives us a chance to catch up with each other and share our thoughts on what we have heard over the weekend. Maybe next year you might like to join us. I have reserved space for us again for next time!

And so to end. Well done again to Fred Lindop and his team for battling against extreme conditions, and winning through for all of us to enjoy some superb jazz in an otherwise not so superb summer!

 It Didnt Rain on Tuesday!

But for now, it is back to our usual venues, come rain or shine! Wherever you are, do not let live jazz die.

Geoff C © 2012

The Blog before Dorset

June 30 2012

Many people live in Dorset, the last time they all stood still to be counted their were 715,042 of them!! There is also a lot of space, 1024 square miles of it, much of it beautiful rolling country, and ever since my son lived in Blandford Forum, I have enjoyed my visits to it. Even if it didn’t host the best jazz festival in the UK at Swanage, I would still love to go for my fix of the fresh air, countryside, and Bridport Saturday Market. I am off there again on Monday, therefore I thought I should impart to you as much as I know as to what is happening at Hedsor Jazz whilst I’m away.

Next week we have, as our special guest, Mr John Coverdale. A lovely guitarist in every sense. He will be partnering reed man Mike Wills and backing them our rhythm section will be made up from our usual selection of quality jazz musicians. OK, so I don’t know who exactly, but we are very privileged at Hedsor to get such a selection of musicians in our rhythm section, all of whom would be considered stars in any other club setting. At Hedsor, we just take it all for granted.

We also take the fact that this quality of jazz is at Hedsor Social Club EVERY Thursday and for only £6 a head.

Looking further into my crystal ball I can see that for the two following Thursday you should have the standard Clive Burton Quintet. The last week of the month is a little cloudy, so you will just have to find out by experiment who is on!

The last week of July will also give us competition at Hedsor, in as much as the Ealing Jazz Festival will be running that week.

So, I hope we are all able to enjoy live jazz somewhere or other, at Hedsor, Swanage or Ealing, and that we all stay mud free for our music festivals!

I mentioned in my opening paragraph Bridport Saturday Market. Every Saturday in Bridport they have a mini carnival, with street music and a great market selling all sorts of things, including CD’s!! The last time I was there I picked up some real gems.

Kenny Davern and Dick Wellstood used to play that indefinable jazz, that although rooted in the days of stride piano and pre swing era jazz, still swings and brings joy to the jazz soul. Dick also had the most amazing American accent, and to hear him talk about piano playing brings a smile to all. Sadly he died in 1987, suddenly, in a hotel room. “Kenny Davern found him sitting at his desk. He’d hung up his coat, sat down and, I guess his heart just stopped” so said Joe Muranyi.

The great thing about recordings is that we can still hear the past. On the CD I purchased in Bridport Market, you can also hear Dick and Kenny talking about their music. It’s a great live recording, one I had been looking out for ever since it came out in 1995. You may be able to get a copy, and to hear them play an astounding version of “Summertime” if you can track down “Never in a Million Years” on Challenge Records CHR 70019. It was recorded at The Vineyard Theatre New York in January 1984.

Finally this particular edition of the blog is dedicated to my son Stuart, who died in July, exactly 10 years ago.

It’s about time I did bit more of the little light blogging! After all, I don’t want to make avid readers livid readers do I?

Thursday 21^st at Hedsor Jazz we have, at least as far as I know, the regular Clive Burton Quintet.

Just in a passing comment, wasn’t last weeks “special” with Stuart Henderson and Mike Wills together with our regular rhythm section an absolutely superb offering. Please let “Sister Sadie” and all her friends come again! Well done Mike and Martin for the arrangements, I just wish I had brought my mini disk recorder along. Three of the five might have played those arrangements before, but two others were instantly sight reading to perfection.

I’m off very soon for some light training before the Swanage Jazz Festival, so information of value might be in short supply after July 2^nd, but I believe that Thursday June 28^th will also be by the Clive Burton Quintet at Hedsor Jazz.

Also note worthy is a Marlow Jazz Club gig on Tuesday July 10^th. Anthony Kerr, a really good vibraphone player, will be with them, and can be herd by you for all of £7. 8.30 pm start, British Legion Hall, Marlow will be the place.

The Race for Life.

Many of you I know supported my family's fund raising run on June 10th. My son Stuart died of cancer 10 years ago, so this year all of his female relatives ran 5K as a team.

I am delighted to tell you that as a team SACC Race (Stuart Alan Clifford Cronin) has raised over £2000 for Cancer Research UK.

CD Round!

I have played some CD’s during the last week or so, one in particular I enjoyed very much indeed.

How often do we take our modern jazz pianists for granted? They are just part of the rhythm section aren’t they? It’s the guys at the front blowing that attract all the attention and all the plaudits (or boos!).

But let’s just ponder that a moment. Think of some of those great jazz pianists, and the identifiable sound each has brought to our music. Our own Hedsor Jazz has the benefit of 2 superb pianists in Nigel Fox and Ken McCarthy. We all remember, of course, our lovely Zane. Then there are those we sometimes get to see and hear. Stan Tracey, Leon Greening (at Cookham last year), Dave Newton and many many others that we can still hear live. What about those committed to record? Ellington, Basie, Andre Previn, (yes, listen to the albums he made with just bass, or bass and guitar, in the late 1990’s), Gene Harris and many many more too numerous to mention. You would think that there would be no one else who could add anything to the cannon of jazz pianists.

Then along comes a CD (fished out by me from the “rejected” stock bin) of an American I had never heard of (it is probably me who is ignorant) playing with some very talented guys whom I have also never heard of either, on a label I don’t know, but on a recording that is acoustically superb.

Keith Brown’s CD “Sweet & Lovely” is on Space Time Records (BG1132), a French label. You just go out and buy it, your not having my copy! There are 12 tracks on it in all. On some it is just a trio, with Essiet Okon Essiet on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums accompanying Keith B. On the others he has either Stephan Belmondo on trumpet, on others Baptiste Herbin on alto or soprano saxophone. On one track, they all play.

They play a lot of strong tunes, “The Very Thought of You”, Sophisticated Lady”, What is This Thing Called love”, “All of You” and 8 others, but the pianist adds insights into all of these tunes, enhancing at least my understanding of those tunes. Waking me up to new possibilities in them. The two blowers are good competent players, not outstanding, but very good and the whole is very much greater than the sum of the parts.

Now tell me you have known of Keith Brown for years!

Swanage? If you haven’t booked yet, you may be too late, but do try. Accomodation will probably by now be out of town, but for a wonderful jazz experience, even in the rain, it is the best. http://www.swanagejazz.org/ is the place to start!

  TTFN

A brief Bank Holiday reminder that our first week at Hedsor Jazz at the new admittance charge of £6 will have Britain's Top tenor saxophonist Simon Spillett, together with Clive Burton on trombone, Nigel Fox on keyboard, Martin Hart on drums and Steve Pickings on bass.

Still pretty good value for an evening out! Usual small room start time of 8.30 pm.

Coming up soon on TUESDAY June 19th. at The Old Bell at Wooburn, another evening of dinner jazz (you don't have to dine!) with Clive Burton, Peter Cook on saxophones various, Mike Jeffries on drums, and I believe keyboard and bass as well, but I’m not sure who is booked for this at the moment.

Both gigs will be indoors, out of the rain!

Bank Holiday fun, in the rain!

I am being reminded that we still need you all to "like" the page on Facebook that tells you all about local jazz events :-

https://www.facebook.com/HighWycombeSouthBucksMaidenheadJazzI

TTFN

Geoff