“You can find Olney Jazz Club at The Carlton House Club, High Street, Olney, MK46 4BB. It runs on the first Tuesday of every month except for August, when we take a summer break. We’re a very friendly club and no membership is required.”

With those few words, composer and musician Alan Haughton, tempted me into exploring Olney Jazz Club’s website.  And when I did I discovered that Olney is all but equidistant between Bedford and Milton Keynes just a short drive from from my home. Not only that, but Alan’s choice of Tuesdays as the club night is perfect as it doesn’t clash with other jazz venues.

Olney Jazz Club meets in an ideal setting at The Carlton House Club, High Street, Olney, MK46 4BB where fans can make an evening of it and dine at the club.

Amy to Star at Olney

But what about the jazz? You only need to delve a little deeper into Olney Jazz Club’s website to discover that Alan has booked Amy Roberts and Ian Bateman to guest at the club on Tuesday, 4th March, with the hugely popular Frog Island Jazz Band playing on Tuesday, 1st April. And if you are tempted enough to get along to Olney earlier than that, Josh Kemp’s Jazz Prophets are playing on 4th February as part of their current national tour.

Visit JAZZ AT OJC IN 2014 for  updates to the programme.

Amy Roberts

Alan’s excellent site also includes Galleries, Recordings and even Newsletters with updates on events. So if you are within striking distance of Olney be sure to get along to The Olney Jazz Club.

Ian Bateman

The Frog Island Jazz Band

( Above Photos with permission of Olney Jazz Club)

Alan Haughton (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Congratulations, Alan, on such a friendly jazz website. Yours is the kind of club fans need to help keep jazz live and alive!

It was my good fortune to meet Denise Gordon at Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends’ Christmas Jazz Party. We spoke briefly but having found we have things “New Orleans” in common, we are now exchanging Facebook messages.

Denise’s website introduces her as:

“UK Soulful Jazz and Blues singer-songwriter
Denise Gordon has performed on the
International Jazz scene for over a decade…”

Without steeling her thunder here are just a few snippets from
the website:

“Denise grew up attending church and this is where her natural ability to sing was first encourage by her mother, thus with her style firmly rooted in Gospel, she can express an array of styles; performing anything from Jazz, through Funk, Soul, Rhythm ‘n’ Blues & Spirituals, leaving her audiences in no doubt that they have witnessed something exceptional.”

“Denise has entertained Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Ministers, Presidents’ and sang acappella for the late Pope John Paul II to an audience of quarter of a million.”

In our messages Denise and I discovered that each of us had visited New Orleans in 2010. This was a wonderful opportunity for Denise to further her career. For me The French Quarter Festival was all the inspiration I needed to launch Jazz&Jazz.

Denise’s “soul remains deeply rooted in Gospel” and with her New Orleans-based band she “presents traditional & contemporary flavours of Soul, Funk, Latin and R&B… so that’s all in a days’ work with some unforgettable nights for this International Singer-Songwriter.”

In one of her messages, Denise told me she had sent me her latest CD “Just One Of Those Things”. I was delighted and asked her if she would like me to feature it on Jazz&Jazz.

She replied, “It would be great if you could promote it on Jazz&Jazz. It was released Oct 2012 but only became available on iTunes in November 2013. Of course I’d rather sell it at live gigs where I meet the Jazzers …. but much thanks for your help. I’m especially happy with this record as it was recorded in 10 hours in George Buck’s Jazzology Studio, so most of it is one or two takes. Recorded in two 5 hour sessions 6 months apart; started October 2011 and a completed in April 2012. Without a doubt one of the most pleasurable 10 hours of making music for me EVER… a lot of fun with these New Orleans virtuosos, including Wendell Brunious (trumpet and flugelhorn); Gerald French (drums, percussion); Jesse Boyd (bass); and Thaddeus Richard on piano and Hammond organ. Thaddeus was musical director for Paul McCartney for 25 years. He is an  awesomely multi-instrumentalist and I toured with him in 2008 on a Lillian Boutte tour in Germany. Wendell Brunious, a regular performer at Preservation Hall, has starred with Kid Thomas Valentine, Sammy Rimington, Barry Martyn, Dr Michael White and Chris Barber. Gerald French, is leader of The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band and Jesse Boyd plays classical music as well as jazz and is a professor at Loyola University, New Orleans.”

