Several items captured my attention in the December issue of
Just Jazz Magazine.

From the Editorial:

“Just Jazz has been going for nearly 20 years now, dropping through your letterboxes, or on sale at clubs and festivals. However, we are aware that, in this day and age, we should consider going ‘online’ … and dare we say, attracting … young readers. Watch this space…”

I launched jazzandjazz.com back in 2010 so there’s some catching up to do with the monthly printed Just Jazz Magazine. But over that time I owe a great deal to Pete Lay’s and Jim McIntosh’s support and would be only too pleased to cooperate with Just Jazz Online and to do all I can to help promote the site – especially to younger online jazz fans.

Also From the Editorial:

“Well 2016 has been a bit of a mixed bag. Two festivals deciding that 2016 would be the last …  However, others are still swinging along very nicely and in most cases to increased attendance. The club scene is doing reasonable well, but despite the increasing number of young musicians, we are still not reaching the younger fans … how we fix this problem is the proverbial $64,000 question …

Working together, perhaps Jazz Magazine Online and jazzandjazz.com, could work towards fixing this?

From the Contents:
“The end of the line for The Winning Post”

I was especially saddened to read the article “The end of the line for The Winning Post”. Kay and Tony Leppard have been running The Winning Post in Whitton, West London, for almost 20 years and in the process have raised over £50,000 to help support their local children’s hospice. The Club will be sorely missed. Plus they also ran Thursday Lunchtime sessions at the 100 Club until a few months ago, thank you Kay and Tony.

“Change” by Heather Balon Lay

Next I was drawn to Heather Balon Lay’s article “Change” about the changes to Hemsby’s Autumn Jazz Parade resulting from major renovations at Seacroft Holiday Village. Why? Because due to extenuating circumstance this was the first Autumn Parade I had missed in eight years. It was back in 2008 that I began photographing and painting portraits of jazz musicians, which led to the launch of Jazz&Jazz in 2009 and then to filming jazz for YouTubes in 2013. And above all, it was at the 2009 Parade that my wife, Ginny, won the very last Ken Colyer Trust National Prize Draw for a trip for two to the New Orleans French Quarter Festival in 2010. This resulted in a host more photographs and acrylic portraits.

I reminded Barry Price when he sent me birthday greetings earlier this month, just how pleased Ginny and I were to be presented with the winning tickets by him. He replied that he couldn’t think of more deserving winners. Whatever, Barry, but this website plus my Social Media and YouTube sites have made it even more rewarding, hopefully for all of jazz. Perhaps it was just fate!

Hemsby – I hope to be back for the Autumn Jazz Parade next year.

Interview with Denise Gordon

Another December Just Jazz article which captured my attention was Jim Macintosh’s intriguing interview with Denise Gordon.

••• ••• •••

If you haven’t already got the December issue of Just Jazz, sent for it now at:
Just Jazz Magazine Ltd, 29 Burrage Place, London, SE18 7BG.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

Images © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

I’m pleased to feature four Jazz&Jazz YouTubes capturing a selection from FiddleBop’s repertoire, which I filmed recently at a lively Walnut Tree Jazz Club session
in Blisworth, Northants.

Dave Favis-Mortlock (violin, flute & vocals); Martin Crowder (guitar, banjo and vocals);
Jo Davies (rhythm guitar and vocals); Roger Davis (double Bass).

FiddleBop are at http://fiddlebop.org

FiddleBop Gigs: http://fiddlebop.org/gigs.html

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Peter Leonard phoned me a couple of days ago to tell me that Red Hot and Blue have launched a brand new CD called, very appropriately,

Red Hot and Brass

On this CD Red Hot and Blue are:

Trumpet – Peter Leonard
Trombone – Rob Pearce
Banjo – John Stuart
Sousa – Pete Clancy

The CD is different, even distinctive as, in Peter’s words, “an afternoon of brass based frivolity, produced without either rehearsal or safety net”. It’s fun and well worth listening to.

The tracks include: “That’s A Plenty”, “Back Town Blues”, Canal Street Blues”, “Algiers Strut”, “Buddy’s Habit” plus seven more.

To order your CD:
Telephone Peter on 07427 726228
email: [email protected]

Website: www.facebook.com/redhotandbluejazz

2016 British Jazz Awards

The British Jazz Awards is back for its 31^st consecutive year to recognise the best in British Jazz.
The task of choosing the nominees was left to 13 respected members of the Jazz community.
After much deliberation, 4 nominations were selected for each of the 16 categories
(12 for individual performers, two band categories, and two industry awards for best CDs).

Now it comes down to you to decide the winner!

Cast Your Vote
So far an incredible 3,000 Jazz fans have already had their say. Luckily there is still time to cast your vote at: http://tinyurl.com/britishjazzawards

Voting closes on the 30^th November. The Winners will be announced in the next edition of
The Jazz Rag.

If you’re interested in receiving a postal voting form, contact [email protected] and a printable version of the form will be emailed to you shortly after.

For further information please contact
Big Bear Music, PO Box 944, Birmingham, B16 8UT
Tel: 0121 454 7020 Email: [email protected]

Thank you, Big Bear, for helping us keep Jazz&Jazz followers informed.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

PS I have already voted.

When Tony Tutton, our good friend and neighbour back in wonderful Lemsford, emailed us about his band “The Beaucrees” and a single they have just recorded for “Help for Heroes”, I decided I simply had to post it here on Jazz&Jazz.

It’s not jazz but it is very, very special! Here’s why. 

The single went on general release on 11 November (Armistice day) and that same evening Tony and two of his band members were interviewed about the single on London Live television. Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/david.doll.75/videos/10154065646290949/

Subsequently Tony emailed, “The television interview has now had over 1000 views. Due to you and your friends’ support the single today has risen 215 places to 85 in the Amazon charts. And from 42 to number five in the iTunes vocals charts. The video that goes with the song is now available on YouTube so if you have not seen it yet here it is:

In his email Tony thanks everyone who has already supported “The Game” for all the kind comments and for downloading and sharing it. So please add your support by downloading the song for just 99p (or £1.98 for the full version). Every penny goes to “Help For Heroes”. It is available for purchase at:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-game-single/id1168707201

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Beaucrees-x/dp/B01MDQH2B3/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479049375&sr=8-1&keywords=the+beaucrees

A media launch is planned for later this month and The Beaucrees are looking forward to further exciting results. But there’s no need to wait to add your support. Just use the links above.

If you want to keep up with what The Beaucrees are doing their website is www.thebeaucrees.co.uk and their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/TheBeaucrees

Tony closed his email with: “A big THANK YOU once again on behalf of myself and my band and “Help for Heroes” for your support for this good cause – please keep spreading the word. I will keep you up-to-date with what is happening. Number one this Christmas – who knows?”

Thank you Tony and The Beaucrees!

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

PS Tony is a member of my Facebook Jazzers Group.