I am delighted to be able to tell you that our first guest at Hedsor in 2008 will be wonderful young saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos. Clive Burton will be, as usual, in charge of the ensemble (and his trombone), and we launch 2008's Jazz at Hedsor season at 8.30 pm on Thursday January 3rd. Usual door and raffle charges apply.

Please tell as many people as you can, the notice is short, and it would be great to see as many people there as we had for our Christmas Party.

Lets keep live jazz alive at Hedsor (in the Social Club).

Happy New Year to you all,

Geoff C

It's almost here. That day in December that we have waited for with baited breath (even "Good Bait"ed breath), the day we have saved that last ounce of energy for from the rush of present buying,.

Yes I do mean that The Hedsor Jazz Christmas Party will at last be with us on Thursday!!

So, do come, bring friends, and enjoy the music of the Clive Burton Quartet, plus special Guests Mike Wills on reeds and John Coverdale on guitar. £5 entry, and your ticket will gain you half time light nosh, and a strip of raffle tickets!! With some excellent prizes on offer!! It all kicks off at 8.30 pm.

BUT still on the journey to Hedsor, you could take in another special night at The Harrow in Hughenden Valley, because on Wednesday 19th, singer Lynn Garner has "snared" (her word) that wonderful pianist Ray Poole, and that legendary bass player Harvey Weston!! The evening starts at 8.30 pm, food is available beforehand, and even better, the music is FREE.

After that what can I say... well, Lynn is also back at The Harrow on Saturday 22nd December with one of her Comedy Nights, accompanied by Zane Cronje on keyboard and Brad Lang on bass. And that's all before the turkey is trotted out on December 25th! (He might not be too trotting by then perhaps).

On December 27th There will be a stragglers convention at Hedsor for those who are able to make it, and as that includes the band, I don't know who will be playing, but if your at a loose (tube) end, do come along.

Joking aside (if I was?) don't forget that to keep live music alive, we need to have people turn out to create that most elusive of all things, an audience. So do please try and support the live music venues that are around. Next year we will need them even more than this.

And one of the events that will perhaps encourage you to brave the January weather is Cookham's fabulous Shirtlifters evening of Winter Ineluctability at Pinder Hall on January 26th. Knobble Charles Benson for a ticket before he flogs them all, he usually does!

So, through the dark and cold of this last winter week, what have I discovered to listen to?

I was staggered as I tidied my workshop (OK, some of you have seen my garage, so no rude comments please). I put on a CD called "Maria Juanez", thinking it was going to be another world music CD (we know they make ideal raffle prizes), but NO. It is a big band CD, with an ensemble led by Brad Leali (whom I'm sad to say I had never heard of) on Alto, with a trumpet section led by Jon Faddis. Its truly amazing. Slightly anarchic in a carnival sort of way, but with a band that swings without caution. Its on a Swiss label "TOB The Montreux Jazz Label" and has lots of original compositions, and some familiar ones (Pink Panther for one). It really should be yours if you like big band jazz. As usual, the cover art will be on the blogg, the number is TOB 26902

Its time for a short rest now between drinks, so that's it for now, except to wish all of you a Very Special Christmas and health and wealth for 2008.

Geoff C

Todays Nag will be short!! I'm behind with my Christmas letters!!

BUT it has been decided that The Guitar Jazz night, scheduled for MONDAY 17th, will be CANCELLED, due to the band (James Fenn etc) getting better paid work over Christmas!! The nerve of it I ask you.

They will however come to play for us next on Monday 21st January. AND, they have promised to rehearse for that too. Their guest artist will be announced later, but put it in your diary, as these evenings have certainly been full of quality music.

A reminder for you too that This Thursday at Hedsor we have again that very melodious saxophone player John Rolls. Wasn't he good last week.

Don't forget to buy your tickets for our Christmas Party on December 20th. £5 will get you in, feed you with mince pies, and give you a raffle ticket. The music will be provided by Clive Burton and his merry (by then) men, with guests Mike Wills and John Coverdale (Sax and Guitar respectively). Don't wait too long, as the room doesn't hold too many people! I would hate to turn you out into the snow. You may even have to seek refuge in a stable and go home via Egypt!

