Sorry for this late posting, but life does sometimes get in the way of Hedsor Jazz!

BUT Hedsor Jazz this week will again be without our regular sax section, Mike Wills still being away. However we do have the services of trumpet and flugel horn player Lester Brown.

Clive is still having a problem getting over his cold flu-like bug but is still hoping to be with us tomorrow for a double brass front line!

I must praise last weeks guest Simon Spillett. He performed an excellent job for us, especially as he had to occupy the front line all on his own, Clive being unwell. It gave us an opportunity to fully appreciate his big sound, no PA being available without Clive or Mike. But it was a memorable set, thank you Simon. In a room the size of Hedsor, and a sax sound like Simon’s, no PA made no difference!! It did of course make announcements slightly more difficult and shorter, and the raffle certainly got speeded up!!

I have spent some time this week putting together the program for our Tribute to Ken Rankine in Words and Music to be performed at Cores End Church (post code SL8 5HZ) on Sunday 27^th November at 3pm.

The music will be provided by Clive on trombone, with Robert Goodhew on tenor sax, Ken McCarthy on keyboard, John Monney on bass and Martin Hart on drums, with Gill Cook singing a couple of songs as well. 

Do come along. No charge will be made for entry, and light refreshments will be provided afterwards. We will however take up a retiring collection for The British Heart Foundation, an organisation that Ken actively supported.

Next week we have a welcome return of guitarist Max Brittain. He hasn't been able to get to Hedsor for a time, but he will be back with us next week.

Max at Hedsor in 2010

Don’t forget our Christmas Party on December 22^nd. Tickets (£12 each including buffet) will be available tomorrow at Hedsor.

Yes Hedsor Jazz, at the Hedsor Social Club, is regular, and weekly, even in winter. So do keep supporting live jazz, and keep coming yourselves. Tell your friends, and we will be able to  carry on for another year!

Hedsor and All That Jazz

There are advantages and disadvantages when regular members of Clive Burton’s Quintet decide to take a holiday (even those done at the Queens expense) and for the next few weeks whilst our regular reed section Mike Wills tries to restart the Vietnam War we have 3 guests to keep you entertained.

This Thursday, November 10^th , that wonderful friend of Hedsor Jazz Simon Spillett is bringing his tenor saxophone to keep Clive in his place.

On Thursday November 17^th we have trumpet and flugel horn player Lester Brown coming. He was last at Hedsor on May 30^th 2015, and sadly on that occasion I missed him. (Yes, the railings eventually caught up with me, but that’s community service for you). I hope you will join me in listening to him, this time alongside Clive instead of in place of him.

Then on Thursday November 24^th we have guitarist Max Brittain. It is a while since he was at Hedsor, but this will be a night not to be missed. Just take a look at his website and you will see what we have all been missing :-

http://www.thejazzguitars.co.uk/aboutMaxBrittain.html

                                     

Last Friday a number of us travelled to Portland to say Goodbye to Ken Rankine. It was a sad day, sweetened as all similar events are, by the social contact with friends and family after the internment. 

                                     

A more local event is taking place on November 27^th for all who would like to remember Ken. At Cores End Church a Tribute in Words and Music will be performed from 3pm. All are welcome. There will be no charge for entry, but we will give you the opportunity of donating to one of Ken’s supported charities (The British Heart Foundation). Please do come along. The words and the music will all be live and you will recognise many of the performers. 

This week at Hedsor Jazz will be slightly different. 

A number of us are going to Portland on Thursday for Ken Rankine’s Funeral on Friday, details of which are further down the page.

So, the unusual line-up for this Thursday at Hedsor will be :-

Our stalwart reed section Mike Wills, our ever so stalwart drummer (back from a short stay in a destination of his choice) Martin Hart, our regular keyboard player Nigel Fox.

But with them will be a bass player of fame, Andy Crowdey 

PLUS another great string player, guitarist John Coverdale. 

Andy has not played for us before at Hedsor, I do hope we can all get to hear him at some time in the not too distant future, John of course is a regular guest at Hedsor Jazz.

