“Fun and varied – I’m sure The Jake Leg Jug Band provide a good evening’s entertainment”
Just Jazz
“Live this must be a hoot – and I’d pay to see it”
Americana UK

If you want the authentic sounds of 1920’s and 30’s America – Jazz, Blues, Gospel, Ragtime – then The Jake Leg Jug Band is for you. And you don’t need to cross an ocean or go back in time to savour it. Because The Jake Leg Jug Band hails from England’s North West.

Rapidly gaining a reputation as a lively, feel-good band, they put their own inimitable twist on songs about murder, betrayal, gambling, liquor and redemption. Feedback from the Congleton Jazz & Blues Festival included: “Their image, style and performance was wonderful and you really did buy into the prohibition era feel of their set….wonderful sounds!”

“Blues In The North West” described their debut album, “Cotton Mouth”, released in 2013, as
“…enticingly warm, comforting and highly foot-tapping…It will certainly have you jigging across the carpet….The JLJB bring these artists and their music lovingly to life, through these very fine recordings. Recommended!” 

Their current album “Next Stop!” forms part of their “Vintage Recording Project” with Lake Records and sessions around a one ribbon microphone – recapturing a true 1930s authenticity.

Following their sell-out performances at the 2014 Birmingham International Jazz Festival, the band have already been booked for 2015’s Keswick Jazz Festival. Their third album in little over two years is shortly to be released and features Mike Pembroke on trombone.

Jake Leg Jug Band’s line up features: Duncan Wilcox
(Vocals & Double Bass), Esther Brennan (Vocals, Washboard & Ukulele), Andy Anderson (Vocals, Banjo, Dobro & Mandolin), Neil Hulse (Vocals & Guitar) and Purcy Harmonica (Vocals, Harmonica, Saw & Percussion).

www.thejakelegjugband.com

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(Photos and YouTube courtesy of The Jake Leg Jug Band)

One balmy day back in June, Ginny and I enjoyed a glorious cream tea afternoon in The Old Rectory Garden at The Stables, Wavendon, for “Music In The Garden” with Cleo Laine and Friends.

Playing with her were John Horler on piano, Jim Hart on drums, Jules Barnes on bass and Mark Nightingale on trombone. Mind you, Cleo fired them all during the course of the afternoon.

What can I say about Cleo that hasn’t already been said, except that, besides her humour and pranks with the members of her band, the highlight of the afternoon was to be captivated when she sang “My Man Don’t Love Me” with her daughter Jacqui.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Insall • YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

I have an enduring love for Kent, the adoptive county of my teenage years and my early twenties. We lived in East Kent in Beltinge, a cliff top village just along the coast from Herne Bay. So I like to think of myself as a “Man of Kent” even though I don’t qualify through birth east of the River Medway.

Sammy Rimington, Canterbury, 2011

What connection does this have with jazz in Kent? You’ll find several Jazz&Jazz posts about my involvement with jazz in Kent, one of them being “BBC Jazz Club, 1960. Just Reminiscing!”  Look out too for posts on Sammy Rimington’s annual Kent tour, on Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle and on Gerry Birch’s “Jazz at The Star”.

My acrylic portrait of Kent Jazz Man Gerry Birch on Sousaphone

Then there was and still is my involvement in jazz in Whitstable and the feature “Keep Doing What You Are Doing”  touches on that and also my involvement with the “Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival”,

Just recently, through Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, I’ve got to know Brian Summers, a jazz enthusiast from Faversham, Kent. Brian began sending me videos he takes of Kent based jazz bands and I urged him to upload these as YouTubes.

So here they are, featuring local jazz maestro Burt Butler with his Jazz Pilgrims playing “When You’re Smiling” at a Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle harbour-side gig and “You Meet The Nicest People” at “The Two Brewers” in Whitstable. Both unique settings each with its own special atmosphere.

Brian lists the names to the musicians at the end of each YouTube. Best watched on YouTube. Enjoy!

Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz / YouTubes courtesy Brian Summers

Betty leads the 2011 Brolly Parade

Betty Renz is my foremost jazz heroine. It is she who inspired the launch of Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle in 2011 – the UK’s youngest jazz festival which continues to grow from strength to strength each year.

Now aged 82, Betty’s enduring love is jazz and one of her ambitions is to sing with as many jazz bands as possible, and even to sing with, wait for it, André Previn!

It is my huge privilege to have been involved with Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle and with Betty since it’s launch through the good offices of the organising committee.

Following this year’s festival this remarkable lady was interviewed by Kent Atelier about her life, her loves and her music – including her love for jazz. It’s so worth listening to – and Betty’s immense humanity shines through. Please click here to listen to the interview.

Plus, I just had to paint Betty’s portrait from back in the days when she sang with Burt Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims in The Duke of  Cumberland, Whitstable, Kent. Click here to view.

Betty guesting with Brian Turnock’s New Orleans Z’hulus, Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, 2012.

Jazz&Jazz will feature a selection of YouTubes of Betty singing with jazz bands. Here she is singing with Pete Lay’s Gambit Jazzmen, Chris Marney, Alan Gresty, Roger Myerscough and Roger Link at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, 2014. (Best viewed on YouTube in HD.)

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

I’ve not long been back from one of the most wonderful jazz festivals it’s been my privilege attend. Why a privilege? Well, besides the fact that Fest Jazz in Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Brittany, was faultlessly organised and featured great bands, including Tuba Skinny from New Orleans, for me there was one particular BIG band which stole the hearts of the fans.

Joan Chamorro presents the St Andreu Jazz Band

The name of that band? The Sant Andreu Jazz Band from Barcelona, Spain. And the stars of the band? Barcelona school children and teenagers!

Based in the Sant Andreu Municipal School of Music in Barcelona, the band is made up of young musicians aged between 7 and 20 who flourish under the musical direction of their inspirational band leader, Joan Chamorro.

So why is it that have I entitle this post “Don’t Stop The Music! It Can Change Our Children’s Lives”?

James Rhodes

Because thats the subject of an appeal international concert pianist and music teacher James Rhodes recently launched via Change.org to UK Education Secretary Nicky Morgan.

“I started to look into the state of music provision in primary schools across England and I was shocked at what I found.

“In one school I visited the annual music budget was just £2.20 per pupil. Some teachers even told me they have no money at all to spend on music. Thousands of children, I discovered, are missing out on a music education.”

Courtesy of Change.org lets allow Nicky to explain his appeal himself:

And now, here is my YouTube of Joan Chamorro and his inspirational students in
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band.

If such a high standard of music education can be achieved in Spain, why not in the UK.

Please participate! Click here for the link to sign Nicky’s petition.

Derek Nash

Here is the Autumn 2014 issue of The Kent Jazz News compiled and edited by jazz devotee Harry Stubberfield.

It’s packed with news about the jazz scene in Kent and beyond.

Click here to view your online copy:
AUTUMN JAZZ NEWS

To receive your personal copy in print, email Harry at: [email protected]