For the somnambulant amongst you after Christmas, there will be a session at Hedsor on December 27th. WE NEVER CLOSE!

AND if that wasn't enough, Cookhams Fabulous Shirtlifters are, even as I write, practicing for their Evening of Winter Ineluctability (January 26th). You have GOT to be there (Pinder Hall,tickets from Mr Charles Benson!).

TTFN

Geoff C

Just a little reminder, and an alteration to my list of last week.

Al Nicholls has email to say that the King & Castle gigs for December are as follows:

5th & 12th - Al Nicholls Trio with the venerable Rex Bennett and Bob Haddrell.
19th - Jeff Williams Trio
and the King & Castle is at Thames St. Windsor, it takes place from 6.30 - 9.30pm, and admission is free.

Unfortunately, Al has found better paid employment for this Thursday (Yes, some clubs do pay musicians more than 2/6d!), and his place at Hedsor will be taken by sax man John Rolls.

On December 20th, at Hedsor, it has been decided that we will only charge £5 for the Christmas Party tickets (which will be on sale this coming Thursday), and our Guests will be John Coverdale on guitar and Mike Wills on all the saxophones!! Do come yourself, and try and bring a friend. (No, its not a bring and buy sale). It will be a great opportunity to let others who haven't experienced our friendly club atmosphere and wonderful music to see and hear it at its festive best. The ticket price will include a Festive Feast, AND a strip of raffle tickets!! The prizes will also be of a present quality!

TTFN

Geoff C

If you read this from the email nag, you will see that I have attached the program for December. If you can print it out (best from the PDF file) and give it to someone not on our email list whom you think would be interested it would help us "spread the word" about our local jazz events. Please read it yourself, put the dates in your diary, and do everyone a favour, and come out to some of the best live music in the Bucks and Berks area. I wont waste the space by repeating what's on this week, you can read it from the attachments

I have done some CD listening this week too.

The first is a knockout CD, in more than one sense. Many of you know that I get CD's in to recycle, and sometimes, they don't get new owners. From time to time, I go through the boxes of orphaned CD's and have a listen to those that are left behind ( I can hear your tears already)! Harry Connick jr isn't everyone's idea of a great jazz singer, and some of you can only remember him as a member of the crew of Memphis Belle (in the film!). He does originate from New Orleans and when you see an album titled "Chanson du Vieux Carre" with a lot of trad tunes on it like Panama, Petite Fleur and That's a Plenty, you think it will be, perhaps, not to your task. YOU WOULD BE WRONG. Its a terrific big band album that sounds like Stan Kenton meets Dr John. The musicianship is breathtaking, and the recording will definitely try (out) your Hi Fi. Go and buy it and make yourself happy Marsalis Music 0874946000628. I'm sure they make those CD Numbers that long as a punishment and as an excuse for getting you in the latest Mrs Mills album by mistake!

Another new release (Yes, the Connick album was released this year), is much closer to home. We have probably all seen Alan Barnes at some time or another (especially those who go to the annual Swanage Jazz Festival), and many of you will have seen trumpet virtuoso Bruce Adams. A few will even have seen them both on the same stage. So for those who have happy memories of that last on that list, and for those of you who have missed them altogether (where have you been?), "Spontaneous Combustion" is especially for you. Not just high notes, not just lots of notes, but wonderfully controlled playing that will leave you with a silly grin on your face when you've played it. S C is a tune by Cannonball Adderly, as is the closing track"Cannonball". In between are 8 other tracks that show just how well British musicians can play. Oh there is also one of those Hercule Poirot Frenchmen (A Belgian!), playing piano as well. Very well in fact! His name is Pascal Michaux. Go out and order it, its on Alan's own Woodville label, so you can be assured that you will be feeding his children with its purchase. It came to me without a cover, so I don't have a (telephone) number for it at all!!

Cover art on the blog (is anyone still on dial up?). I'll write again after my trip to Kings Lynn to see The Humph Band!!

TTFN

Geoff C
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com/

PS if you would like to see one of the images shown above in a larger format, right mouse click on the image and open it in a new window.

