Tuba Skinny Wow Fans at Jazz Fest 2014

 

Festival Organiser Trevor Stent has long wanted me to cover Fest Jazz at Châteauneuf-du-Faou in person. Proud to say this year I was there! And, Trevor, this year, marking the festival’s 10th Anniversary, was the right year for me to come along with Ginny, my wife
and, on this occasion, organiser!

Jazz in the Town Square with Tuba Skinny.

Jazz in the Town Square with Tuba Skinny.

It was the right year not only because Tuba Skinny starred but also because of all the other great bands and performances including Joan Chamorro’s outstandingly incredible
Saint Androu Youth Jazz Band.

But this is just a preliminary offering about the Festival. I will post a fuller, grander report later, once I have processed as YouTubes a selection of the wonderful videos I was able to capture.

Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

God Bless Lionel Ferbos!

Lionel Ferbos with Dukes of Dixieland leader Kevin Clarke

Lionel Ferbos with Dukes of Dixieland leader Kevin Clarke

I’ve just received very sad news from a close friend and jazz fan in LA: “Another famous jazz musician has died in New Orleans – Lionel Ferbos, age 103. He played in every jazz festival until last year.”

This hurts! I met Lionel Ferbos when in New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival in 2010 and immediately became a fan and an admirer. I painted his portrait and composed a poem to go along with it. I understand my signed Giclée Print of him on trumpet at The Palm Court Jazz Cafe was presented to him on his 99th birthday.

Jazz&Jazz fine art print of Portrait of Lionel

Jazz&Jazz fine art print of Portrait of Lionel

Lionel was a spectacular inspiration to jazz musicians around the world. He lived a long and a good life. I featured him on Jazz&Jazz in April, 2012. But I’ll say no more here. Best leave it to New Orleans and The Palm Court Jazz Cafe to pay their tributes to their very own leading citizen and giant of jazz.

Jazz in St Idloes Church, Mid Wales

 

stidloes_interiorAfter a maniacal couple of days I felt I needed a moment of reflection, of respite to recapture my “real self”. Perhaps this resulted from a comment made about one of my landscape paintings which I recently posted on Facebook: “Both your painting and poem are much to be admired. I appreciate both. Thanks. And, you’re into Jazz too!” 

Llanidloes is at the heart of the ancient medieval kingdom of Arwystli in Mid Wales, the first town on the River Severn. Not so long ago my longstanding and good friend Jeff Matthews sent me an email with links to YouTubes of his band playing jazz in St Idloes Church, Llanidloes.

Jeff wrote:

Jeff Matthews

Jeff Matthew

The year was 2009 and this was a band put together by our drummer at the time, Len Davies. He was given the gig and he was determined to fill it wall to wall with music and musicians. When asked, “do we really need a keyboard, guitar and a banjo?” He answered with  a resounding “Yes!” So the assembled band called The Southern Sounds Jazzmen turned up in a beautiful riverside setting in the pretty Mid Wales town of Llanidloes. We set up. Then, just before ‘kick off’, the  heavens opened. Torrential rain started to flood the open air stage. 

Len Davies

Len Davies

“A vicar appeared and beckoned us into his ancient church building which was close by. We quickly re-grouped and soggily started the concert. We thought that A Closer Walk With Thee was one of the more appropriate tunes we could play. This was our impromptu effort to cheer ourselves up and our small audience. Tuning not withstanding, we felt better for doing it.”

So I want to share Just a Closer Walk With Thee, and my reflective mood with you all now, courtesy of Jeff. It’s magical!

Good to get together with you at our recent Reunion, Jeff and Maria.

Saxophonist Greg Abate Starring at The Walnut 14th July. Book Early!

Greg Abate

Greg Abate

 

Greg-Abate-July-14

 

 

 

 

Hot off the Press: Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival 11th, 12th & 13th July


Not booked for Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival yet?


Time’s short. Get onto it NOW!

 

SS-Poster

CELEBRATING RAMSGATE SEASIDE SHUFFLE

Just a Week to go for Festival Fun in The Sun. Don’t miss out on this humungous jazz weekend with SEVEN GREAT BANDS!

Just £40.00 for the entire festival or £10 per session.
Visit http://www.visitthanet.co.uk for accommodation.

Harbour Side Jazz and Brolly Parade

 

With Burt Butler's Jazz Pilgrims - Bring you brollies!

With Burt Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims – Bring you brollies!

Sunday, 13th July, 11.00am – 1.30pm
Opposite The Belgian Bar

PLUS

 

The Frog Island Jazz Band

The Frog Island Jazz Band

Bill Barnacle All Stars

Bill Barnacle All Stars

Dave Rance's Rockin' Chair Band

Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair Band (From a band portrait by Peter M Butler)

Colin Kingwell's Jazz Bandits

Colin Kingwell’s Jazz Bandits

The Gambit Jazzmen

The Gambit Jazzmen

The Golden Eagle Jazz Band

The Golden Eagle Jazz Band

 Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle in Action

The Golden Eagle Jazz Band bring the house down with “Canal Street Blues”

Photos & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz
Portrait of Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair Band by Peter M Butler commissioned by Dave Rance

A “Weird and Wonderful Occasion” in Covent Garden, 2014

Not quite 76 trombones …

Not quite 76 trombones …

… head the Big Parade

… head the Big Parade

On Thursday, 19th June, 4.30pm prompt, The Annual Rent Ceremony set off in Covent Garden escorted by the Town Cryer and The Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band led by Tim Wacher. It was a magnificent spectacle on a wonderful Summer’s afternoon.

It was “a weird and wonderful occasion” as you will discover from this pictorial record of the ceremony’s progress around Covent Garden. At the conclusion of the ceremony the Marching Band gathered in The Southern Courtyard for a stationary jazz concert to a capacity audience and a crowd of enthralled onlookers gathered on the surrounding balconies.

You can learn more about the Ceremony on the earlier post announcing the event: “Five Red Apples, Five Posies of Flowers and One New Orleans Style Covent Garden Marching Band!”

Just one observation before the photo spread along with a selection of YouTubes. This ceremony demonstrated that jazz can have an impact on folks of all ages, whether fans or not. There aren’t many marching bands about these days, except perhaps at jazz festivals just for jazz fans.

If only there were more Tim Wachers prepared to give up their time to organise jazz marches for other special occasions. If this event in Covent Garden is anything to go by, they could have quite an impact on the future fortunes of jazz.

John Beecham

John Beecham

Julian Mark Stringle

Julian Mark Stringle (Photo by G Butler)

Town Cryer Alan Myatt

Town Cryer Alan Myatt

Tim Wacher summons the band!

Tim Wacher summons the band!

Ever onward!

Ever onward!

Digby Fairweather and Chris Hodgkins

Digby Fairweather and Chris Hodgkins

Alan Bradly

Alan Bradley

Saint?

Saint John Wacher or ……

… or jazz trumpeter

… or jazz trumpeter John Wacher

That man again!

That man again!

Karen Sharp

Karen Sharp (Photo by G Butler)

John Keen - takes me back to 2010 on a trip to NO together.

John Keen – takes me back to 2010 on a trip to NO together.

BellReflection

Magical reflection caught in the trombone’s bell.

And now for the YouTubes. First up, a magical video I captured of the official Marching Band photo shot, from set up to snap by official photographer, Pete Jones:

Dr Jazz on the march!

More YouTubes to view in your own time:

The Covent Garden Marching Band: Stage 1 Starting Out 

Town Cryer and Band Struttin’ Their Stuff 

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Baby

Grand Finale 

Photos courtesy of Jazz&Jazz Photographer Laurence Cumming © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

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