Jazzing it up with Peter Leonard, Alan Cresswell and Steve Harding
Celebrating Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle – Festival Fun in The Sun!
August 17, 2013 By 1 Comment
Bert Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims on Ramsgate Harbour Esplanade
Back in June a good friend and fellow jazzer emailed me about the possibility of launching a new “trad jazz festival … similar to Seaside Shuffle” in his area. He told me a well known jazz musician was interested in being involved but went on to say he was “not sure about the best way to ensure this works without being left out of pocket”.
Most jazz festivals in the UK have been running for years and are well established and well attended. So far as I am aware, Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, launched just three years ago, is the very latest festival launched in the UK – way down in the far south east corner of the country.
So I intend this final post in the sequence of features on the July, 2013, Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival, to serve as a tribute to the festival organisers and as a brief summation of Seaside Shuffle’s success to date which might help with indicators on how to go about launching other new “trad jazz” festivals.
Fun in the Sun – Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle 2011
A Dream Comes True
Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle is the brainchild of local jazz singer, Betty Renz. For years Betty has sung with bands in South East England, from Whitstable to Dover and from Ramsgate to Southampton. And for years she dreamed of a festival on The Isle of Thanet. Then four years ago she decided the time had come to bring her dreams to fruition and gathered together a small group of friends to assist her.
Even though based in Hertfordshire, my wife and I helped with copy, Jazz Guide ads, leaflets, posters and promotional material. I was only too pleased as my teenage years were spent in East Kent – my early jazz stomping ground.
Committee Member on Duty!
In the groove
A Dedicated Organising Committee
But the key to the success of The Shuffle wasn’t nearly so much due to what my wife and I did but due to the dedication of the team Betty gathered around her in Ramsgate to drive the project forward.
After a wonderfully successful launch in 2011, having seen her dream come to fruition, Betty withdrew from the front line for health reasons. Now, in the Shuffle’s third year, a lean Organising Committee is 100 percent dedicated to both the annual festival and to organising monthly gigs at The Small Boat Owners Club in Ramsgate.
View YouTube of Betty Renz singing on Margate Seafront: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phITGVjcEq4&feature=youtu.be
Betty with Bob Fostell now in his 90s who travelled down from South London just to see The Frog Island Band at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, 2013. Betty sung “Cake Walking Babies” his requested favourite song with the band.
But as you can imagine, in these difficult times it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Successful representations were made to Ramsgate Town Council for funding but not without diplomatic persuasion. After all, what is traditional jazz these days! But the Committee were able to persuade the Council that the Festival would bring more visitors to the seaside resort. And a band performing on the harbour esplanade free of charge as a thank you to the Council helped.
Despite these early teething troubles Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle went from strength to strength and plans were made for monthly gigs and of course a 2012 festival.
(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
Red Hot & Blue on Parade
Holiday makers and fans on Ramsgate harbour esplanade.
Peter M Butler
Editor and Owner of Jazz&Jazz
Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival 2013 Featured:
Trefor Williams’ Select Six Thrill Ramsgate Seaside Shufflers with “A Night in New Orleans” https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5276
Seaside Shuffle Spectacular with Red Hot & Blue
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5300
Gambit Jazzmen Given A Warm Welcome Back to Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5408
Vocalion Mesmerise Fans on a Balmy Seaside Shuffle Festival Afternoon
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5467
Seaside Shuffle Festival Fans Spellbound by Frog Island Jazz Band’s Unique Repertoire https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5543
Monday 19th August: Jazz Revisited to Revisit The Peartree
August 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Peartree Fans are set to welcome Hertfordshire based band Jazz Revisited back to Welwyn Garden City this coming Monday, 19th August. An evening of pure, unequivocal New Orleans Jazz is assured. So be sure to get along to The Peartree.
Peartree Jazz Club
The Peartree, Hollybush Lane,
Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4JJ
Admission £8 • Members £7
Brian Smith (“Smiffy”) Jazz Promotions
Tel: 01707 880569
Email: [email protected]
www.facebook.com/peartreejazz.club
Best Jazz in Town! Live!
Come along and join the Club!
“Any Thing Goes” at The Star
August 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Any Thing Goes (l to r): Ivan Thompson, Dave Stone, Mike Marsh, Gerry Birch (Malcolm Walton on keyboard not in view)
Gerry Birch emailed me recently, “I look forward to seeing you at The Star whenever you have time. It is a gig I am particularly proud of because, as I have written before, when it first started, I had severe doubts about its sustainability. Yet here we are, well into the second year and as far as I can tell, things are looking good for a third year.”
Dave Stone & Gerry Birch
These days when the trend is for pubs to close their doors on jazz, Barry, the publican at The Star in Old Wives Lees, welcomes jazz fans weekly for Thursday night gigs organised by Gerry.
Ivan Thompson & Malcolm Walton
Just last month I was at The Star when Gerry’s band “Anything Goes” lived up to their name with a mix of the blues and mainstream jazz and vocals, highly suited to a rather sultry July evening.
Mike Marsh
So I make a point of timing my visits to old friends in East Kent so that we can take in jazz at The Star. After all, Old Wives Lees is just a few miles from Canterbury which was something of a hot bed of jazz in my erstwhile youth.
