Tad Newton Presents JAZZ @ THE CASTLE Wellingborough April – July

 

Hurry! Tickets still available for the first gig in the programme on Thursday, April 16th

Castle-Programme

 Presenting a rather unique and totally in character YouTube of “Slide by Slide”
starring at a Bedford Golf Club jazz gig.

YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

http://www.tadnewtonsjazzfriends.com

email: [email protected]

YouTube Featuring The Phil Brown Swingtet: ‘That’s a Plenty’

Phil-Brown-Swingtet

FILMED AT THE WALNUT TREE JAZZ CLUB, BLISWORTH, MARCH 2015

Phil Brown (leader, trombone); Mike Kemp (piano); Lester Brown (trumpet); Mark Aston (reeds);
Mike Bennett (bass); David Clary (drums).

Photo & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Acrylic Portrait of Bill Bissonnette – Plus a Ditty!!!

 

When Big Bill Bissonnette sent me a black and white photograph and asked me to paint his portrait how could I resist? Even though I prefer to have met my subjects in person and work from my own reference shots and sketches. Since first posting I have written a ditty to feature with the portrait! See below.

Plus it’s got me back to the easel and the aspect of Jazz&Jazz which I love most, my Jazz Art. So thank you for commissioning the portrait, Bill. It’s been a pleasure and I apologise for the delay due to my moving home and setting up my new Art & Media Studio (better referred to as my Den!)

So, Jazzers, with B3’s permission, here is the portrait.

BillBissonnetteA&V

And thank you Bill, for featuring the portrait on your Websites plus your accolade: “Peter Butler is a well known painter of jazzmen. He recently did an acrylic of me. I love it!” I notice Brian Carrick has also complimented my work: “It looks Bloody Good Bill, I bet the Acrylic original looks Fab.”

Just had to add this feature to the post with full approval of B3! Hope you enjoy it!

B3-Pic&PoemWeb

Since completing the portrait, with Bill’s permission, I have set it up, along with the poem version, for reproduction as Fine Art Giclée Prints.

Plus I’ve recently been posting on Facebook samples of my landscapes and seascapes which I also produce as Fine Art Giclée Prints. These have garnered encouraging interest. So I’m inclined to feature some of them on Jazz&Jazz as well. Who knows, if I can sell a few prints – or even originals – it may help finance the rather costly efforts of featuring and helping promote jazz.

I would welcome your views on this in Speak Your Mind below.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait and the version with the poem are now available.
Simply email: [email protected]

Pops!!! – Oil Painting by Alan Bateman

Pop'sW

When Alan Bateman first posted his work-in-progress portrait in oils of Louis Armstrong, I knew a masterpiece was in the making. So I plotted progress from his Facebook updates. In his own words:

12th March: Giving it large at the Bateman residence – 40″ x 40″ Louis painting 3 days in. brushes are getting bigger!!

13th March: Louis has taken over the kitchen – Day 4, working on his head.

17th March: One week in, loving the psychedelic colours in the bell flare. I’ve been tinkering with the hands and face. steady progress.

26th March: Pops!! – Oil Painting.

I too like the psychedelic colours in the bell flare, Alan, and the intensity you’ve captured in Louis’ expression. Pure Satchmo!

I was so taken with the finished word, yes, a masterpiece, that I simply had to ask Alan’s permission to post the portrait on Jazz&Jazz because it encapsulates jazz.

Alan agreed and he emailed me:

“I’m in discussions with Ricky Riccardi, who is the Archivist from the Louis Armstrong House Museum in New York. He has agreed to have the picture. We’ve just got to figure out how to get it there in one piece!!

“I’ll varnish and frame it in due course which should be fairly quick as the painting is done entirely in Alkyd Oils & mediums.

“I hope I’ve done him justice, its important to have an opportunity to give something back after the pleasure Louis gave to us all. I hope people will get a lot of pleasure from observing the painting for many years to come.”

