OK, so this weeks blog is late again. There are events to publicise, and encouragements to make, but this week has been a sad one.

One of my friends had to have a funeral. She was not a regular at Hedsor, but she did love traditional jazz. And she loved dance. Sadly, for the past 2 years she could barely walk, let alone dance, and she died suddenly after an operation that removed one of her legs. 

So before I continue with my exhortations to come out and play, let me share with you all a poem she wrote, and that was on the funeral order of service.

Freedom to me is Dance

Expression of body, mind and soul,

In everchanging

Combinations of movements

Flowing unceasingly.

Earthbound in time and space

I seek through line and curve

Communication.

Inner thoughts unfurl,

Released

In visible motion.

Restricted, yet free

I dance

Within the sphere of eternity.

Celia Johnson 1938-2012

Tonight at Hedsor we have the Clive Burton Quintet, with one variation! On bass tonight we have Steve Pickings in place of our regular Ken (Rankine).

Coming soon on May 17^th we have a very special event indeed. In the big room, on 17 chairs, we have the Remix Jazz Orchestra, led by trumpeter Stuart Henderson. Not only that, which should be enough to draw you out for an 8pm start anyway, but guesting with the orchestra will be the UK’s top tenor man Simon Spillett. And it may well be that he will bring with him two arrangements for the Tubby Hayes Big Band that he will perform with the Remix Orchestra on the night.

Rumour has it that in addition to this we will have Simon playing for part of the evening with our regular Clive Burton Quintet. A light supper (OK a very light supper, if I am lucky twiglets!) will also be provided to sustain you to the 11 pm end. And all of this for just £10, yes just Ten Pounds!

Tickets will be available from tonight at Hedsor via Dee, our lovely lady of the till, and from next week from our usual box office, The Stationery Depot in Cookham (01628 531178). Bring your friends.

Another piece of news. For all of you who hold a degree in Facebook, we have a new collaboration for you to be involved in.

The full Facebook page name is Jazz In Wycombe, Maidenhead and South Bucks. and you can use this link:

https://www.facebook.com/HighWycombeSouthBucksMaidenheadJazzI

to go straight to it. Tell your friends, and together we can increase the fan base at many local jazz events.

That’s about it for now folks. Those of you who get nagged as well as blogged will also have a poster about May 17^th to help us publicise this event.

TTFN

Geoff C

Time for a Blog

And a fair amount to write about today.

First up, tonight’s session at The Hedsor Social Club will be with the Clive Burton Quintet, again this week with Ken McCarthy on keyboard. 

I must say that for the last couple of weeks we have been spoilt by wonderful jazz brought to us by some very special guests. But it would be wrong to think that our regular band isn’t special in itself. When we do get them all together, we are treated to some wonderful, arranged, harmonies, and often within tunes that are not your usual run of the mill jazz club fodder. So, just because tonight isn’t a STAR night, don’t forget that we still need you!

Looking back, first to the night with Tracey Mendham, hands up all those who noticed a drop in her usual vigour. What no one? Well, she was just getting over a bout of flu, but you would never have noticed. She was worried that she hadn’t put in enough practice, but hey, that enormous tone on her tenor made it sound twice the size it was. And her laugh!! Infection, but not perhaps flu! It was a great night, with great music and a great audience. And everyone went home with a smiling face.

Last week of course was our night for Vasilis and his one time tutor Peter Cook to come and play for us. I was worried that we would be unable to get all of the audience into the bar, but we did, just. They had specifically requested to play in the bar, as they had done once before in 2009. 

This time they were joined by our regular band leader Clive on trombone, and the sound was wonderful. I was asked on the night, “when had they practiced together for tonight”. They hadn’t, not all together as a band! They are just such good musicians that they can read each others musical minds, and the jazz flowed. Wonderful stuff. But it didn’t stop with Clive, Vasilis , and Peter. After the interval up stepped two more musicians, this time from a younger generation. Justine Swadling sat in on alto sax, and Emily Frances took over Ken McCarthy’s keyboard for a couple of tunes.

With a four piece front line, the sound in the bar was enormous, what a privilege to have that all for just £5. If we had paid double that to get in, we would not have been robbed. I did use my trusty mini disk recorder, and may have some samples available soon. All money raised from the sale of such material goes to Cancer Research UK. You may be interested to know that I have raised around £100 for them by selling you Hedsor Jazz on Record.

Do take time out to take a look at Justine’s web site by the way. I’m sure we will see him at Hedsor again. http://www.justinswadling.com

Hedsor Jazz has been going now for about ten years, and it is because of the solid support from the Clive Burton Quintet, and from the faithful regular audience, that we can now attract top jazz musicians to come and play. We often don’t have to ask them to come, they ask us if they can!! I will say this however, don’t let it go. You may think it’s always going to be there for you when you want it, but we though that of Woolworth’s didn’t we? If you don’t use it, it will disappear.