Fans enjoying an oasis of jazz at The Star
Malcolm Walton on keyboard
Jane Birch
(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
Seaside Shuffle Festival Fans Spellbound by Frog Island Jazz Band’s Unique Repertoire
August 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Back in time with The Frog Island Jazz Band
Band Leader John Whitehead
The Time: 8.00pm, Sunday, 14th July, 2013.
The Location: Ramsgate Small Boat Owners Club, Guildford Lawn, Ramsgate, Kent
The Occasion: The Grand Finale of the 2013 Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival
On Stage: The Frog Island Jazz Band
The Theme: A glorious flashback to New Orleans Jazz in the 1920s and 30s.
Founded in 1962, last year The Frog Island Jazz band celebrated its 50th Anniversary. During those 50 years the band has remained faithful to the early classical era of 1920s and 30s New Orleans jazz.
Theirs is the music of Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Johnny Dodds, Papa Celestin and a young Louis Armstrong.
John Jeans
Jim Hurd
Chris Marchant
The Frogs hail from deepest Essex except for clarinetist Jim Hurd who joins them from former jazz hot spot, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. They star regularly at UK jazz clubs and have toured in Holland, Belgium and Germany.
Keith Durston
This was their first appearance at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle and they hit the heights with their dynamic 20s and 30s repertoire – such a refreshing change to post war Traditional Jazz. Frog Island stand alone in taking us back to that wonderful all but forgotten era.
Brian Lawrence
Graham Reed
(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)
Jim Hurd & John Whitehead
Betty Renz. whose zeal inspired the launch of Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, guests with The Frog Islanders.
Jim Hurd adds a 1920s touch to vocals.
Thank you, Frog Islanders, for a phenomenal finale.
Jazz&Jazz Portraits of
Frog Island Musicians
Chris Marchant on Drums in New Orleans
Coming Soon:
Jazz&Jazz Summary of a successful Festival Weekend with behind the scenes glimpses.
“My Dear friend Konrad Kliko Klinglefuss passed away yesterday”
August 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Konrad Kliko Klinglefuss
The words of Big Bill Bissonnette upon learning of the death of one of Switzerland’s finest jazz musicians.
I too was stunned and saddened to learn this evening via Bill about the death off Konrad. I only recently read “KliKo’s” tribute to Sammy Rimington in Sammy’s Life in Pictures autobiography. Konrad was a member of and regular contributor to and supporter of my Facebook Jazzers Group and I wondered why he has recently been missing from the group. I will miss his contributions and repartee in the several email exchanges I had with him.
His passing is yet another great loss to the jazz world this year. I’m including Big Bill’s “Closer Walk with Thee” tribute to Konrad.
Peter Mark Butler
Editor and Proprietor of Jazz&Jazz
Wednesday, 7th August, 2013
Vocalion Mesmerise Fans on a Balmy Seaside Shuffle Festival Afternoon
August 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment
L to R: Ivan Gandon, Mark Alexander, Kenny Sanderson, Dennis Jenkins, Sam Weller, Gerry Birch
Sunday, 14th July arrived and after a morning session in the sun with Bert Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims alongside Ramsgate’s picturesque harbour it was time to relax in The Small Boat Owners Club and enjoy Vocalion’s alluring tones.
Dennis Jenkins
Not two weeks earlier I had met up with trumpeter Dennis Jenkins in the 100 Club on Oxford Street.
Dennis lives in Faversham and we spoke about the days when Vocalion played at The George in Shalmer Street before, like so many other public houses, they shut their doors on jazz.
I told Dennis how much I looked forward to seeing him with Vocalion in Ramsgate where Seaside Shuffle are keeping jazz on the map.
Coming to Jazz&Jazz soon: Jazz at The Star, Old Wives Lees, East Kent with Gerry Birch.
Sam Weller and Gerry Birch
Ivan Gandon & Kenny Sanderson
Dennis Jenkins & Mark Alexander
Festival Star Betty Renz keeps Vocalion on their toes.
Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz
Vocalion’s traditional finale
Gambit Jazzmen Given A Warm Welcome Back to Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle
August 1, 2013 By 7 Comments
Barry Weston, Chris Marney, Dennis Armstrong, Pete Lay, Johnny Rodgers, Roger Link
Pete Lay’s Gambit Jazzmen have been star attractions at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle since its launch in July, 2011. This year their return on Saturday, 13th July, was greeted not only by enthusiastic festival fans but also by the glorious evening sunshine.
Johnny Rodgers
Fans were especially pleased to see Johnny Rodgers back with the band after his successful battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma. He is playing as well as ever much to the joy of his wife Cathy who risked a daring sky-dive to raise £5,000 for the Lymphoma Association.
Before the band’s arrival at The Small Boat Owners Club festival venue in Ramsgate rumours had been rife about a happy change in Pete Lay’s circumstances. But, as professionally laid back yet dynamic on drums as ever, Pete didn’t give any hint of what that might be. So we are delighted that Pete has given Jazz&Jazz permission to include a very special announcement from him in this post.
Barry Weston, the fastest bone in trad!
Dennis Armstrong
Chris Marney
Pete
Roger Link
Peter and Heather (Photo by Doris Bilokreli)
Courtesy of Pete Lay, Editor of Just Jazz
Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz
