I want to share with subscribers to Jazz&Jazz a “debate”, or rather an exchange of views, currently trending on my Facebook Jazzers Group, as I believe it bears relevance, not just to defining jazz, but to the current status of jazz. I present the debate here, edited where necessary to make sense of the Facebook “idiom”. If you would like to contribute to the debate but are not on Facebook you can do so in “Speak Your Mind”, the comments section at the foot of this Post. In fact I would prefer that you use this to air your views
rather than Facebook.

Sean Moyses initiated the debate with this comment:
I have heard the term “Strict New Orleans” several times since moving back to the UK. One gentleman actually walked off rather disgruntled after I said there was nothing of the sort. I think he meant Ken Colyer copy bands. To me New Orleans music is a mish-mash of all styles, not a particular style. If however I was to pick a band from New Orleans that currently perform and who I rate highly it would be this lot….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suPA12Q4ysM

Peter Mark Butler: Sean, I had the huge privileged of getting together with Tuba Skinny at Fest Jazz last year, of filming them for YouTubes, and meeting Erika and Robin. I’ve posted several YouTubes of them playing at Fest Jazz on Jazz&Jazz with more to come. (Simply enter Tuba Skinny in Search Jazz&Jazz – right hand column. Also search for “The Bardi Manchot” an up and coming band from Toulouse, France, in the style of Tuba Skinny).

John A Dixon joined the debate with this YouTube of: “Shotgun and Tuba Skinny”, playing together in New Orleans.

Peter Mark Butler: Who says jazz is dead! The future is formidable!

Sean Moyses: I’ll be seeing them at Jazz Fest this year when I go over to New Orleans to do a banjo gig, looking forward that. Jazz needs this fresh approach, especially in the UK, badly.

Peter Mark Butler: I spoke to Erika and Robin in Brittany about them coming to the UK. How can I put this? Jazz UK simply cannot currently put the necessary package together! Despite the fact that, doubtless, we have a resurgence of younger bands which could not only play alongside them but match their prowess!

Pamela Turner: Brilliant, love them.

Sean Moyses: They would find the UK jazzers very different to their usual customers….

Andrew Bowie: Saxophone? Dirty boppers!

Sean Moyses: oooh!!! “modern!!!” saxophones…..barrrr humbug!!! I know what you mean, Peter. I cannot imagine a retirement home/jazz club audience getting as excited about this as the Vintage Antique Hot Stomper Jazzmen, who they know they can dance too, very, very slowly, for a fiver all night. However, I personally DO enjoy the music of the Tuba Skinny band very very much. Best way is to get them over here and see.

Peter Mark Butler: Sean, I agree totally, but as I inferred above, at present this is a long shot! But in the circumstances I’ve posted a brand new feature (“Blood Thirsty Blues”) on Jazz&Jazz with a YouTube I filmed of them at Fest Jazz, Brittany, last year and I’ve linked this to Erika Lewis. Erika, despite past exchanges, I, we in the UK are still living in hopes – perhaps you will meet up with Sean in New Orleans during Jazz Fest.

Peter Mark Butler: Trevor Stent – you might be interested in this exchange! Again, thanks for the opportunity to video for YouTubes at the Festival last year and wishing you huge success this year. You’ve got a great line up of bands which I’ll feature on Jazz&Jazz very soon.

Sean Moyses: Well done Peter on your initiative!

Louis Lince: Sean, It’s a rhythm thing. You can tell a New Orleans band by the rhythm and that wonderful backbeat – whether it’s “trad”, funk or whatever. Just listen to the Neville Brothers or the Meters or Dumpstafunk. At this stage, I’m running for cover but as you rightly say IT’S MUSIC.

Sean Moyses: You and I agree Louis. Each country has a certain groove when it comes to musical rhythm.

Peter Mark Butler: In the April issue of Just Jazz Magazine Jim McIntosh ran an editorial on “Frumpy … that’s how JUST JAZZ was recently referred to!”. With his and Pete Lay’s permission I featured this on Jazz&Jazz outlining my views about Social Media et al. I also stated that whilst I like Trad & Mainstream (but not extreme Modern), my overall preference is New Orleans Revivalist Jazz. “FRUMPY … that’s how JUST JAZZ was recently referred to!”

Sean Moyses: Interesting Peter. I have yet to see that issue of just jazz. So what banner do Tuba Skinny fall under?

Peter Mark Butler: Recapturing early jazz and blues – the soul of the 1920s/30s – plus some of their own compositions in keeping. They are unique, especially amongst todays bands. Yet how about this: https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=12470

Toulouse based “Le Bardi Manchot”

Plus I list a number of our “New Generation Bands” at: https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=10265

On my Jazzers Group I urge fans: “”SUPPORT JAZZ – GET INVOLVED!” This very debate is what I call getting involved!

