2012 October

Reunion Get The 2012 Autumn Parade off to a Rip Roaring Start

October 27, 2012 By Peter Butler Leave a Comment

No sooner had Mike Pointon launched the 2012 Autumn Jazz Parade at Hemsby, Norfolk, by announcing The Reunion Jazz Band than dancers took to the floor in their droves to trip the jazz fantastic.

To the fans’ delight George Buckman and his magnificent six got the festival off to a rousing start with three great sets in true New Orleans style. The Ken Colyer legacy lives on!

Band Leader George Buckman

Alan Hippsley on Trumpet

Dave Clewes, Trombone

Banjoist Keith Goddard

Dave Hepworth in the groove

Dave Spink

… and on clarinet

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Jane, Band Leader George Buckman’s partner, is an illustrator and cartoonist. Affectionately known as the “Drummer’s Moll”, she couldn’t resist inviting Jazz & Jazz to feature the two cartoons below. Poor George!

The dream ……

…… the reality!

Filed Under: Jazz Bands, Jazz Events

Some Like it Hot at Mojitos Rum Bar, New Orleans

October 21, 2012 By Peter Butler Leave a Comment

‘Some Like it Hot’ starring Janice Medlock (trombone), Kaye Caldwell (trumpet), Carol Stuckey (bass), Ron Kennedy (banjo), Eric Shuman (clarinet) and Nita Hemeter (drums)

Exciting news for anyone New Orleans bound this Fall! Some Like it Hot will be starring at Mojitos Rum Bar, right on Esplanade Ave, where Frenchmen Street starts, along with the other venues listed below.

Some Like it Hot is a New Orleans Dixieland Jazz Band that was formed from a love of traditional jazz. Says Nita Hemeter, “We sure hope some of you can make at least one of our gigs. You can get home at a reasonable hour after having a great meal and listening to some awesome New Orleans Traditional Jazz.”

Not so many lady jazz musicians around these days? Well in this band they outnumber the fellas on a ratio of two to one! And take a look at them – attractive gals and good looking gents – who says trad jazz is just for old fogeys?

Full programme

Buffas Jazz Brunch: Every Sunday 11am-2pm
Mojitos: Monday Oct 29th 6-9pm
Maison: Thursday Nov 1 7-10pm
Mojitos: Saturday Nov 10th – Brunch 12:30-3:30pm
Mojitos: Saturday Nov 17th 12:30-3:30pm
Palmer Park Arts Market: Saturday Nov 24th 1-3:30pm

To find out more about the band and their extensive traditional repertoire visit Some Like it Hot on the web.

Thank you, Nita, for allowing Jazz&Jazz to share this with jazz fans in the UK, Europe and around the world! Who knows who might be heading for New Orleans this fall?

Filed Under: Jazz Events

Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends Sweep Aside the Monday Blues

October 21, 2012 By Peter Butler Leave a Comment

Newcomers to The Peartree Jazz Club in Welwyn Garden City, Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends thrilled the Monday night fans on 15th October with their swinging repertoire of 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s jazz sounds. Their sessions included the golden oldies of Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Count Basie right through to a taste of rhythm and blues and contemporary jazz.

Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends befriend the Peartree fans

The Jazz Friends are noted for their mix of superb vocals, novelty pieces and instrumental solos, including numbers featuring Trevor Whiting on reeds. Given their international reputation and regular appearances at top venues and jazz festivals, Peartree fans were privileged to to be entertained by such a prestigious band.

Band Leader Tad Newton

Ronnie Fenn

Trevor Whiting

Thomas Pederson

Gary Wood

Alan Haughton

Trevor Whiting

Tad Newton

Peartree Promoter, Brian Smith, more popularly known to fans as Smiffy, introduced Mason, his son, during the raffle. Mason is now assisting in promoting the club and has set up a Peartree facebook page. What better than to begin with a promo photograph of Mason with the Jazz Friends. After introducing Mason, Smiffy declared, “Well, the wife tells me he’s my son!” Typical of his wry humour that the fans love.

Mason Smith (second from right) with The Jazz Friends

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

TAD NEWTON’S JAZZFRIENDS
“NOVEMBER NUGGETS!”

Nov 17 3pm: Teignmouth Jazz Festival, Carlton Theatre, Teignmouth, Devon

Nov 22 8pm: Castle Theatre, Wellingborough, NN8 1XA Tel. 01933 270007 for tickets

Nov 23 12.30pm: The Spice of Life, Cambridge Circus, London. A debut for Tad Newton’s Jazzfriends at one of London’s top jazz venues. Why not have a day out in London and come along and support us? Admission on door £6 … be early!

Nov 24 8pm: Pavenham Village Hall, Beds. A special jazz and dine evening in an idyllic setting. Tel 01234823821 for tickets and information.

Call: 01604 858549
www.tadnewtonsjazzfriends.com

Filed Under: Jazz Bands

Hot Stuff at Hemsby with New Orleans Heat!

October 17, 2012 By Peter Butler Leave a Comment

Band Leader Barry Grummett describes New Orleans Heat as “a band playing the old style New Orleans jazz, recreating the music of the crescent city, be it a stomp, blues, hymn, spiritual or pop song of the day. In the style of the late great, Bunk Johnson, George Lewis and Kid Thomas bands. Our motto is “helping to keep the real jazz alive”. For the full story visit their website.

As the fans will attest, the band was certainly HOT STUFF at this year’s Hemsby Autumn Jazz Parade and what better than to let the photographs tell the story.

Band Leader Barry Grummett

Harry Slater

Dave Vickers

John Scantlebury

Starring Tony and Barry

Tony Peatman

Colin Bushell

John Scantlebury on Sax

And featuring the multiple faces of Gwyn Lewis, the Welsh Viking ……

In the mood!

One

Two

Three

Four

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Five

… and the grand finale!

Filed Under: Jazz Bands

At The Peartree Tonight – TAD NEWTON’S JAZZ FRIENDS

October 15, 2012 By Peter Butler Leave a Comment

Don’t miss
Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends
at The Peartree Jazz Club,
Welwyn Garden City, at 8.30 tonight!

Filed Under: Jazz Events

The Frenchmen Street Band – via New Orleans to Norfolk

October 13, 2012 By Peter Butler 5 Comments

Chris Pearce

Over the years, Chris Pearce starred with numerous bands before forming his Frenchmen Street Band in 2002 after a trip to New Orleans. He stayed above the famous “Snug Harbour” Jazz Club on Frenchmen Street. And this September fans gave a rapturous welcome to the band at The Autumn Jazz Parade in Hemsby, Norfolk.

So now that you’ve got the connection it’s time to introduce the band pictorially in photographs of their gripping performances which got a glorious weekend of non stop jazz off to a stunning start.

As the Festival Programme billed them, “hot stuff“!

You can find out more about Chris and his band on their website at: http://www.chrispearcesfsjb.co.uk/index.html

Frenchmen Street New Orleans Style

John Watson

Phil Probart

Chris Pearce plays clarinet, Gordon Whitworth, trumpet, and Ron Hills, trombone

Tony Sharp, bass, John Watson, drums

A stitch in time – to the music?

Filed Under: Jazz Bands

Rich Bennett’s Band Brings the House Down at The Autumn Parade

October 10, 2012 By Peter Butler 8 Comments

The Rich Bennett Band at the Autumn Jazz Parade, Hemsby, Norfolk

Announcing the Rich Bennett Band at September’s Autumn Jazz Parade, both Pete Lay and Mike Pointon warned fans to take a tight grip on their seats and be prepared for a walk on the wild side! And they weren’t far wrong!

Back in November last year in an article featuring The Rich Bennett Band I wrote “jazz oldies by far outnumber younger fans and if trad jazz is to make a powerful comeback we need to applaud it’s rising stars”.

Rich Bennett and his brother Russell do just that with their group of young musicians who share their joyous, driving style. And although their father Martin Bennett might beg to differ, the two of them are not so old themselves!

Richard’s passion for the New Orleans sound and its revival never fails to fire up audiences all over the UK and the Hemsby fans were no different. They may be a tad long in the tooth but if they hadn’t already taken to the dance floor they were on their feet applauding the band’s youthful exuberance. A riotous time was has by one and all and what’s more, the CDs were a sell out!

So what better than to share here the photos which I took of Rich and Russ Bennett, James Evans, the charming Dorine De Wit, Baby Jools and guest bassist Trefor Williams in full flight!