Hi Folks,

Don't forget we have a special Monday presentation for you tonight at The Hedsor Social Club. None other than Dave O'Higgins (saxophone) is coming and joining up with some of his old friends, James Fenn on guitar, and Lisa Amato on bass, together with Nick Marangoni on drums.Entry £5, NO RAFFLE! Start time around 8.30 pm

Come and support, not local jazz, but Jazz locally!!

Geoff C

Just a short reminder that we have guitarist Max Brittain with us at Hedsor on Thursday (15th November).
For those who don't know anything about Max, he studied guitar at Leeds College of Music and has appeared at all the worlds major concert venues. He has played with such divers people as Georgie Fame, Terry Lightfoot and Charlie Byrd.

We also have a special rhythm section for the event. All our regular band, together with Clive, are playing at a better paid gig this week, but we have put together something rather special:-

On Keyboard will be Jeff Clark
On Drums will be Malcome Potter,
and on bass "hop along" Ken Rankine! Yes, Ken will be doing a full stint for us, complete with Zimmer frame.

Something else rather special is happening at Hedsor next MONDAY (19th November).

We have Dave O'Higgins coming to play his tenor sax for us with James Fenn, Lisa Amato, with another guest drummer (who will it be I wonder?).

All in all an amazing night in prospect, whether its the Thursday or the Monday, at Hedsor, the social club next to the Garden Centre! Both gigs start at 8.30 pm. Thursday will cost you a minimum of £3, Monday £5.

You can find out a lot more about Dave O'Higgins by looking at his website:-

http://www.blogger.com/

Sandwiched between the two gigs above, is another chance to see our very own, and now in good repair, multi instrumentalist, Mike Wills, with Century Jazz at The Fifield Inn on Sunday night 25th November.

So, there is no reason to stay home!!

A copy of the poster for the O'Higgins event is included above, if you have access to a place to display it, perhaps you would print it off, put it up and encourage others to come, many thanks.( if you double click on the image, it will be shown larger than in the blog, wherupon, you can copy and print!!).

TTFN

Geoff C

Hi,

Some of you have pointed out that the link for the warren vache performance on You Tube doesn't work.

If you go to http://www.youtube.com/

and search for warren vache, Limehouse Blues, the track in question, is the first on the list.

It's well worth the effort, do take a look. Then spend some time looking at some of the other great clips listed nearby.

And "thank you" Al.

Geoff C

Last night the Bourne End Community Centre Jazz evening put on a magnificent evening of jazz led by saxophonist Al Nicholls.

We have all experienced the format before, one soloist before an 3 part rhythm section. Last night however we had one of those magical experiences that only happen in live jazz. An amalgam of rich chords, swinging rhythm and great tunes. The whole lot made great by the catalyst of a large appreciative and friendly audience.
Well done to all. And all were amazed by the drummer Rex Bennett. At an unbelievable 83 years he really did swing the clappers!

Al mention as his introduction to Limehouse Blues that there was a great video to be had on You Tube of this tune played by Warren Vache. I've just watched it, and it is well worth a look and listen. The link below should get you there.
http://www.blogger.com/

Its over 7 minutes long, so settle down to appreciate it properly.

Also worth mentioning are 2 CD's recently re issued by Verve of the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival.

The first is from the Friday evening with Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Pete Brown (wonderful!), Ray Bryant on piano, Al McKibbon bass and Jo Jones Drums. Its all atmospheric stuff, reasonably well recorded, and contains a 13 minute version of Sweet Georgia Brown. The CD Number is 0602517416086. Yes, its a bit like a Microsoft key number isn't it. However, once purchased, the CD will play on ordinary CD players!

The Second Disk is from the Sunday evening session, with the Oscar Peterson Trio on there own for 4 titles, and then joined by Sony Stitt, Roy Eldridge and Jo Jones for another 4!! The sleeve note uses the word "breathtaking" and I can only agree. CD Number 0602517416093

These albums have been issued to celebrate 50 years of the Newport Jazz Festival, and I hope more material is on the way.

that's it for now folk, don't forget to continue to turn out to support the live jazz near you.

Geoff C

A couple of Corrections!!

I think Max Britain will be with us at Hedsor on Nov 15th, not 8th as indicated. My diary says that this Thursday is "TBA", but it might be John Coverdale.

Geoff Hiscott has also emailed me to say that the Farnham Maltings Otis B Driftwood event starts at 7.30pm, not 8.30 pm as mentioned. You must either get more music for your money, or they go to bed earlier in Farnham!

TTFN

Geoff C

Time seems to have been flying by recently, and so far I haven't found enough of it to remind you of forthcoming jazz events. So a very brief reminder:-

Tonight, Saxophonist Simon Spillett is at The Fifield Inn with Clive Burton and Century Jazz. 8pm start. I'm sure there will be some fireworks!

Tuesday at The Bourne End Community Centre, Its the turn of another saxophonist, Al Nichols wrote:-
"The line up finally confirmed as Rex Bennett - drums, Bob Haddrell - keyboard (horrible term!), George Oag - guitar + myself."

On the Wednesday 7th November, at the King & Castle, Windsor (6.30 - 9.30pm): Al Nicholls trio, with Neil Casey - piano & Rob Rickenberg - double bass.

ALSO on Wednesday the Otis B Driftwood band play the Farnham Maltings from 8.30pm. Fun, frolics AND music!! (OK, music is also fun without the frolics, but you know what I mean!).

Thursday at Hedsor, guitarist Max Britain is on my list as the guest. 8.30 pm start. It WAS nice to see a number of you there last week, it helps us keep solvent (or is that solvent abuse?).

That's it for now folks, more later, some decent CD's to talk about, but not right now.

TTFN

Geoff C

I've had the following update from that wonderful swinging saxophonist Al Nicholls:-

I am at the King & Castle, Windsor this Wednesday, along with Rex Bennett and Bob Haddrell, details as per usual ( 6.30 - 9.30pm, free).
And as per usual, the King & Castle gig, if it continues, will be arranged around the 30th of this month.

However, we are at Mo's club on the 6th November (Bourne End Community Centre), myself, Rex, Bob and hopefully Nils Solberg.

Best wishes,
Al Nicholls

I hope some of you can make some of them!! And as a certain saxophonist recently found out, it helps to keep a diary!!

Geoff C
http://jazzfromgeoff.blogspot.com

First this week, news of Ken Rankine.

He had an operation to pin his hip on Thursday,and is currently recovering in Hillingdon Hospital. His doctors say he will be unable to walk on it again for at least 6 weeks, but other than that(!) he is as comfortable as can be expected, and fairly resigned to the fact that he didn't lift his foot high enough to avoid the step he tripped over!

Gigs

Sunday at Fifield, Al Nichols and John Coverdale will be the guests, with Clive's Rhythm section backing them. (Clive himself is on holiday in the U.S.A.). 8 pm start, raffle funded.

Wednesday at The Harrow, Lynn Garner and Ken McCarthy resume their interrupted residency, with Brad Lang on bass added for good measure. This is a free event and starts at 8.30 pm. Food is available for the hungry.

Thursday at Hedsor, the guest is saxophonist John Rolls. 8.30 pm start £3 to get in, raffle ticket to get out!

Sunday 28th Oct, at Fifield, you can see again John Rolls, no not a filmed repeat, a real repeat! After all, this isn't the BBC!! (Fancy selling of the Wood Lane TV Centre).

Comment

I understand that "our" gigs are not alone in being poorly attended of late. Simon Spillett told me on Thursday that the previous evening he had played the 606 Club in Chelsea, to an audience of 3!!

We have sustained a few months of very low audience attendance, and I would stress that one cannot assume that live local jazz will carry on indefinitely without more people actually coming to listen. As the supermarkets of the world say "when its gone, its gone"! A mortgage can go on forever!

Geoff C

Last nights Hedsor guitar jazz evening was just wonderful!

Those (few) who were there will all assure you who weren't how marvellous it was. And they will begin to bore you, and rant on about how good it was!! AND they will be feeling smug, because THEY turned out and enjoyed one of the best evenings of "modern" modern jazz that Hedsor has seen so far.

We will try to maintain that standard, but not the standard of exclusivity that last nights audience enjoyed!