Sean Moyses: I’m right with you Peter. The problem is the jazz clubs attract (in general) older people, and younger people want to go out drinking and dancing with their own age groups so when younger bands play in places their contemporaries go to it’s generally a “hit”. This is great music and it still works. I used to play with a pianist in a student pub in Germany and it was full every Thursday. We played jazz and rags, in fact anything we felt like, piano and banjo, and it was a huge success. When we took the act to other places a bit more “traditional” all of those students (in general) stayed away. The way forward is to support and activate the interest in any way possible. For that support Peter, well done!

Peter Mark Butler: Thank you, Sean. I truly appreciate your encouragement. Although they do play the clubs, the “younger” bands have their own followings – younger fans – in their own venues mainly in London, Liverpool etc – with dancing. I feature them on Jazz&Jazz whenever the opportunity arises and will continue to do so. I also feature them on my YouTubes as much as possible: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbyqlX9cd5D7h2FpXsdS7BQ.

Trevor Stent: An important point is that the younger bands, which Peter indefatiguably encourages, sound “different” to bands in the heyday of Trad in the 50’s and early 60’s. For me this is not a problem at all, in fact I welcome it. New sounds, new numbers (endless Chimes Blues/Tin Roof Blues/Indiana etc are not heard so much) and I find this refreshing too. The 1950’s have finished…get over it!

Peter Mark Butler: Tuba Skinny “Dangerous Blues” filmed at Fest Jazz, 2014: http://goo.gl/3XW0Qw

Peter Mark Butler: Also Joan Chamorro’s youthful Sant Andreu Jazz Band: http://goo.gl/S34hcW

NOTE: Jazzers everywhere, every age, whoever you are, band leader, musician, club manager, festival organiser or fan – whatever your age, whatever your musical inclination, why not join in this debate by adding your comments below. Plus if you are a member of my Facebook Jazzers Group, including them there!
Don’t just sit back and watch Jazz pass you by, get involved!

The first time I met Chris Hodgkins was during the 2014 Annual Rent Ceremony in Covent Garden* when he played in The Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band. Since then we have remained in touch chiefly via Linkedin. He has just released his April Newsletter which I’m pleased to reproduce here.

Digby Fairweather and Chris Hodgkins (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Dear Friend

Please find the latest news on my activities to date. Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Jazz Then And Now on www.jazzlondonradio.com, launch of  the new album of “Back in Your Own Back Yard”  plus tour dates and the latest blog on http://www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk

Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2015
Chris was recently awarded the Services to Jazz  Award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, House of Commons on the 10th March. The Awards are sponsored by the PPL. Thanks to Jazz London News you can read about the Awards here at the The Arts Desk

Jazz Then And Now on www.jazzlondonradio.com
In September  Jazz London Radio announced that Chris Hodgkins will be joining the station with a new weekly show called “Jazz Then and Now” on www.jazzlondonradio.com

The concept of the show is as Chris puts it “what it says on the tin”. Chris delves into the history of the music and presents what is happening on the scene today with a watchful eye on British contemporary jazz. The show runs every Monday and Wednesday at 3pm and 8pm and repeated on Thursday at 8pm. See the weekly Play Lists for the show.

Chris Hodgkins album launch and live dates in April
Trumpeter Chris Hodgkins will be performing four dates in South Wales this April, to launch his new album with pianist Dave Price entitled Back In Your Own Backyard. Album release: Monday 6th April 2015. Albums can be purchased direct from Chris at [email protected] The cost is £12 plus postage and packing. The album can be downloaded at Amazon will be out on digital services on the 5th May. Here are some links to a couple of tracks on YouTube Sweet Hearts On Parade, Angel Eyes,  Sunday.

In September last year Chris Hodgkins returned to Wales to record an album of originals, standards and one or two tunes from the archives. For the past 7 years Chris, on his visits to Wales, has worked with Dave Price on piano and Erika Lyons or Ashley John Long on bass. All three joined him on the album and the result is “Back In Your Own Back Yard”.

“Aside from two originals and the poignant Black Butterfly, the repertoire suggests a formulaic Mainstream set that one might hear at a jazz party. But that narrow assumption vanishes once the music begins, for Chris, Dave, Erika, and Ashley offer serene yet searching chamber jazz, refreshing improvisations on familiar songs. The players have created an airy, open music, full of pleasant wanderings but solidly grounded in melody and beating-heart rhythms.

One of the most moving performances here is A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, an etude for piano and two double-basses, both celebration and elegy for wartime Britain, with death, romance, and endurance intermingled.

