The Golden Eagles at Hemsby, September, 2013: Kevin Scott (Leader/Banjo); Roy Stokes (Trombone); Mick Scroxton (Trumpet); Alan Cresswell (Clarinet); Pete Jackman (Drums); Mike Broad (Bass).

Always popular at UK festivals, it was The Golden Eagle Jazz Band’s joyfully dynamic performance at the 2013 Autumn Jazz Parade in Hemsby, Norfolk, that clinched their booking with Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle.

Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Jazz Club
Now entering it’s fourth year, the Shuffle is bringing New Orleans jazz back to Ramsgate, on the remote south east corner of Kent. It all began with The Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival in July, 2011. Now, not only has the festival become an annual fixture, but the Seaside Shuffle Jazz Club meets monthly and welcomes local Kent based bands and bands from all over the UK and beyond.

Atmospherics
The Golden Eagle Jazz Band led by Kevin Scott always deliver top dollar entertainment and their Seaside Shuffle gig was no exception. The one sure sign of a good jazz band and an enthusiastic Jazz Club is the atmospherics between the band and the fans as is demonstrated in my following YouTubes. Be sure to listen out for one very special fan!

The Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Committee is to be congratulated for sticking with it through thick and thin to establish a viable club in these very lean times for New Orleans Jazz.

Peter M Butler
Jazz&Jazz Editor & Proprietor

Please Note: You should find the YouTubes of a superior quality to the norm. This is due to the recently launched innovative Sony Karl Zeiss “Lens Camera” linked by local WiFi to my iPhone. Discreet but powerful. Kevin Scott emailed me: “The quality of the video is amazing and I’m very pleased with how the song came over. Please feel free to publish anything you want. Thank you for all your hard work in promoting jazz, and for what you do for bands. It is greatly appreciated.”

The YouTubes:

“Canal Street Blues”: http://youtu.be/qgFiitCqsKk

“When I Grow Too Old To Dream”: http://youtu.be/PdNs-KlxbuI

Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle – Capturing the Jazz Club Atmosphere : http://youtu.be/Jdiu87_mL3I

Hot Jazz with Canine Acclaim at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle : http://youtu.be/sDZAeo4GYq0 

Eight Street Orchestra in Concert

Yesterday I received a wonderful email from Canada about The Eighth Street Orchestra, based in Owen Sound, 220 kilometres north west of Toronto. Ever heard of them? If not, you have now! The email was from Band Leader, Gary Lawrence Murphy. He wrote:

“Your About page didn’t say how you found out about new jazz bands, but on discovering your pages via the Toronto area trad jazz group on Facebook, and in the spirit of “exuberant smaller bands” and especially young players, I thought I might invite you to check out our facebook.com/eighthstreetorchestra page where we post our day-to-day happenings with our band of mostly 15-16 year old players (plus a few others who’ve gravitated to our exuberance). I hope you enjoy it!”

Swinging Along with Happy Jazz
Enjoy it, Gary? You bet I did! The Eighth Street Orchestra fits right in with my “About Jazz&Jazz” declaration to “focus on the vitality of younger, emerging stars and on the inexhaustible exuberance of smaller bands on the jazz circuit.” Under the heading “Jazz Fans” I go on to say: “JazzandJazz aims to become a force for jazz by galvanising jazz fans everywhere into a trad jazz revival and by helping to win over a younger generation of fans to swing along with happy jazz.”

Eighth Street most certainly meets and surpasses all of those criteria! They swing along with happy jazz right out on the peninsular that divides Georgian Bay from Lake Huron. As Gary puts it, “out on the edge of cottage country really”. There is an argument that nowadays the only chance of live jazz surviving is in city zones where there are nuclei of fans. Eighth Street most certainly scuppers that!

Breathing New Life into a Jazz Revival
So thank you, Gary, for introducing me and the increasing number of jazzers following my site, to the 15-16 year old players (plus “those few others who have gravitated to your exuberance”) who form The Eighth Street Orchestra.

This is a breath of fresh air! The kind of fresh air that can breath new life into New Orleans Revivalist Jazz!

I am proud to feature The Eighth Street Orchestra on Jazz&Jazz! So Jazzers, be sure to visit and “like” their Facebook page. For me it is solid evidence that I appear to be achieving what I set out to achieve when I launched Jazz&Jazz.

The photos, courtesy of Eighth Street Orchestra, demonstrate the bands diversity.

Eighth Street Links:
News & Video: facebook.com/eighthstreetorchestra
Blog: EighthStreetOrchestra.blogspot.ca
YouTube: youtube.com/user/8thStreet

Gary Lawrence Murphy

Sammy Rimington’s TRULY International Jazz Band at Chilham

Barely seven months since the launch and book signing of his photo biography “Sammy Rimington A Life in Pictures”, Chilham, Kent, welcomed him back on Sunday, 20th October. But this time in The Village Hall rather than at The White Horse and in full force with his full International Band. 