I did take my camera (see blog), Vasil WAS there, and I captured the entire evening on my MiniDisk recorder as well. I have yet to check it out properly , but an initial check when I got home last night revealed a pretty decent recording! A souvenir for all who were present if the want it, when I have tidied it up.

Next month we will have Dave O'Higgins with James and Lisa, so put the date in your diary NOW, and bring some friends as well, because it will me tremendous! November 19th.

There is another chance for you all to capture some of the jazz magic that is being created these days at The Hedsor Social Club by coming THIS THURSDAY to hear Simon Spillett!

Talking with Vasilis last night, he hasn't ever met, or played with Simon. I think we will have to rearrange that!! What at sax night THAT would be.

Geoff C

Above is a miniture list of gigs for Hedsor and Fifield. If you come TONIGHT for our guitar night at The Hedsor Social Club, you can pick up a printed copy!! AND you will hear James Fenn and Vasilis Xenopoulos doing a jazz funky thing!! 8.30 pm and £5 will see you in for a good time!!

I have JUST HAD the following in a text from Lisa Amato.

All I can say is, turn out, it should be marvelous!!

Geoff C



Hi Geoff,

Re Monday 15th

Thanks for the poster. You'll be pleased to know that Vassilis Xenopoulos will turn up this time - he's promised to stay in a local hotel the night before and I've threatened him with leg-irons. Either way, we will have the pleasure of his blowing this time round (and slightly lower blood pressure for me, hopefully).November 19th is Dave O'Higgins - he confirmed it yesterday. So two London heavyweights coming to darkest Bucks; I can't wait (although your momentary change of it to Tuesday caused a bit of minor confusion here!).

Lisa A

My Advert for the next guitar jazz night was INCORRECT!

It should have been MONDAY October 15th, not the Tuesday I mentioned.

My only excuse is that I did have my flu jab yesterday!

Geoff C

Thursday will be a special day at Hedsor this week. Mike Wills, our one man reed section, will be paying his first return visit after his illness last December. Do please make sure you are there to show him how much he has been missed. As usual, the evening starts at 8.30pm, it will cost you £3 to get in, and a raffle ticket to get out. AND just a little extra plug from me, second hand jazz CD's are always for sale at Hedsor at ridiculously low prices, so do bring some pocket money and pick up a bargain or three.

Sunday has Al Nicholls playing at The Fifield Inn, 8pm start, hot food available, but no CD's! Its raffle funded by the landlord, so don't forget to buy a few tickets.

Tuesday 16th (Yep, NEXT TUESDAY) we have another guitar night at Hedsor. I have asked Lisa Amato to organise the musical content for these evenings, and she assures me that a great selection of musicians WILL TURN UP!! each and every third Tuesday of the month! The guitar might become sometimes less evident, but she has promised us a very well known British saxophonist for the November session. So, do come along, pay your £5 into the black box, and a treat will be yours every third Tuesday.

CD's Listened to:-

First and foremost, the listening please this week has been brought to me by 2 giants of British jazz.
Possibly two of the most controversial pianist you could ever listen to are Thelonious Monk and Stan Tracey. And I know for some of you, having Stan playing Monk tunes would have you buying a ticket to a place for mental health cures! But team up Stan with the other legend, Bobby Wellins on tenor sax, and you have to my ears a spine tingling delight.

Stan Tracey has given me great pleasure and insight into the adventure of music ever since I first heard him back in the late 1950's. Monks tunes always have had an edge, that indefinable quirkiness that you suddenly find yourself whistling along with, improbable though it may seem. This album, with Andrew Cleydert on bass and Clark Tracey on drums has it all. And it is spine tingling. Recorded before an audience at the Bulls Head at Barnes last December I can only say, go out and buy it. It can be found on reSteamed records RSJ104.You will also get a bonus with this album, the sleeve notes are by Simon Spillett, and add greatly to your enjoyment of the music.