But not yet!!

We do have another very special evening lined up for you in May. On Thursday May 17^th we have our first presentation at Hedsor of a Big Band. Led by Stuart Henderson we will be having a performance by the Remix Jazz Orchestra. This is a 17 piece band in the swing style. They also have a web site which is well worth a look,  http://www.remixjazzorchestra.co.uk/ . The evening will be in the big room at Hedsor, and it will cost you £10 to get in, and a light buffet will also be provided for the entry fee. The evening will kick off at 8 pm. Tell your friends, and if you can bring them along, why not.

Promotion

As you know, I write blog and nag, and other organisers and myself are talking of having one FaceBook page to promote local jazz around Marlow and High Wycombe. I will let you know more when it is available.

Jazz at Home

Well, you do play your jazz CD’s at home don’t you? Two I have enjoyed a lot this week are:

“Jazz Goes to Church” by the Matt Wates Trio. You may remember that I reviewed a previous recording by them, and you may have purchased one yourself from Nigel Price when he was with us. This is another in the same style with the same personnel. Mate Wates alto, Nigel Price guitar and Julian Bury on bass. The title of the album reflects the content, all of the tunes are Hymn tunes! Initiated to raise money for a church in Bristol, Matt has transformed some well know hymn tunes into works of jazz art. Matt himself writes “I could take all sorts of liberties with the harmonies, but I had to leave the melodies more or less intact”! If you enjoyed the previous album you will enjoy this (no one sings!), and you will be raising money for a good cause if you buy it (from Nigel if no where else). HittCD04.

The other album to raise a smile to my face this week is less art, more outright fun! “The James P Johnson Songbook” by Marty Grosz and The Hot Winds is toe tapping smile music. Marty is well know from his many performances with Chicago style players, performing on banjo, guitar and vocals, (he used to be the guitarist with Soprano Summit) and is a wonderfully professional musician. With him (I nearly wrote hymn!), are James Dapogny keyboard, Dan Block clarinet, Jon-Erik Kelso on trumpet, Scott Robinson on soprano, C-Melody and baritone saxes, Vince Giordano bass various, Arnie Kinsella drums, with an addition from guitarist Jim Gicking on one track. The tunes  used are all little known tunes associated with stride pianist James P Johnson. It’s on Arbours Jazz ARCD 19427. It is well worth a punt, unless, that is, you really are only interested in avant-garde jazz!

Well, roll the credits.

Blog by Geoff, jazz music by all those mentioned above!

Hedsor Jazz Update

Good Morning Jazz Fans,

It has been a week or so since I last blogged, time and computer problems are my only excuse!

Today there are a number of things to blog about, first being tonight’s Hedsor Jazz concert, with Clive Burton, the trio, (this week with Ken McCarthy on keyboard) plus Vasilis Xenopoulos with his one time tutor, Peter Cook on saxophones various. It should be a terrific event. They asked specifically to play in our small room at Hedsor (for teetotallers, that means the bar!), and I think it will be pretty full, so come early, pay your £5, sit back and enjoy the music.

 The Last Time was 2009

Secondly, for me I know it only seems like yesterday, but on April 15^th it will be the first anniversary of Zane Cronje’s passing. For many of us this will be a sad period of time and perhaps a time for a little recollection of the man and his talent.

As some of you have been aware, we have been wondering of late how long our residence at The Hedsor Social Club will last. A number of Hedsor Jazz representatives met with the club treasurer/secretary and another committee member last night, and they reassured us that Thursdays at Hedsor is ours for the foreseeable future. It has been suggested that our Thursday regulars might like to actually join the club (Hedsor Social Club), which will give the club the benefit of your membership fee, and us, as a jazz organisation, a little more weight in our presence at the club. To this effect, membership forms will be available on a Thursday from tonight. The fee is modest, retired members paying around £9 per year.

We will be looking into other means of trying to support Hedsor Social Club in the future, as it is very apparent, that they are in an economic hard place.

It is still my intention to add to the blog in the not too distant future, with a couple of CD reviews, but my usual computer, with all of it’s reference material and programs, sadly died of unknown causes this past week. So, my promises will have to be fulfilled at a later time.

In the meantime keep supporting live jazz. Not just for the jazz’s sake, but also for the threatened venues that have supported it in the past. The best way to do this of course, its to turn out, not necessarily your pockets, but with your presence! We can then help you with the dust in your pockets!

