The National Jazz Archive, in conjunction with Loughton Youth Project, is holding a Reminiscence Open Day in Loughton on 10 September between 10am and 3pm.
– Hear about our Intergenerational Jazz Reminiscence Project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Watch footage of the reminiscence sessions held recently, and listen to interviews with jazz experts.
– Find out from Loughton Youth Project about getting involved in media production, such as radio, video, recording.
– Explore displays of jazz-related Archive and contemporary material.
– Bring along your own music or dance memorabilia, such as magazines, scrap-books, photographs or other ephemera: we would love to see them and look forward to sharing your music memories.
– Listen to music and enjoy light refreshments.
No need to book – just come along!
Gems from the Archive – Count Basie
This month we feature a musician who was admired as much by musicians as by listeners, and who displayed a particular liking for visiting the UK where he appreciated his fans as much as they did him – Count Basie.
In 1963, Basie was interviewed by Max Barker for Crescendomagazine and the interview can be read on the Archive website here.
Count Basie was among the most important bandleaders of the swing era. Apart from a brief period in the early 50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Basie’s orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz.
The Archive has many books, articles, programmes and photos about Basie – here is a link to those items that can be read and looked at on our website.
And what jazz collection would be complete with the 1957 ‘The Atomic Mr Basie’? Here’sthe full album in all its glory!
The photo at the top, taken by Dennis Williams, shows Count Basie reading Crescendo at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London in 1979. The photo above, by Terry Cryer, shows Count Basie and Chris Barber chatting together in 1959.
New jazz listings service launched
The newly launched website and app JazzLondonLive is getting into its stride, with regularly updated listings of jazz in London and further afield.
This new service is taking over from the long-running monthly publication Jazz in London, which stopped publication in April, when Mary Greig, who had run it continuously since 1973, decided to stop for personal reasons. The APPJAG Awards recognised her remarkable contribution with an award for Services to Jazz in May.
NJA is pleased to have helped with the crowdfunding to get the new service off the ground.
Alan Barnes Quintet fundraising concert for NJA on 22 October
The multi-award-winning performer Alan Barnes is bringing an all-star group of top UK jazz musicians to play a fund-raising concert for the National Jazz Archive on the afternoon of 22 October in Loughton, Essex.
Alan is a prolific international performer, composer, arranger, bandleader and touring soloist. He is best known for his work on clarinet, alto and baritone saxes, where he combines virtuosity with musical expression and collaborative spirit that have few peers. His range and brilliance have made him a ‘first call’ for studio and live work.
Alan’s musicianship, indefatigable touring, and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards, most recently in 2014 for clarinet, and has twice been BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.
His Quintet for the concert brings together the cream of current British jazz musicians – Henry Lowther, trumpet, Frank Harrison, piano, Simon Thorpe, bass, and Matt Fishwick, drums.
The venue for the concert is Loughton Methodist Church, 260 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1RB, close to the Archive’s home in Loughton Library, where there is extensive parking, 1 km from Loughton Station on the Central Line, and served by numerous bus routes.
The concert starts at 2.30pm and tickets cost £15.
Alan said: “I’m very pleased to be bringing this group of fine musicians to Loughton to support the National Jazz Archive and the work it does in to collecting and recording the history of our music.”
Alan launched Woodville Records in 2003 to provide an outlet for his own recordings of the various ensembles that he leads and as a showcase for his composing which can be heard on recordings like ‘The Sherlock Holmes Suite and ‘Songs For Unsung Heroes’. It is the home to some of the best mainstream and modern jazz being played in the Britain today.
Celebrating Black History Month in Dorking
An exhibition and two talks are taking place at Surrey Performing Arts Library in Dorking. The display will be in the library until mid-November and complements two events in October, celebrating Black History Month and the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival. Opening times are here.
There is also the opportunity to view a special exhibition of materials loaned by the National Jazz Archive, focusing on prominent jazz musicians and particularly Billie Holiday.
If you’re coming to see the exhibition or attend one of the events, why not take the opportunity to look at the library’s own extensive jazz collection. The events are:
Late flowering seeds of the triangular trade. 6 October, 7.30pm
Author Duncan Heining will talk about the significant contribution of black artists to the UK’s jazz scene past and present. Jazz is a music of migration and, in the case of jazz in Britain, speaks the true meaning of ‘Commonwealth’.
My life in jazz. 27 October 7.30pm Peter Edwards, one of the most exciting young British jazz musicians, talks about his career in music, his life as a jazz pianist, his compositions, the new CD by his Trio, and the music that’s influenced him.
Both events cost £6 and can be booked online.The Surrey Performing Arts Library is in the beautiful grounds of the Denbies Wine Estate, London Road, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6AA.
Popular belief is that Jazz has had its day. Not so! There are plenty of great bands on the jazz circuits - playing at Concerts, Clubs, Festivals. People say the musicians and fans are past their sell by dates and don’t attract younger audiences. Again, not so! There is a Jazz Revival! Numerous younger bands with growing numbers of enthusiastic young fans are making their mark.
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