It should be a different and interesting sound. Sadly, I will be one of those not there, but I do hope many of you go along to make up the missing numbers.

For those who are going to travel to Portland, details of Ken’s funeral are:-

Friday 4^th November 2016

11am  service at All Saint’s Church,  1 Straits, Easton, Portland, Dorset, DRT5 1HG

There is a small car park or you can park at Tesco’s car park off Easton Square – permission is granted

12pm   burial    Portland Cemetery, Weston Road, Portland, which is next to St. George’s Church  (church address, at top of Reforne and on Wide Street, DT5 2JP . If preferred not to go to the burial, you can go directly to the blues club:-

after,  Portland Blues Football Club, New Grove Corner, Grove Road, Portland, DT5 1DP

there is plenty of parking in football club car park

Any donations to the British Heart Foundation which Ken helped with. Donations can be given on the day to the funeral director, or sent to their office  Rose Funeral Service, 23 Shrubbery Lane, Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9LY  tel 01305 785832 or donations can be made on line to the head office of the British Heart Foundation. If preferred donations can be made to any cancer charity.

For those who are unable to go to Portland there will be 2 other events to enable you to pay tribute to Ken.

The first will be at Cores End Church

The second will be at The Drayton Court Hotel, 2 The Avenue, Ealing, London, W13 8PH and will be organised by Dick Esmond, organiser of the Sound of Seventeen Big Band that Ken was the bass player for since it started. It will be on the evening of Wednesday November 30^th. 

If travelling take care, and until we meet again

TTFN

Geoff C

Hedsor Jazz meets again this week, but with no extra guests like last week. Only our regular deputy drummer Mike Jeffries appearing in place of Martin Hart.

Our new entry fee of £7 lets you in at our old start time of 8.30pm. Good music and good company will then follow, as is usual for a Hedsor Thursday.

Last weeks session with guests, saxophonist Robert Goodhew and singer Judy Vaughn, was one of our really special nights at Hedsor, something a Hedsor evening can sometimes spring upon you. So don’t stay at home thinking you have heard the band before. Come and hear them again (and again and again) as you never know when the magic will take place.

Judy I had not heard before, and an accomplished singer she really is, singing songs of a slightly 1940’s vain, whilst Robert is improving all the time. In my view he is someone who needs to be kept an eye on. (As probably does his new young 2-month-old addition to the family! Congratulations to Robert and Anna).

I have done a bit more copying of tapes to CD this month in order to make them more accessible here in Cronin Towers, (yes I had to go into the loft to find some of them), but the CD that has delighted me most this week has been one that I had had half of before!!

Duke Ellington was the author of the remark and the tune “It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Aint Got That Swing”, and he knew how to make a big band swing, and of the musical elements you need to make the big band in the first place. He had a number of key musicians in his orchestra that helped to give that Ellington sound and one of those was alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges.

I was a dedicated trad jazz man in the late 40’s early 50’s, and Johnny Hodges was the man and sound that won me over to liking and “tolerating” the saxophone, followed closely nearer to home by Bruce Turner.

I have had the LP of “everybody knows JOHNNY HODGES” since 1965. It is a wonderful album of Ellingtonian musicians, but NOT under the leadership of the Duke! Slightly different arrangements are played of “The Jeep is Jumpin’”, “Main Stem” and “Open Mike”, but the CD that came my way this week (first released as such in 1992) has added to it music from another LP that was recorded under the leadership of Laurence Brown, Dukes trombonist. Recorded a year later (as “Inspired Abandon”) it does have mostly the same Ellington musicians, but with a few variations, and again the tunes are slightly rearranged Ellington standards. Its just as good as the first LP, and as I didn’t have the original LP, so what a bonus! This excellent combination of music and musicians was issued still as “everybody knows JOHNNY HODGES” on the GRP label  GRP11162. The artwork on the front is as the first LP, so you may well have passed it over if you had seen the reissued CD in a shop (obviously I am talking of the past, there are very few shops selling CD’s any more). Don’t let it escape now!