Ardent fans, many of whom have followed Sammy since his early years in Kent, are never disappointed by his loyalty to his early haunts and venues during his annual UK tours and yet again revelled in a programme replete with their all time favourites. Pure, glorious New Orleans Jazz!

Sad News
On a sad note, Sammy told his fans that his close friend, trombonist Freddie John had suffered a stroke and so for the first time in 40 years could not join him to play with the band. Freddie is making a recovery and in his place, Sammy introduced Jasper Van Pelt, pianist Emile Van Pelt’s brother, on trombone.

Glad News
also made a surprise announcement. His long standing and illustrious Japanese friends, jazz musicians Yoshio and Kelko Toyama were to join the band on stage.

The Story in Pictures
Our Jazz&Jazz photos tell the story of a glorious musical afternoon presented by a truly International Band led by our very own Sammy Rimington, matchless champion of New Orleans Revivalist Jazz.

Sammy and Yoshio reinforcing their longstanding friendship.

Keiko and Yoshio Toyama with Sammy and Jasper Van Pelt

Trefor, Eric the Omnispresent and Sammy

Recapturing the magic!

Keiko Toyama

Sammy! A life in Jazz.

Norman Emberson

Jasper Van Pelt

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

This feature wouldn’t be complete without thanking Sammy’s wife Louise for her wonderful organisational skills. Please Louise, begin planning for next year. Presumably following Sammy’s star billing at the annual Hemsby Autumn Jazz Parade!

There might still be time to get along to Sammy’s tour gigs on 26th & 27th October.
For details click here. 

More about “Sammy Rimington A Life in Pictures” 

Emile Van Pelt, Trefor Williams and the ubiquitous Eric Webster!

Old Hat Jazz Band

Since the Old Hat Jazz Band burst upon the scene a little over a year ago it has been my aim to feature them on Jazz&Jazz. Why? Because, to quote Mike Pointon writing in Just Jazz (July, 2013, p21), they are “Not so old hat … [but] a talented young group – all in their twenties – playing a repertoire that owes nothing to British influences or Euro Trad and that eschewed over amplification.”

L to R: Mike Soper, Lizy Exell and Will Scott

Musicians, all in their twenties, championing two quintessential causes of Jazz&Jazz – the promotion of a new, young generation of jazz musicians dedicated to New Orleans Revivalist Jazz.

Old Hat at The Winning Post! Symbolic!
It’s thanks, not only to Mike Pointon, but also to Laurence Cumming that I am able to feature the Old Hat Band before I have had the personal privilege of seeing them live. Laurence was at their gig at The Winning Post, Twickenham, back in August and sent me a selection of photographs he took of the band for inclusion in Jazz&Jazz.

Unquestionably I need to cover an Old Hat Gig in person, but with Mike Pointon’s acclamation and Laurence’s photographs I consider the band merits earlier exposure on Jazz&Jazz.

A Return to the Quintessential Sound of Early Jazz

Band Leader Lizy on Drums

The musicians are mainly students from London’s Trinity College of Music. Drummer Lizy Exell is the band leader and organiser and they proclaim to bring an energy to “a return to the quintessential sound of early jazz.”

Anything but Old Hat!
Mike Pointon concluded his article in Just Jazz Magazine: “The Old Hat ensemble’s contagious enthusiasm gives one hope for the future of such music. Watch and listen out for them – they are everything but old hat.”

Mike Soper

That’s just what I intend to do – watch and listen out for them so that my next report can be from a glorious personal perspective of their zeal for the roots of jazz.

Jazz is far from dead. Jazz is alive and kicking, reinforced by a whole new generation of up and coming young musicians and bands.

Peter M Butler
Owner and Editor of Jazz&Jazz

Visit The Old Hat Band online and sample their music at: http://www.oldhatjazz.co.uk

Chris Eldred

Lizy and Louis Thomas on bass

Will Scott

Louis Thomas

The Sussex Jazz Kings

Back in August The Sussex Jazz Kings gave their last performance at London’s 100 Club in Oxford Street, once upon a time the thriving mecca of Jazz.

For years Tony and Kay Leppard have loyally staged live jazz at Thursday lunchtime sessions. But with falling attendances and increasing costs, simply put, the pressures are now becoming too great. Besides which they are heavily involved in promoting jazz closer to home at The Winning Post in Twickenham.

Len Baldwin

Laurence Cumming sent me photos of The Sussex Kings 100 Club gig, so with only a few opportunities left this year to catch other great bands in Oxford Street, this is the first of my final Jazz&Jazz posts on the Thursday lunchtime line ups.

I have asked Kay to let me know the bands playing there between now and the final event in December and will include details in my next post due shortly, bemoaning this great loss to the jazz world.