Alan plans to get the portrait professionally scanned as people are asking if prints will be available. Most certainly it’s a collectors’ item.

Thank you for letting me post “Pops” under “Jazz Art” on Jazz&Jazz, Alan.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Jazz Portrait of “Smiffy”, Washboard Rhythm King of Lemsford Jazz Club Fame

Peartree Smiffy on Washboard from a Jazz&Jazz portrait by Peter M Butler

Jazz&Jazz Portrait of “Smiffy” by Peter M Butler

Brian Smith, aka “Smiffy”, isn’t just a very good friend but one of my jazz heroes for all he does to support jazz in Hertfordshire.

With fewer and fewer venues available for loyal fans to enjoy their jazz on a regular basis in what was once a hotbed of jazz, Smiffy launched The Peartree Monday Jazz Club in Welwyn Garden City. In September, 2014, the club moved to Lemsford Village Hall and is now The Lemsford Jazz Club. Held on Sundays once a month, Smiffy lines up a selection of brilliant bands for the Lemsford gigs to the delight of a growing number of fans.

Says Brian: “I am not so much a jazz fan as a jazz fiend and I formed the Club to bring live jazz back to fans in and around Welwyn Garden City. Each month the Club presents top bands from London, the South East and beyond. So join us at The Lemsford Jazz Club and enjoy the very best of New Orleans Jazz.”

What many of the bands don’t know is that Brian is a dab hand on washboard and it goes without saying that I took huge delight in painting his jazz portrait in action.

Fine art print of jazz painting and poem featuring jazz hero “Smiffy”

Washboard Rhythm King
All eyes on Smithy,
Fingers fleeting and nimble
With each thimble a cymbal.
Washboard Rhythm King supreme.

Brian Smith, local Jazz enthusiast and promoter, playing washboard at
The Long Arm and the Short Arm in Lemsford, Hertfordshire.

To learn more about the Lemsford Jazz Club or for a copy of the programme, you can contact “Smiffy” on 01707 880569 or email him at: [email protected]. He’ll be pleased to hear from you. Or visit the Lemsford Jazz Club on Facebook.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Portrait Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available.
Simply email: [email protected]
to place your order and help support jazz.

Jazz Lives at The Star, Old Wives Lees

The Stour Valley Stompers. Gerry introduces the band on the YouTube below.

The Stour Valley Stompers. Gerry introduces the band on the YouTube below.

It takes a very special landlord to keep jazz going at his pub despite severe setbacks. Earlier this year, Barry, Landlord at The Star, Old Wives Lees, suffered a severe heart attack and not only did Thursday night jazz sessions come to a screaming halt, The Star had to close its doors to all of its regulars.

But you just can’t keep a good man down. Even though he has undergone major heart surgery, Barry is back and The Star has opened its doors again. Gerry Birch tells me he is in good spirits and still playing an active part in the running of the pub, allbeit somewhat carefully.

Malcome Walton's Blue Rhythm Kings

Malcome Walton’s Blue Rhythm Kings

And Gerry Birch is back in business with his weekly Thursday Jazz Nights. Even as I’m preparing this post, The Blue Rhythm Kings are playing there tonight! I’d be there myself supporting Gerry, Barry and my numerous Star jazz friends if Old Wives Lees, close to Canterbury, Kent, weren’t quite so far away at such short notice.

But I can give them all a plug on Jazz&Jazz and announce Gerry’s Thursday Night rota of jazz bands over the coming weeks.

Tonight, as I’ve said, sadly in my absence, it’s The Blue Rhythm Kings.

Thursday, 2nd April: Gerry’s Anything Goes Band
Thursday, 9th April: Vocalion Jazz Band
Thursday, 16th April: Stour Valley Jazzband
Thursday, 23rd April: Blue Rhythm Kings
Thursday, 30th April: Southern Heat

Then on Thursdays evenings recurring.