TTFN

Geoff C

This coming week at Hedsor Jazz has a very exciting prospect indeed

Yes, our regular band (now with John Monney as our bass player) is good, and last week (my first for weeks) they were exceptionally good (or does absence make the heart grow fonder?). But on the Thursdays where painting railings (a good community service thing to do) takes one of our regular players away, something a bit different can titillate the ear buds!! And this week it will excite!

Barbadian singer Judy Vaughn will be singing for us.

I managed to miss her last time she was at Hedsor (Yes, I was in hospital), but I know from a number of you how much you enjoyed her singing. 

We also have, just to keep Clive company at the front, and to add to the harmonies, that wonderfully toned young saxophonist Robert Goodhew (http://www.robertgoodhew.com).

One final personnel change this week (for another painter of railings and photographer, Martin Hart), is Mike Jeffries who will be our drummer this week.

We had a good crowd last week, and I didn’t get the chance to meet the new ones, so I do hope you all come again this Thursday for our new entry fee of only £7. 8.30pm start, bar open from 7pm

This week on my home stereo I have been busy listening to some old cassette tapes, and dubbing them into MP3 format to make it easier to listen again in the future. It made me realise what a rich musical heritage we have. Music created years ago can be played at home almost as though the performers were with you now.

I have checked on line, and I don’t think Tommy Smith playing “STANDARDS” is available new now. It comes from 1991, and was recorded by him in Oslo. I have had it on cassette tape from a about 1991, and it is timeless playing. With him are Neils Lan Doky on piano, Mick Hutton on bass and Ian Froman on drums. It is clean, melodic, modern jazz. I am delighted to have liberated the tape. The tunes include “Star Eyes”, “Speak Low”, “Night and Day”, “You’ve Changed” and 10 others. Do search it out, try the charity shops, but watch what you pay for it. I did notice one online shop asking over £40 for it!

The next buried treasure released from my cassette archives goes back slightly further to 1966/7. Benny Goodman recorded at a set of live performances in The Rainbow Room, part, according to my cassette, of Yale University’s Music Library. As well as BG it has some remarkable musicians alongside him. Zoot Sims, Joe Newman, George Duvivier in 1967, and Herbie Hancock and Less Span from 1966. The earlier tracks also have a singer, Annette Saunders, who is “OK”, which probably dams her with faint praise! The 67 tracks are however a great listen.

My last listen from off tape came to me very recently already on CD! Our regular drummer, Martin Hart, as a young man in the mid 1960’s played with a band called “John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and although not on this recording, he is listed as a member of that band on their web site. The band evolved in the 60’s to become Fleetwood Mac. This CD is from tapes that were kind of bootlegged, being recorded very much live in various clubs in 1967 on a punters reel to reel machine. The band as recorded includes guitarist Peter Green, with John McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums. John Mayel sings and plays an Organ.

Yes, I did hear them in the 1960’s, and was only talking with Martin about that band a week before I went into hospital. The CD landed on my mat for me to hear when I came out. It has a really snappy title of “John Mayell’s Bluesbreakers Live in 1967” and can be found on Forty Below Records FBR 013

KEN RANKINE

Ken at Hedsor in 2012

I have just received details of Ken Rankine's funeral from his sister Linda. They are as follows:-

FUNERAL ARRANGMENTS

FRIDAY 4^TH NOVEMBER 2016

11AM  SERVICE AT ALL SAINT’S CHURCH,  1 STRAITS, EASTON, PORTLAND, DORSET, DT5 1HG

SMALL CARPARK OR CAN PARK AT TESCO CARPARK OFF EASTON SQUARE – PERMISSION IS GRANTED

12PM   BURIAL PORTLAND CEMETARY, WESTON ROAD, PORTLAND,  NEXT TO ST. GEORGE’S CHURCH  (CHURCH ADDRESS AT TOP OF REFORNE AND ON WIDE STREET, DT5 2JP  - IF PREFERED NOT TO GO TO THE BURIAL, CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE BLUES CLUB