TTFN

Geoff

This Blog is about The Adverts!!

Coming up in the next few weeks we have some wonderful gigs lines up for you at the Hedsor Social Club.

Hedsor Jazz has a regular rhythm section, and usually a regular front line, all called “The Clive Burton Quintet”. However, THIS WEEK ONLY on Thursday 29^th March behind our regular front line of Clive Burton and Mike Wills we have an alternative rhythm section!

On Keyboard Mr. Ken McCarthy

On Bass Mr. Steve Pickings

On Drums Mr. Mike Jeffries

And you can hear all of them this Thursday at Hedsor for JUST £5!!

BUT (notice it is a big but) on Thursday 5^th April we have a super “stellar” star guest.

We welcome back, on a day VERY near her birthday, that lady saxophonist Tracey Mendham, backed by our usual, regular, Boys in the Band!

Not, as those who have been Traceyed before know, that anything on this night will be usual or regular. Last time she came, some of our regular customers were saying at the end of a brilliant evening that they would have paid £20 for an evening like that at Ronnie’s. We will charge you just £5! Come early, last time it was standing room only, and some of that was done in the other bar!

But Hedsor Jazz does not rest easily on its laurels (have you ever tried?). The following week we have not one guest but two. Saxophonists both, Vasilis Xenopoulos and Peter Cook. Most of you will know the names. Vasilis is a Master of Music from Berklee, but at one time Peter Cook was one of his tutors.

I know we could fill the big room at Hedsor for this gig, but they want to do the gig in the bar, where both have played before, and where once before they played together. They are now both big star names (go on line and look them up) and they want to play for us just as they did some years ago. Come and listen, come early, and we will still only charge you £5, yes, not a typo, just £5 for this evening. Put it firmly in your diary now.

But Hedsor jazz haven’t stopped here. We have ANOTHER date for your diary. This time for a Thursday in the Big Room at Hedsor, because we cannot get the entire band in the bar!!

On Thursday May17th we are having a visit from the 17 piece big band "The Remix Jazz Orchestra" led by trumpeter Stuart Henderson. This will cost you a bit more, £10, but we will tempt you with a little light supper, and an earlier start of 8pm. Do take a look at their website   http://www.remixjazzorchestra.co.uk/  and but put the date in that diary NOW.

A London Palladium Event

Someone from my past has asked me to remind you of a special event:-

Hi Geoff,

Any chance of a further plug for the Buddy Rich concert please, and a reminder that there is a coach going from Cookham – £60, including ticket (in the Stalls). Every Big Band fan should be there!

Thanks.

Toby

That is on Monday 2^nd April. Contact Toby Cruse via toby@tobycruse.co.uk

Those of you on my nag list will get a poster too!!

Well, after telling you so much good news, I need to find my laurel rest!!

TTFN  Geoff

Jazz at Hedsor

First, some dates for your diary.

We still have to finalise a date for Vasilis to come with Peter Cook, but we do have 2 confirmed dates for star events.

Thursday April 5^th has a return visit by Tracey Mendham. Yes, that is the day before Good Friday, and it is also the day before her birthday, but Tracey will be with us in the bar at Hedsor that night. She said that she couldn’t think of a nicer place to be the night before her birthday. Usual start time, usual £5 entry that night, but come early, she packed the bar out last time she was with us.

A little further ahead we now can confirm that The Remix Jazz Orchestra http://www.remixjazzorchestra.co.uk/ under the direction of Stuart Henderson will be with us on Thursday May 17^th. This will be a big room event (already booked AND confirmed!), 8pm start, £10 entry, a little light supper, and a lot of big band. 17 of them, check out the link above and hear what they sound like. This will be a ticketed event, and tickets will be available shortly. But put that date in your diary NOW.

This coming Thursday we will have the regular Clive Burton Quintet with us again for the second time in 2 weeks. The week after that, the fans of bass player Steve Pickings are in for a treat, as he will be with us that night in place of Ken Rankine. I have refrained from asking for Steve on April 5^th! A clash of personalities in the Hedsor bar may be too much for its structure!

Recent CD Listen.

As is well known, I sell at Hedsor some previously listened to CD’s at bargain prices. One CD that I dug out from the “rescued from the floor collection” and played this past week is the second album by a band that started out in Manchester, “The Magic Hat Ensemble”. The CD is called “Made in Gorton”.