In the days before I listened to people playing saxophones, I used to go every week on a 607 trolley bus and listen to a band that had (if my memory is correct) an Irish/Estonian school teacher singing in with the it. The banjo player became pretty well know too, and the band leader is still leading a band. Chris Barber, already a popular bandleader, with skiffle supremo Lonnie Donegan on banjo (still then known as Tony until a confused announcer at a Festival Hall Concert called him Lonnie), had discovered Ottille Patterson, and everyone's view of British lady blues singers changed forever. Now, we can all relive our memories as Lake records has released 23 tracks from this classic early period. Here you can hear her not only sing, but play the piano. Not all the takes have been released before, although all the songs have. The time span is 1955 to 1963. It has some very informative sleeve notes by Paul Adams, and will add greatly to your old Chris barber collection. LACD244

If you didn't look at the blog last week, there is a 2 minute video extract of Simon Spillett playing at Hedsor. Go on, have a look at last weeks entry but don't stay looking too long, we want you out supporting Live Jazz!


Geoff C

STOP THE FRONT PAGE

This Thursday, October 4th, not only will we have the joy of John Coverdale on guitar, a crowd puller in his own right, but joining him at The Hedsor Social Club this week, will be Britain's rising jazz star SIMON SPILLETT on tenor sax!

Tell your friends, come early! Dont forget that Hedsor now has new carpeting, and very comfortable new seating. Its now an even greater place to listen to the best in British Jazz.

For your inconvenience (!) I've added the poster listing of the latest gig listing for Hedsor and Fifield. READ it, there are other "wonderful things" there. (Yes it does come out small on Blogger, if you would like a more legible file sent to you, just email me).

Geoff C

Jazz from Geoff, you know it makes sense!

The video clip below of Simon at Hedsor comes courtesy of Derek Skinner:-

Geoff's Persistant Reminders for Jazz Gigs for the next few days are:

TONIGHT our guest at Hedsor will be guitarist John Coverdale. Those who have seen him before will already be planning to come, because he IS worth turning out for. Those who have yet to experience his superb jazz guitar playing, well, he IS worth turning out for!! 8.30 pm start at The Hedsor Social Club, £3 to get in, exit only by raffle ticket !

SUNDAY at Fifield the guest is Simon Spillett, BBC Rising Jazz Star 2007, your chance to catch him whilst you can, and moreover, the event is FREE to get in, but again, a raffle ticket to get out! 8pm start, hot food available.

MONDAY, a gig at HEDSOR that I have been really looking forward to, (Yes, I DO mean Monday, it one of the guitar jazz gigs), a return visit by guitarist James Fenn and saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos, with Lisa Amato on bass and shape (!!) and I am assured a young drummer who will really drive the jazz fusion sound along. DON'T MISS IT, it will only cost you £5 to get in, and you wont be asked to buy a raffle ticket. 8.30 pm start, come early and try out the revised Hedsor seating!

WEDNESDAY 19th at The Harrow up in the Hughenden Valley, Lynn Garner, Brad Lang and Zane Cronje will be bring you an evening of fun and frolics, music and jokes, which, if enough people show support, could become a regular monthly event. Anyone who has seen Lynn do comedy at The Farnham Maltings will need no further encouragement to turn out for this (I think free) event.8.30pm start.

Retrospective

I didn't mention last nights jazz event at The Speen Festival in advance, because it was a sell-out many weeks ago. And how often can you say that about a jazz event? But in a Marquee in the village of Speen in Buckinghamshire a packed house listened and stormed for more! Drummer, and Speen resident, Martin Hart presented , what I can only describe, as an illustrated lecture, on the lives and music of Rogers and Hart. He had gathered around him some of England's best performers. Mike Wills, back from his recent illness was the reed section, Brad Lang was on bass, Ken McCarthy was at the keyboard, Oxford lecturer on percussion Alan Graham was on vibraphone, and the lyrics were sung by Lynn Garner, with Martin of course playing the drums, and doing the narration. A well rehearsed, well thought out program, where not only was great jazz music performed, but the excellent research by Martin resulted in our knowledge of the lives of both Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart being greatly increased in a most entertaining way. Well done all. It would be wrong to single out any one of the performers before another, they were a great assembly of talent. But (there are always "buts" aren't there) Martin must be congratulated on putting together a superb show.

Well that's it for now folks, see you all soon?

Geoff C