AFTER:-

PORTLAND BLUES FOOTBALL CLUB, NEW GROVE CORNER, GROVE ROAD, PORTLAND, DT5 1DP

PLENTY OF PARKING IN FOOTBALL CLUB CARPARK

ANY DONATIONS TO THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION WHICH KEN HELPED WITH. DONATIONS CAN BE GIVEN ON THE DAY TO THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR, OR SENT TO THEIR OFFICE,  ROSE FUNERAL SERVICE, 23 SHRUBBERY LANE, WYKE REGIS, WEYMOUTH, DORSET, DT4 9LY  TEL 01305 785832 

OR DONATIONS CAN BE MADE ON LINE TO HEAD OFFICE OF THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

OR IF PREFERRED DONATIONS CAN BE TO ANY CANCER CHARITY

However you remember him, I'm sure he will not be forgotten.

Geoff C

HEDSOR JAZZ 

is still operating (to everyone's joy) every Thursday even at the slightly increased price of £7. This week will be another week with the regular band and if you have never heard this band (shame on you) why not take the opportunity on Thursday to visit and enjoy tuneful swinging jazz, with a sprinkling of humour and, dare I say, virtuosity!

During my enforced period of home based relaxation (!) I have listened again to a CD I listened to first a month or so ago, and it is so good, and such fun, that I thought I would nag on about it again!

"Down in the Deep Deep Blue" by The Man Overboard Quintet is brilliantly recorded, and will give your Hi Fi a good massage, the musicians are incredibly together and clean sounding, the enthusiasm for their music is obvious, and yet again, I had to smile. On the three counts they are good, good, and good!!

Manouche in style they may well be, but their choice of material goes way past Django's! "Please Don't talk About Me When I'm Gone" introduces the CD, and the voice of Louisa Jones, a lady I have not met, but maybe I will seek her out. She has a very attractive "cold" pure presentation, which suites the songs beautifully. The CD is available on the Champs Hill Records label as CHRCD089

One final plug for live music. I was email yesterday by Mike Jeffires:-

Evening Everybody,

I would just like to remind you all that tomorrow Tuesday 4th Oct we have the 2nd airing of the band "In The Pocket" at Bourne End Community Centre in Bourne End starting at 8.00 - 10 .30, We will be playing a mix of music from some standards but mostly more funky stuff from the likes of Stevie Wonder , Paul Simon, Billy Joel and others.

The musicians are ; Martin Pickett on Organ and vocals, Jez Cooke - guitar, John Monney- Bass guitar, Mike Wills Sax and myself on the Four Skins and a mike. It is only £5 .00 on the door including raffle and nibbles so please come and support live music because when it's gone you will be left with discos and rapp and what could be worse than that ( well perhaps Punk) even if it is live, well only just.


Hope to see you all.

Sadly I wont be able to be there, but perhaps you could take my place!! It's a bargain price, especially to hear Jez Cook again.

Until I see you all,

TTFN

Geoff C

KEN RANKINE

It is with great sadness and regret that I have to tell you that Ken died peacefully this morning at about 4am at his new home in Weymouth. He was with the nursing staff who had looked after him for the past week or so.

I am sure we will all miss him, and want to remember him both as a friend and as a wonderful bass player. More details of a time when we can all share our memories of him will come later. In the meantime we must remember in our thoughts and prayers his long term partner Sue, and his sister Linda who are both currently in Portland.

Please let others know of his passing, and of any further information that may come via blog or email from me.

Geoff Cronin

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

KEN

Only a few words of blog from me this week.

I am still basically house bound, with the prospect of another hospital visit to be looked forward to (yes, I do mean looked forward to, as a resolution of my current problems would be very welcome)!

I gather that last Thursdays evening with Al Nicholls was a big success. One of the nurses who dealt with me last Thursday in A&E knew of “Blue Harlem” a band that Al runs! It’s a small world, as she was also involved in Motor Car Racing (another activity I used to be involved with).