It is young modern jazz and has a terrific vibrancy. Well known tunes are used, but given a definitive twist, which I found incredibly exciting. The 4 core titles of the CD “You and the Night and the Music”, Seven Steps to Heaven”, “Just Friends” and “Blues March” must be played at one sitting (there are 2 other titles, plus a 13 sec fanfare intro!). Seven Steps segues in to Just Friends anyway and once you have heard how they play those you will not want to miss Blues March. Wonderfully inventive arrangements, pretty good solo’s for everyone and a sound that makes you listen very hard! Blues March starts out as a march, complete with snare drums, gets into a crawl, and ends with a gallop, but the tune is always recognisable. Their playing is immaculate, and I haven’t enjoyed a post bop modern jazz album so much in a long time. Even the cover brings a smile to ones face, after all, we all remember 45’s don’t we? It’s on the Jellymould label and was recorded in 2011. Do try some of the complete tracks from their web site http://themagichatensemble1.bandcamp.com/ but don’t stop there, buy it! Full details on heir web site.

Recap

I think we were all sorry to learn that Paul Eshelby was indisposed and therefore unable to come to Hedsor Jazz last night, and we wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to a future appearance.

However, at incredibly short notice (about 2 hours!) singer Harriet Coleman stepped in to take her place on the front line alongside Clive and his trombone. She then gave a thoroughly polished performance and a very entertaining evening was had by all. I think we must all thank her for turning out and helping to make the evening so entertaining.

We did have a couple of new faces in the audience, which is always gratifying. At the end of the evening I asked if they had enjoyed the it and they said yes, and that they would come again. One of them said it was just like being at Ronnie Scott’s, and it was “just her kind of music”. Proof, if ever it was needed, of the quality we put on at Hedsor.

We were a bit thin on the ground last night, and we have been a couple of times this last month. One of our regulars, who was absent a couple of weeks ago, got is dad to write us an erudite sick note which I have included in this message. He has set us a good example, but we should point out that attendance is purely voluntary, and at the moment, not a mandatory requirement of the government!

Next week, the full Monty! Well, at least the full Clive Burton Quintet. Tell your friends, come yourself!

Good Morning England

Or perhaps you don’t remember that as a catch phrase, perhaps more as a film! I must admit to not remembering who it was, but I seem to remember a radio comedian during WW2 used it as his opening phrase!

But as usual, I digress. The important thing is that you now find out who is on at Hedsor Jazz tomorrow night, March the 8^th!!

As our special guest we have BBC Big Band star Paul Eshelby. Paul has been to us a couple of times before, and his melodic trumpet and flugel horn playing is well remembered by those who have heard him before. He will be accompanied by Clive Burton on trombone, and our usual rhythm section.

We are still planning ahead for some more special events at Hedsor, so do keep an eye on THIS space. 3 events are in the planing stages. We hope we can capture the Stuart Henderson Big Band for a night in the big room in May, and before then a small room event with Vasilis and Peter Cook is under discussion. In October I would still like to run a Saturday of jazz at Hedsor. A date is still not fixed, but I have already had an offer of attendance from Nigel Price’s Organ Trio.

For the next 2 or 3 Thursdays we should have the Regular Clive Burton Quintet with us. That is always subject to better-paid gigs coming some of their way.

Don’t forget to put April 5^th in your diary. It is Tracey Mendham’s next visit to us, and it is one day short of a) her birthday, b) Easter!

That’s it for the moment. I have some CD’s to listen to, and I will report back shortly on those.

So, tell you friends, every Thursday from 8.30 pm, Jazz at Hedsor Social Club, all for just £5!

This week at Hedsor

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jazz in Black and White

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                                                     Simon Spillett

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

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

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

                                                                Barbara Thompson

TV

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

Finale

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

Late Revision.

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

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

Geoff C

Good Morning Jazz Fans,

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

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

CD’s Listened to

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

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

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

TTFN

Geoff

Hi Jazz Lovers,

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

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

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

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

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

OK, now to the future.

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

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

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

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

                                        

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

CD reviews later in the week perhaps, but for now

Goodbye

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

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

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

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

We do have things to look forward to.

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

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

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

TTFN

Geoff

A few brief word about today's jazz .

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

A CD Listened to this week

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

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

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

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

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

This Weeks Guest: Peter Cook

Good Morning Jazz Lovers.

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

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

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

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

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

CD Listened to.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TTFN

Geoff C

A Happy New Year to all our readers!! 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recorded Music

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

TTFN

Geoff

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

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

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

Next row:

Nigel Price on guitar, Alan Graham on vibraphone.

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

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

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

Then we must thank all who provided that wonderful buffet.

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

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

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

 Alan Graham on vibes and Nigel Fox on keyboard

 Clive Burton duetting with John Slater

 A wistful (and blurred) John Slater

 Nigel Price

Almost the entire ensemble, 

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

with Ken Rankine and a partly visible Martin Hart

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

Geoff C