Dennis Jenkins

Dennis Jenkins, Vocalion Jazz Band

I simply had to close this feature with these words from Gerry Birch following their first Thursday night resumption on 19th March:  “The pub was packed with all the old faces and a few new ones and some visiting musicians. Anyone who knows Barry will know that he is a man of few words and although he always enjoys the Jazz it does not always show. I don’t say this detrimentally, it is just his nature and we all “love” him. But last night the enjoyment really showed. It was a good tonic for him and he joined with everyone else in saying what a great night it was. All I can say, on behalf of all the musicians is it’s great to be back, long may it continue.”

Jazz&Jazz YouTube: Jazz at The Star, Old Wives Lees, East Kent, with Promoter Gerry Birch and his Stour Valley Jazz Band. “At A Georgia Camp Meeting” is a ragtime number by Kerry Mills written for piano way back in 1897.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Photos & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Leroy Jones at Donnas Bar 2010

Leroy-at-Donnas

Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

It’s five years since I met Leroy Jones in New Orleans at Donna’s Bar during the
2010 French Quarter Festival.

He won’t remember me now, but when I asked him if I could take photos, not just one or two, but a whole selection for a portrait I aimed to paint of him, he was happy for me to do so. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then but I finally got to the portrait so here it is. Next on my list, KatjaToivola at Donna’s Bar. By the way, is Donna’s Bar still there on Rampart Street?

LJ-Portrait-1A

See also: Leroy Jones, “The Keeper of the Flame”

I produce Fine Art Giclée Prints of my Jazz Portraits. If you would like one of Leroy Jones please email me at: [email protected]

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Focus on Jazz with Jazz Jam • The Bear Club, Luton • 2-5pm, 29th March, 2015

JazzJamFlyer

Jazz Jam – Sunday 29th March 2015 / 2-5pm


Luton’s Jazz initiative “Focus On Jazz”, founded by DJ/Dancer Perry Louis, presents a new residency for our popular Jazz Jam sessions at The Bear Club Luton.

Featuring local musicians performing alongside the resident house band led by Saxophonist Rob Mach, each session has a relaxed and laid-back feel, encouraging people to develop their talent and have some great fun in the process!

The Jazz Jam has increased in popularity season by season over its 10 year lifespan across multiple venues with dedicated, growing audiences and children as young as 10 getting up to perform. As well as the house band, there will also be special guest hosts featuring local artistes such as Marius Ptas (Guitar), Chris Maddock (Saxophone) and Trevor Walker (Trumpet), as well as international Jazz Artistes such as Clark Tracey,  Jim Mullen,  Nigel Price, Tina May, Mike Gorman and Robin Jones.

The sessions are a big hit with Musicians, Singers, Dancers and ‘listen-only’ Jazz lovers alike, from beginner musicians looking to meet like-minded people and improve their improvisational talents to advanced pro players looking for an outlet to enhance their skills . The Jazz Jams provide an opportunity for everyone to sit in with some of the best Jazz Artists in the UK or simply sit back and enjoy the relaxed vibe and listen to some great music!

Every last Sunday of the month!
The Bear Club
24 Guildford Street
Luton LU1 2NR
 
2 – 5pm
£4:00 (Members £3:00)

Keith Nichols & Friends at The Bedford

 

Legendary jazz pianist, jazz entertainer and raconteur Keith Nichols is bound to get your feet tapping at The Bedford this coming Thursday!

March-Promo-Flyer


Visit Tad Newton’s JazzFriends Online

Kent Jazz News Spring 2015

Hotlips Jazz Band (Courtesy of KJN)

Hotlips Jazz Band (Courtesy of KJN)

Presenting the Spring 2015 issue of The Kent Jazz News compiled and edited by jazz devotee Harry Stubberfield.

KJN-Spring-Logo

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

Click to view your online copy: Kent Jazz News

Spillett

Bobby Wellins & Simon Spillett  (Courtesy of KJN)

To receive your personal copy of Kent Jazz News in print, email Harry: [email protected]

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