To preview the CD on iTunes click here: “Just One Of Those Things”.
I especially enjoyed “Bourbon Street Parade” in view of our
New Orleans connections.

Denise Gordon’s Website

For quality, this YouTube of Denise singing “Dark Town Strutters Ball” with the Moulin à Café Jazz Hot Orchestra
is tops:

In conclusion, here is my YouTube of Denise singing with
Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends at their Festive Frolics:

(YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor
Jazz & Jazz

Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

After he bravely stepped into the breach in August last year, to the fans delight, Smiffy invited Jamie Rowan, self proclaimed HonkyTonk pianist, back to The Peartree Jazz Club to help blow away those post Christmas January Blues. Not exactly jazz, but Jamie never fails to to get fans on their feet and and singing along. 

This YouTube contains just a few clips of the performance. After that I stopped filming and joined in the fun. Fans have a feeling he’ll be back again!

Jamie Rowan Performs The Big Finale

Back in November last year I posted a YouTube entitled “Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends Live at The Peartree”. I was far from happy with the quality I require on Jazz&Jazz.

I’ve now added the following description about that video on YouTube:

“NOTE: Taken on my iPhone, this YouTube does not match the quality I now achieve on my iPhone/Sony Carl Zeiss Lens Camera. Recently released, it revolutionises videoing with a compact zoom lens operated by the iPhone (or iPad) by a simple App providing local WiFi connection. Crystal clear imaging along with a powerful zoom, the compact, versatile iPhone/ Sony lens combination now allows me to discretely film the top quality YouTubes I require for Jazz&Jazz – to support my aim of KEEPING JAZZ LIVE AND ALIVE! ”

You can view this YouTube at: http://youtu.be/h2IzZ2bADKg but please compare it with my subsequent YouTubes, even those taken in difficult club/stage lighting confines. I think you will agree the improvement is dramatic. For instance:

When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Peter Mark Butler
Jazz&Jazz Editor and Proprietor 

Tad Newton promised “Melliflous Festive Frolics” at his Jazz Friends’ Christmas Jazz Party at The Walnut, Blisworth, on Sunday, 22nd December, and he wasn’t kidding! It was a fantastical lunch time session and The Ellington Room was packed wall to wall with fans.

The media give short shrift to jazz, convinced it’s a lost cause. Tad’s Christmas Gig showed that they are well off beam. With guest stars, vocalist Denise Gordon, trombonist Roy Williams and Zoltan Sagi on saxophone, Tad (trombone) and his band – Alan Haughton, piano; Gary Wood, trumpet/vocals; Ronnie Fenn, percussion; and Tomas Pederson, double bass – couldn’t fail
to do so.

Tad Newton never fails to live up to his motto, “LIVE JAZZ … USE IT OR LOSE IT!” and in that he echoes the aims and goals of Jazz&Jazz.

So here I’m posting photos I took and YouTubes I filmed amongst the packed, exuberant fans at that glorious Xmas jazz session at The Walnut which will linger long in my mind.

In my next Jazz&Jazz post to follow shortly I will announce Tad’s Programme to carry The Jazz Friends’ forward in 2014 and to share with him our joint aim of Keeping Jazz Live and Alive!

Jazz&Jazz Jazz Friends YouTubes

Festive Frollicks at Tad Newton’s Christmas Jazz Party: http://youtu.be/gslznG-75XU

Struttin’ With Some BBQ: http://youtu.be/3Ck8TSOyBY8

Denise Gordon Starring at Tad Newton’s Festive Frolics: http://youtu.be/TAYBwLVyBzo

Zoltan Sagi “Skylark”: http://youtu.be/G_kweatnuP8

Gary Wood Centre Stage: http://youtu.be/X6Vy4Nnfv80

“One Two, Buckle My Shoe”: http://youtu.be/CGVfkkmBlno

Denise Gordon

Roy Williams

Tad Newton

Gary Wood

Zoltan Sagi

Denise and Roy “Hit it off”!

Alan Haughton

Tomas Pederson

Ronnie Fenn

Full house! Just one section of an enamoured audience.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Get down to The Peartree Jazz Club in

 Welwyn Garden City this coming Monday for a

jazz session with a twist.

A Honky Tonk Piano

Sing Along with Jamie Rowan & Friends

to blow away those post Christmas January Blues!

The show starts at 8.30 sharp so come along, join in and make yourselves stars!