As mentioned a few blogs ago, our Christmas Special this year is on December 22^nd. I am delighted to announce that we will have a very special guest with us for this party. Trombonist Roy Williams, ex Alex Welsh, Ex Humphrey Lyttelton is coming to keep Clive Company. A few other surprise guest may well also appear, so do please ensure you put this date in your diary NOW so that you don’t forget to come!

By now, you will be aware that we have had to increase our usual weekly entry fee. Hedsor Jazz is available to you now for the still very manageable sum of £7.

Roy Williams at Swanage this year

OK, keep the live jazz flag flying whilst I’m away.

Geoff C

Hedsor Jazz and All That

This week we have our usual quintet at Hedsor, and I must say that last week they were very good with tight ensembles and good tunes played! I'm sure this week will be of similar quality so do yourselves a favour etc etc!

Al Nicholls

Next week (September 22^nd) Hedsor Jazz will have a very special guest. Saxophonist Al Nichols of Blue Harlem fame (http://www.alnicholls.co.uk) is coming to join Clive and the band. Al has been a featured guest of the band since Century Jazz days, and it will be a super evening I’m sure. Sadly, I wont be able to see him as I have an appointment with a surgeon on Monday 19^th September!!

As you heard last week, the rent we pay for the room has been increased. After discussions with Jazz Angels treasurer John Dutton it has been decided that from the beginning of October (Thursday 7^th) after many years of a £6 entry fee, we are going to have to increase our entrance charge to £7. To somewhat offset this, we will no longer be passing the pot round for voluntary room rent contributions.

Hedsor Jazz sessions are still incredibly good value, the entry fee includes our wonderful raffle, free car parking and candlelight as well as quality live modern jazz.

Sarah Moule

John Coverdale and Nigel Fox

Cores End Church. An Engraving circa 1982

Away from Hedsor, but not that far away, coming up this Saturday September 17^th Cores End Church in Bourne End is hosting a jazz concert featuring singer Sarah Moule. Also taking part will be Mark Aston on saxophone, John Coverdale on guitar, Nigel Fox on keyboard, John Monney on bass and Mike Jeffries on drums. Originally this had been planed with Ken Rankine and the line up chosen by him but sadly he wont be able to be with us. 

Ken Rankine

Ken is still in Dorchester General Hospital and may soon be transferred to a hospice.

Since the stroke he had 3 week ago he has lost a lot of his ability to communicate, being unable to use his phone, read, or enjoy his Walkman. I hope to record the concert at Cores End and eventually get it to him so that he can hear the concert that he helped to set up.

Tickets for this concert are still available. If you come to Hedsor this week, I still have a few, but sales will continue at the Bourne End Gifts and Card Shop and also on the door on the night. The £10 ticket also includes a glass of wine at half time, and some nibbles to go with it.

So, whilst the music is still available and you can still hear it, why not keep supporting live jazz.

See you next time.

Geoff C

After some summer weeks of jazz excitement, we are back to our “normal” quartet this week. No, it wont be an anticlimax, but this week we will have the added comfort of Mike Wills familiar face, and multi reed musicianship!!

Tracey and Mike in August this year

The past few of week have included Tracey Mendham, Stuart Henderson with “Tolly”, and then, last week, Simon Spillett.

Stuart and Tolly with Clive and Tina May, Christmas 2013

Simon Spillett with Clive at Christmas 2008

It just goes to show that our “little” jazz enterprise at Hedsor does attract some pretty wonderful musicians. We know how good The Clive Burton Quintet is, the world knows how good Simon Spillett is and they are beginning to discover Stuart and Tolly, but all the above enjoy the atmosphere of Hedsor Jazz, and come and play for a very small amount of money.

Coming soon is another saxophonist who has been associated with the band in all its forms for a long time. I first saw him at The Cookham Tavern (now a Costa Coffee Shop) back in the 1990’s and I saw Al Nicholls last at The Swanage Jazz Festival, where he had the fabulous trombone player (from the Alex Welsh and Humphrey Lyttleton Bands) Roy Williams alongside him.

He will be coming to join Clive Burton and the rest of our band on September 22^nd. Al was featured on the double CD album that was recorded at Norden Farm Arts Centre in a concert that was a tribute to the late Keith Vitty.

Before Al’s reunion with the band on the 22nd, but not at Hedsor, we have some familiar faces playing and supporting the wonderful singer Sarah Moule. On Saturday September 17^th a very special concert will be played at Cores End United Reformed Church, Bourne End, from 8pm, see advert below.

For me and for most of those taking part, it will be bitter sweet. It was originally arranged with Ken Rankine, who as most of you now know, is terminally ill and in hospital in Dorchester General Hospital in Dorset. He chose the band and the singer. I would like as many of you who can come to come and enjoy the evening and silently pay tribute to Ken by enjoying the music he enjoyed being part of. 

Tickets (£10 each) are available from me at Hedsor on a Thursday, or from The Bourne End Gifts and Cards Shop. Do let people know about this event and help us fill this Georgian church. The acoustics are pretty good, and Mark Aston, the leader of the band on the night, has arranged a great program.

TTFN (look it up!),

Geoff C

I have been remise,

for the past 2 weeks I have not written a blog!! Things other than jazz have rather taken over!!

Some very good jazz has been listened to at Hedsor in that time of course, last week with Stuart Henderson and Tolly being “just one of those things”.

And without doubt this week will be NO exception. For at Hedsor Jazz on Thursday we have as a special guest that award-winning saxophonist Simon Spillett. He will be joining Clive and the band just to be part of our Hedsor Jazz Scene. No special build up, no posters, no advanced ticket sales, and no bumped up price either. Just one of those nice events that Hedsor Jazz is becoming renowned for.

Simon on an earlier visit to Hedsor

 I was asked last week if we were going to have a Christmas Special this year. Yes, and it will be on December 22^nd. I’m sure that there will be food, and tickets, and special guests, so make sure you have it in your diary, and if you plan to be away for Christmas, go the following day!!

Sadly, someone who has always been at our Christmas events every year in the past as a member of the band, Ken Rankine, will not be able to be with us this year. Some of you are by now aware that Ken’s illness has taken a turn for the worst, and he is back in Dorchester General Hospital in the Stroke Ward. After a period of confusion initially thought to be caused by his need for morphine, he had another scan and blood clots were discovered in his brain. Sue will be returning to Portland on Friday to be near to him again.

CD’s Listened to.

I have had great enjoyment this past couple of weeks in listening to two young British bands.

A Quartet called “Echoes of Swing” generated a broad smile to my face. They are great players with a crisp sound and they do swing. Colin T. Dawson trumpet and vocals, Chris Hopkins alto sax, Bernd Lhozky keyboard and Olive Mewes drums bring a refreshing change to those great old (traditional?) tunes. They have definitely taken a good look at the repertoire. My favourite from this disk is Bechet’s “Premier Bal”, but equally well they bring dancing steps to “Moonlight Serenade”  and the “Original Dixieland One Step”. All in all they are great fun. ACT 9103-2 is the disk number.

The other British jazz group has one more member than “Echoes of Swing”. It is by “The Man Overboard Quintet” and they follow in the manouche tradition, with Thomas Gould violin, Jean-Marie Fagon guitar, Louisa Jones vocals, Ewan Bleach clarinet and Dave O’Brien double bass. They swing, and again generated in me a broad smile. They say of their material on this album that it “..ranges from early 1920’s (New Orleans Wiggle) to the mid-1950’s (Sister Sadie). Hot swing, torch songs, raw blues, and a little ragtime….and all can be found Down in the Deep, Deep Blue”. And “Down in the Deep Deep Blue” is the title of the album available on Champs Hill Records CHRCD089

So there you have it (or not, as the case may be). Live jazz, unpredictable exciting and “never the same way once”, or recorded music you can listen to at home, where you get to know every note. You can of course have it all. Come and be sociable and support live jazz, especially at THE HEDSOR SOCIAL CLUB.

TOMORROW

At Hedsor Jazz, we are going to try and bring some joy into this years summer. So, as a celebration, we will have some buffet food PLUS in addition to our regular Clive Burton Quintet TWO very special guest musicians:-

The Lady Saxophonist with the Big Sound, and even bigger heart TRACEY MENDHAM

And playing with her for the very first time, that amazing young at heart vibraphone player ALAN GRAHAME.

To make sure we have enough time for all this we are starting at 8 PM but we are only charging our regular entry fee of £6, which of course includes a raffle ticket for our renowned raffle.

Advanced Notice

On August 25^th by very special request we have a return visit of trumpeter Stuart Henderson and with him will be his saxophonist friend TOLLY. This will be another night of not to be missed exciting jazz music. And again, another night that will only cost you £6 to get in. Tell your friends, NO, bring your friends. These two will be again augmenting our regular Clive Burton Quintet, so it will be a big sound in Hedsor's big room.

Another 

Advanced Notice

I have been asked to organise another jazz concert at Cores End Church, and as well as many familiar faces from Hedsor Jazz my special guest is singer Sarah Moule. Tickets are £10 each (and I do have some to sell you) and will include interval refreshments. The musical director will be saxophonist Mark Aston. This concert has no hidden agenda, we just need to break even, so do come and support local live jazz. Sarah Moule is a really great singer, if you haven’t heard her before please don’t miss this opportunity.

Ken Rankine

Ken has been able to take on food this week, and is fast approaching getting to 9 stone in weight., Although still on morphine, he has been able to have a couple of outings during this warm weather which has cheered him up no end. 

The concert at Cores End Church would have had him playing, as the flyers states, but just in case he isn't able to make it, we have booked John Monney as a dep. for the gig.

Private Listening

At home this week I have listened to a tribute CD to that great saxophonist Benny Carter. All the tunes played are songs written by him, but played by a quintet led by Warren Vache. It’s on the Arbors Jazz label and therefore very well recorded. With Warren are Houston Person on tenor sax, that lovely lady bass player Nicki Parrott, Tardo Hammer on piano and Leroy Williams on drums. On the album you will recognise at least 2 tunes that are played by our own regular Hedsor Jazz Quintet. “A Walking Thing” and “Doozy”. It’s a very enjoyable album, ARCD 19446

Those of you who are unfamiliar with Benny Carter's jazz standing, go and have a listen to what I have as an LP (that's a round lump of vinyl about 12" diameter) called "Further Definitions", an album he released in 1966. Basically a saxophone quartet with a rhythm section, absolutely great.

OK so I know that you don’t actually have to own a CD to listen to the music any more, but I for one like looking at the booklet notes, something you don’t get with a Spotify stream!!

These days you not only have to campaign to keep live jazz alive, you have to prod to get jazz CD’s!!

See you soon.

This Week at Hedsor Jazz

This week we should see back our reed section in the shape (and sound) of Mike Wills. Our bass player this week will be John Monney.

Last week was interesting, with 3 deps out of a quintet, leaving just Clive and Martin from the standard lineup. However it was all good fun. In fact everyone played exceedingly well. Kelvin Christiane added a bit of variety to the evening with both flute and soprano saxophone being added to the mix.

Kelvin Christiane

Alan Berry

It was nice to see Alan Berry again. He was one of the first pianist I used to see when I first moved out of London. He was the keyboard player with "The Lenny Best Quartet" in Maidenheads "The Bell" back in the 1970's. A few years of really great jazz, with good named guest musicians every Tuesday. Tubby Hayes played one of his last gigs with Lenny in "The Bell". He only had strength to play sitting down, but gave a master class that I for one have never forgotten.

News of Ken Rankine

Ken is now out of hospital and since Monday back at his Portland cottage home . Sue is with him. He had a stent inserted into his oesophagus to enable food to get past the tumour, and has been able to eat soft food and to take on board fluids. He would like to thank all who have signed and/or sent cards. Although still on morphine to control his pain, he is hoping to gain strength now he can take some food again but is taking things a day at a time. He has even tried for a few minutes to play an upright bass again and says it seems it is a bit like being a beginner again!

I'm sure we all wish him well, but do keep him and Sue in your thoughts and prayers.