Together, they make Back In Your Own Backyard what jazz recordings should be, no matter what genre: warm, wide-awake, deeply personal”.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives

April Tour Dates

12th – Hanbury Arms **
Caerleon Uskside, Newport NP18 1AA
(Gig starts 5.30)
01633 420361

14th – The Angel *
Grosmont, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8EP
(Gig starts 8pm)
01981 240646

15th – Queens Head *
St James Street, Monmouth, NP25 3DL
(Gig starts 8pm)
01633 440739

16^th – Café Jazz *
St. Mary’s Street, Cardiff,
(Gig starts 8pm)
www.cafejazzcardiff.com
02920 387026

* With Dave Price (piano) and Ashley John Long (bass)
** With Steve Tarner (bass)

Chris Hodgkins recently retired after 29 years as the Director of Jazz Services, the national support charity for jazz music and musicians.  During his time at the organisation, he was honoured for his Services to Jazz at the 2002 BBC Jazz Awards and in July 2013 at the British Jazz Awards. In March this year he was awarded the Services to Jazz Award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2015.  Despite his successes championing British jazz he still found the time to play himself, and as a musician released several great albums with his various groups, including 2009’s Boswell’s London Journal, which was reviewed as ‘CD of the Week’ in the Evening Standard.  With his days of administration behind him, Chris now takes to the road to focus on playing the music he loves.

In September Jazz London Radio announced that Chris Hodgkins will be joining the station with a new weekly show called “Jazz Then and Now” on www.jazzlondonradio.com The show runs every Monday and Wednesday at 3pm and 8pm and repeated on Thursday at 8pm. See the weekly Play Lists for the show.

Hodgkins was raised in Cardiff.  He co-founded the Welsh Jazz Festival and was instrumental in establishing the Welsh Jazz Society.  As a professional trumpeter, Chris has toured the UK and Europe, appearing at the Sacramento Jazz Festival in the USA.  Chris has also played in the Icon Jazzmen and in the bands of Monty Sunshine, Chris Haskins and Pete Allen. The Chris Hodgkins Band made a name for itself supporting the likes of Buddy Tate, Humphrey Lyttelton, Kathy Stobart, Bud Freeman and Wild Bill Davison. He currently works with Alison Rayner, Max Brittain and Diane McLoughlin.

Dave Price lives in Wales, UK, overlooking the Golden Valley and the Black Mountains. His passionate interest in jazz has given him the opportunity to accompany numerous international jazz celebrities as diverse as Art Farmer, Nat Adderley, Kenny Wheeler,  Tubby Hayes , Ronnie Scott, Peanuts Hucko, Digby Fairweather, Bobby Wellins, Kai Winding,  and George Melly, to name a few.

Erika Lyons was selected for the BBC Masterclass series with Ray Brown. This was followed by two years living in New York where Erika studies with Buster Williams, Rufus Reid and Hal Galper. Erika had a residency at the Surf Maid in Bleeker Street and played in other New York clubs including The Blue Note and the Jazz Forum where Erika worked with top names such as Walter Bishop, Steve Grossman, Eliot Zigmund and Betty Barney. On Erika’s return to England she spent 6 years working on the London and European Jazz Scene recording, broadcasting and performing with top British and International musicians. Festival appearances have included Cascais, New York, Brecon, Cheltenham, Bracknell, Isle of Man, Birmingham, Bridgenorth and Ealing.

Ashley John Long is an award winning double bassist and composer. As a double bassist, Ashley is fast becoming recognised as one of the most unique exponents of his instrument in Europe. Since graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2008, he has maintained a busy and varied freelance career splitting his time between Classical, Jazz and session work. He has performed with some of the world’s leading orchestras and Jazz musicians and broadcast on radio and television worldwide.

He has performed with leading Jazz musicians such as Keith Tippett, Art Themen, Bob Mintzer, Geoff Eales, Dave Jones, Tina May, Damon Brown Simon Spillett, Hans Koller, Craig Millverton and Bobby Wellins.

He has written music for a wide range of situations including for film and television and his recent works in the classical world have been highly acclaimed for their highly original and inventive writing including Flux (2006); which won him a publishing contract at the age of 19, and Hevelspending (2010) for the Lunar Saxophone Quartet, Songs of the Night (2007) for Joel Garthwaite, Frames (2008) for Dave Danford and XAS (2008) for himself and Louis-Michel Marion.

Previous albums
“Present Continuous”, “Future Continuous”and “Boswell’s London Journal” are available at emusic and Amazon
www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk

This is Chris’s blog aimed at raising funds for Jazz Services and the National Jazz Archive. The latest post deals with Rattlemania and the push by the cultural mafia or Rafia for a new concert hall for London.

“There was more Rattlemania in the Guardian on the 4th March 2014, with coverage of Simon Rattle and the Leader column exclaiming “Simon Rattle’s return can be good for music, for London and the national status of the arts”.

Rattlemania egged on by a self-interested cultural mafia has got out of hand. The problem with the arts in the UK is there is no concrete policy for music and the other art forms ………”  Please see Rattlemania for the full post.

For further information:
Chris Hodgkins
Tel: 0208 840 4643
Mobile: 0750 764 9077

[email protected]
[email protected]
www.chrishodgkins.co.uk
www.jazzlondonradio.com

For Jazz Then and Now playlist go to:
https://chrishodgkins3.wordpress.com
www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk
https://twitter.com/HodgkinsChris

Copyright © Chris Hodgkins All rights reserved.

* The Annual Rent Ceremony set off in Covent Garden escorted by the Town Cryer and
The Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band