The End of The Jazz Age?
John Petters recently commented on my Facebook Jazzers Group: “Peter, I don’t see a way to reverse this. We had about 5 percent of people who booked to come to Bracklesham last week who died. In effect the loss was greater because their partners then dropped out as well. One regular suffered a heart attack, one lady in a group of three needed care, so we lost all three. We are at the end of the jazz age which effectively started in 1953.”

Dave Stradwick (Leader)

There is a stark and growing dichotomy between older and younger jazz fans, because, yes, as I’ve demonstrated throughout Jazz&Jazz and on Jazzers, younger fans are returning to jazz in increasing numbers and younger bands are flourishing. The dichotomy results from the “oldies” sitting back and enjoying their favourite “oldie” bands and musicians in sedentary fashion whilst the younger generation of fans echo our pasts and the thriving, dynamic jazz of the 1950s and 60s when The 100 Club was top dollar.

New Beginnings
But why allow this dichotomy to continue? If older fans love jazz so much why miss out? Why not get along to join in with the younger fans at their venues? And in turn, why not encourage and welcome the younger bands to play at and liven up our staid old clubs? That would be far better than sitting back and mulling over the past.

We are not at the end of the jazz age. There are new beginnings. Jazz lives on and one of my key aims as editor and moderator of Jazz&Jazz along with my Facebook Jazzers Group is to annul the dichotomy and unify jazz fans, musicians and bands of all ages.

So watch this space.

Phil Durell

Bernard Strutter

Peter Clancy

John Hall

Bert Butler’s Jazz Pilgrims on Ramsgate Harbour Esplanade

Back in June a good friend and fellow jazzer emailed me about the possibility of launching a new “trad jazz festival … similar to Seaside Shuffle” in his area. He told me a well known jazz musician was interested in being involved but went on to say he was “not sure about the best way to ensure this works without being left out of pocket”.

Most jazz festivals in the UK have been running for years and are well established and well attended. So far as I am aware, Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, launched just three years ago, is the very latest festival launched in the UK – way down in the far south east corner of the country.

So I intend this final post in the sequence of features on the July, 2013, Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival, to serve as a tribute to the festival organisers and as a brief summation of Seaside Shuffle’s success to date which might help with indicators on how to go about launching other new “trad jazz” festivals.

Fun in the Sun – Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle 2011

A Dream Comes True

Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle is the brainchild of local jazz singer, Betty Renz. For years Betty has sung with bands in South East England, from Whitstable to Dover and from Ramsgate to Southampton. And for years she dreamed of a festival on The Isle of Thanet. Then four years ago she decided the time had come to bring her dreams to fruition and gathered together a small group of friends to assist her.

Even though based in Hertfordshire, my wife and I helped with copy, Jazz Guide ads, leaflets, posters and promotional material. I was only too pleased as my teenage years were spent in East Kent – my early jazz stomping ground.

Committee Member on Duty!

In the groove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Dedicated Organising Committee

But the key to the success of The Shuffle wasn’t nearly so much due to what my wife and I did but due to the dedication of the team Betty gathered around her in Ramsgate to drive the project forward.

After a wonderfully successful launch in 2011, having seen her dream come to fruition, Betty withdrew from the front line for health reasons. Now, in the Shuffle’s third year, a lean Organising Committee is 100 percent dedicated to both the annual festival and to organising monthly gigs at The Small Boat Owners Club in Ramsgate.

View YouTube of Betty Renz singing on Margate Seafront: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phITGVjcEq4&feature=youtu.be

Betty with Bob Fostell now in his 90s who travelled down from South London just to see The Frog Island Band at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, 2013. Betty sung “Cake Walking Babies” his requested favourite song with the band.

But as you can imagine, in these difficult times it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Successful representations were made to Ramsgate Town Council for funding but not without diplomatic persuasion. After all, what is traditional jazz these days! But the Committee were able to persuade the Council that the Festival would bring more visitors to the seaside resort. And a band performing on the harbour esplanade free of charge as a thank you to the Council helped.

Despite these early teething troubles Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle went from strength to strength and plans were made for monthly gigs and of course a 2012 festival.

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Red Hot & Blue on Parade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday makers and fans on Ramsgate harbour esplanade.

Peter M Butler
Editor and Owner of Jazz&Jazz

 

Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle Festival 2013 Featured:

Trefor Williams’ Select Six Thrill Ramsgate Seaside Shufflers with “A Night in New Orleans” https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5276

 Seaside Shuffle Spectacular with Red Hot & Blue
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5300

 Gambit Jazzmen Given A Warm Welcome Back to Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5408

Vocalion Mesmerise Fans on a Balmy Seaside Shuffle Festival Afternoon
https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5467

 Seaside Shuffle Festival Fans Spellbound by Frog Island Jazz Band’s Unique Repertoire https://www.jazzandjazz.com/?p=5543