Next week? Well Tracey Mendham, Alan Grahame, and food!! You cant miss August 11th!

(the above photos are courtesy of Geoff Swaffield).

A Bit more Blog as promised

But sadly not the sort I like to write.

Ken Rankine has very sadly now been diagnosed as being terminally ill. The cancer has already spread to both his liver and his lungs. After the insertion of a stent to enable some food to pass into his stomach (scheduled for tomorrow) he will be returning to his cottage on Portland and to the care of Sue.

Ken at Hedsor in 2010

Equally sadly many of new knew Harriet Wilson, who sadly died 3 weeks ago in an accident at home. The Maidenhead Advertiser has now published details of the funeral, which I reproduce below. 

This photo of her is from my collection

This Week at Hedsor Jazz

A brief (but hopefully informative) blog this week, mainly to tell you that we have a return visit of saxophonist Kelvin Christiane, our regular man having found temporary alternative employment!! You can read a bit about Kelvin in London Jazz News, see link below.

http://www.londonjazznews.com/2014/06/cd-review-kelvin-christiane-and-friends.html

There are other pages on the internet about Kelvin, have a search!

Ken Rankine

I hope to have more news about Ken Rankine before Thursday. As many of you know Ken has been diagnosed with Cancer of the oesophagus and is currently in Dorchester General Hospital. He was due to have another endoscopy examination yesterday to try to look past the blockage that has caused him so much discomfort in this past few weeks. This will enable a better idea of what treatment he needs to be established. We all wish him a very speedy recovery, and in the meantime we at Hedsor can look forward to a whole array of deputy bass players.

Future Jazz Events

Dont forget there are also 2 splendid future jazz events for you to look forward to.

August 11th has Tracey Mendham and Alan Grahame playing Hedsor together, and together for the very first time!! There will be a light buffet, and all for the normal entry price of £6

On September 17th there is a concert featuring singer Sarah Moule in Cores End Church. She will be singing alongside some faces you may have seen before at Hedsor. Tickets will be available soon at £10 each

More perhaps later in the week, but I thought I should encourage you to come this week to ensure that you do all keep Live Jazz ALIVE!!

This Week  at Hedsor Jazz

Despite the hot weather, Hedsor Jazz is still cool!!

And this week will be with almost the regular band.

Ken Rankine is still poorly, and we have back with us again John Monney on bass. John was the original bass player with Keith Vitty’s Century Jazz, which morphed into The Clive Burton Quintet.

The story is a bit complicated. Originally the Clive Burton Quintet was formed just before Keith died, and did not play in the same venues as Century Jazz. It’s first gig was in Hedsor’s Garibaldi pub (Century Jazz Played the Fifield Inn, and The Cookham Tavern).

The personnel were not the same, and for a while the only difference between the two bands was the rhythm section. Clive’s Band always had Martin Hart as the drummer (Keith Vitty was Century Jazz’s drummer), and Clive’s original keyboard player was the late Zane Cronje (Century Jazz had Roger Munns). Bass was Ken Rankine. After Keiths death in 2002 Martin was the drummer for both bands, but upon our establishment in Hedsor , the name (and therefore the personnel of the band) became The Clive Burton Quintet. However, the bands repertoire (book!) has been the same, and in its present regular form the band has been playing at The Hedsor Social Club for over 5 years. In all Clive Burton’s Quintet has been playing every Thursday in Hedsor for 14 years. SO, it is good to see one of Keith Vitty’s band (John Monney) back with Clive again this week, as he was last!!

One of the Variations of the Band!!

Keith Vitty

 

Zane Cronje

And we have a future!! On August 11^th we celebrate again MY survival! And to help me do so both musically and outrageously, we had both Tracey Mendham coming, and Alan Grahame too. See the poster. Please advertise this event as widely as possible, it would be good to see some of the original fans back with us again. Like most parties, there will be some food, but no bag of goodies for you to take home!

Advance Advertising.

On September 17^th Cores End Church is promoting a jazz concert with Singer Sarah Moule as the star guest. See the artwork below.

Cores End Church is in Hawkes Hill, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5HZ