A Tribute to Smiffy a very special Treasured Friend . . .

Smiffy” our Washboard Rhythm King at Lemsford Jazz Club in October 2022
playing with Henri Harrison and Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair band.
Go Smiffy Go, take it away!

Brian Smith aka “Smiffy” sadly passed away last week. He was 80, like me, and we had been close friends for many years in Lemsford.

Smiffy was born in The Long Arm & Short Arm pub in Lemsford Village just outside Welwyn Garden City, long enough ago to have followed some of the great jazz bands on the 1950s and 60s. Those were the days when Hatfield, Potters Bar, Enfield and Welwyn Garden City were hot beds of jazz.
Terry Lightfoot and Acker Bilk used to live in Potters Bar.

One of our greatest adventures was when Smiffy, Bob Thomas and I went to Potters Bar on 31st May 2012 to meet and see Acker Bilk and his
Paramount Jazz Band.


Left to right: Bob Thomas, Peter Butler, Acker Bilk and Smiffy back stage at the
Wyllyotts Theatre, Potters Bar, 31st May 2012.

Smiffy was not only an Ambassador for Jazz, he was a showman and an entertainer. He was one of the kindest and most generous people my wife and I have ever met and yet so modest. We miss him dearly.

Smiffy, this Jazz&Jazz YouTube is forever for you!

Final Countdown to Jazz Piano Favourites at The Walnut Tree


Join us for a selection of Jazz Piano Favourites at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth.
12.30 pm, Sunday 4th December.
Alan Barnes on sax, Tomas Pedersen on bass and Ronnie Fenn on drums.

Good food available!

Tickets £15 from Tad Newton: Tel ‭01604 858549‬ / ‭07748 176332‬
Email: [email protected].
Tel: Alan Barnes on 07882 606554.

Looking forward to you joining us!

Greg Abate Stars in Jazz at the Walnut Sunday 17th July

Olney Jazz Club Presents The Clarke Tracey / Alex Clarke Quartet …

Olney Jazz Club Presents “Harlem” at the Carlton House Club

Olney Jazz Club Programme: May, June, July

OLNEY JAZZ CLUB
Carlton House Club Olney 
8-10.30pm. 
Tickets £15 each [currently we are still restricting numbers].
Call 01604 858549 or email: [email protected]
“Live Jazz…Use it or lose it!”

**** **** ****
Tuesday May 3rd
Andy Dickens’ Hot Gumbo
“Evoking the warmth and exuberance of Mardi Gras New Orleans,
the jazz heat of Chicago and the excitement of New York Swing”.
Featuring some top jazzmen from the south and south west of England: Andy Dickens [trumpet/vocals], Al Nichols [sax/clarinet], Mark Aston [baritone sax/trombone], Simon Picton [guitar/banjo], Brett Nevill [bass] and Richie Bryant [drums, ex Acker Bilk Band].
A great band….getting rave reviews…not to be missed!

Tuesday June 7th
Harlem Big Band
Vintage big band jazz from New York in the late 1920’S and early 1930’s in the electrifying style of Duke Ellington, King Oliver, Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers et al. Top trombonist and “Tricky Sam” stylist Bob Hunt has reformed the legendary Harlem, previously the creation of the late Paul Munnery. 
“The Cotton Club Revisited!”now directed by Bob Hunt and Michael Kilpatrick and featuring a host of highly respected jazz players!
Trumpets: Mike Henry, Charles Manning, Wil Robinson.
Trombones: Bob Hunt, Graham Woodhouse.
Reeds: Zoltan Sagi, Richard Exall, Michael Kilpatrick.
Piano: Art Toper. Guitar/Banjo: Rachel Hayward.
Drums: Nick Ward. Vocals and Presentation: Sarah Spencer

Tuesday July 5th
The Alex Clarke/Clark Tracey Quartet
Alex Clarke [sax/clarinet]
Great young jazz talent..recent finalist in
BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year;
Clark Tracey [internationally acclaimed jazz drummer],
James Owston [awesome young bassist!]
David Newton [legendary award winning pianist].

Jazz standards with a swinging and contemporary driving edge!

THE JOINT IS JUMPIN’… LIVE JAZZ! USE IT OR LOSE IT! 
Copyright © 2022 Olney Jazz Club, All rights reserved. 

Jazz Piano Gems Featuring the Alan Haughton Trio


The piano trio is my favourite small group format, closely followed by the piano quartet and the standard sextet. The trio gives plenty of space for all three individual instruments to complement each other, interact and take musical risks!

We’ll be having fun at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth, NN7 3DS  on Sunday April 24th at 12.30pm with a variety of numbers dating from the 1920s until the present day.

Tickets only £10 from Tad Newton. Tel 01604 858549 to reserve yours.

Good food is also available if you are hungry.

Hope to see you there,

Cheers,

Alan (Haughton)

Copyright © 2022 Olney Jazz Club, All rights reserved. 

Olney Jazz Club Presents Julian Marc Stringle with Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends

OLNEY JAZZ CLUB NEWSLETTER  MARCH 2022
Hello OJC Supporters…. It has been very gratifying that we have been
able to provide some fabulous jazz nights for you at The Carlton House Club in recent months despite the trials and tribulations of current times. We have all enjoyed the wonderful sessions recently with Graham Smith’s Jazz Allsorts and Kevin Grenfell and the Jazz Giants. Long may this continue! Government Covid restrictions are being eased. However,
I hope you agree that for the time being it is sensible to be cautious especially in the light of rising infections at the moment, and so we intend to continue to monitor our numbers carefully in order to keep everyone safe. We will also continue to operate without the raffle. We will continue to reappraise as and when is necessary. All being well, we have some great bands and musicians in the pipeline for you, amongst others… Julian Marc Stringle guesting with Tad Newton’s Jazz friends, Andy Dickens Hot Gumbo, Harlem Big Band, Clarke Tracy/Alex Clarke Quartet, see details below!… and more to follow hopefully!
Our next session at OJC on Tuesday, April 5th features Tad Newton’s Jazzfriends with very special guest the fantastic Julian Marc Stringle [clarinet/sax]. Call me on 01604858549 or email [email protected] to reserve tickets or tickets are also available at Phonebox Magazine in Olney.
OLNEY JAZZ CLUB… coming up… all sessions 8-10.30pm
Tuesday, April 5th-Tad Newton’s Jazz friends.
Gary Wood [trumpet/vocal] Mike Wills [clarinet/saxes], Tomas Pederson [bass] Ronnie Fenn [drums], Alan Haughton [piano]
Tad Newton [trombone/vocal].
“Basin Street to Basie and Beyond!” …with special guest
Julian Marc Stringle [clarinet/sax]. Julian was voted best clarinettist at the British Jazz Awards in 2006, 2007 and 2019. His major influences have been Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Buddy De Franco. Julian’s highly melodic music and unique sound excites the jazz audience wherever
he performs.
“The best clarinettist to emerge in British jazz in decades”
Sir John Dankworth.
Tuesday, May 3rd – Andy Dickens’ Hot Gumbo – “Evoking the warmth and exuberance of Mardi Gras New Orleans; the jazz heat of Chicago and the excitement of New York Swing”. Featuring some of the top jazzmen from the south and south west of England. Andy Dickens [trumpet/voacals], Trevor Whiting [sax/clarinet], Mark Aston [baritone sax/trombone], Simon Picton [guitar/banjo], Brett Nevill [bass] and
Richie Bryant [drums].
Tuesday, June 7th – Harlem Big Band – vintage big band jazz from
New York in the late 1920s and early 1930s in the electrifying style of Duke Ellington, King Oliver, Cab Calloway, Fletcher Henderson, McKinney’s Cotton Pickers et al. Top trombonist and “Tricky Sam” stylist Bob Hunt has reformed the legendary Harlem previously the creation of the late Paul Munnery. Now directed by Bob Hunt and Michael Kilpatrick and featuring Trumpets: “Magic” Mike Henry, Charles Manning,
Wil Robinson Trombones: Bob Hunt, Mick Bruce Reeds: Zoltan Sagi, Richard Exall, Michael Kilpatrick Piano: Art Tobin Guitar/banjo: Rachel Hayward Drums Nick Ward Vocals and presentation: Sarah Spencer
Yours in Jazz……Tad Newton
Copyright © 2022 Olney Jazz Club, All rights reserved.

Olney Jazz Club Welcomes back Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends

With Guest Star Julian Mark Stringle on Clarinet & Saxophone

8.00pm Tuesday 5th April

Featuring Gary Wood [trumpet/vocal], Mike Wills [clarinet/saxes],
Tomas Pederson [bass], Ronnie Fenn [drums], Alan Haughton [piano],
Tad Newton [trombone/vocal]: “Basin Street to Basie and Beyond!”

Special Guest Julian Marc Stringle [clarinet/sax]
Julian was voted best clarinettist at the British Jazz Awards in 2006, 2007 and 2019. His major influences have been Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Buddy De Franco. Julian’s highly melodic music and unique sound excites the jazz audience wherever he performs. ”The best clarinettist to emerge in British jazz in decades!” (Sir John Dankworth).

It’s been very gratifying that we have been able to provide some fabulous jazz nights for you at The Carlton House Club in recent months despite the trials and tribulations of current times. We have all enjoyed wonderful sessions recently with Graham Smith’s Jazz Allsorts and Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants. Long may this continue!

Although Government Covid restrictions are being eased I trust you agree that for the time being it’s sensible to be cautious, especially in the light of the current repeat in rising infections. We intend to continue monitoring our numbers carefully in order to keep everyone safe. We will also continue to exclude the raffle. And to reappraise circumstances as and when necessary.

All being well, we have some great bands and musicians in the pipeline for you including Andy Dickens Hot Gumbo, Harlem Big Band, ClarkeTracy/Alex Clarke Quartet.

Hopefully our next session at OJC on Tuesday April 5th will feature Tad Newton’s Jazzfriends with very special guest, the fantastic Julian Marc Stringle [clarinet/sax].

Our two previous sessions were disappointing as regards audience numbers and didn’t cover the costs of the bands/advertising etc.! We really do need to boost support. An audience of 70 plus is needed to make our sessions viable – more to continue to attract top class bands and musicians. 

Please try and come along if you can. Call me on 01604 858549 or email  [email protected]. Alternatively tickets are also available at Phonebox Magazine in Olney.

It would be a great shame if Olney Jazz Club were to be put in jeopardy in any way after all the fabulous evenings we have had over the years. Especially as we have some great sessions lined up for you, including: Andy Dickens’ Hot Gumbo, Harlem Big Band and Tad Newton’s Jazzfriends with special guest Julian Marc Stringle.

After the strife of so many months they need and deserve sell out concerts.

Wishing Olney and all Fans Happy Jazz ahead!
Tad Newton

Fest Jazz 2022

Tuba Skinny special guests visiting from the USA

We are delighted to announce that Fest Jazz 2022 is on course for 28th/31st July! 
We look forward to meeting all our UK festival goers again after the disappointment of 2020 and the difficulties of 2021. The festival in 2021 was a great success, but sadly those from the UK were unable to travel to France. That’s why we just can’t wait to welcome you back at
Fest Jazz 2022!

The Online Ticket Office is open so don’t leave it until the last minute to reserve your accommodation.  As one of the regions in France happily least affected by the Covid-19 virus, Châteauneuf-du-Faou is yet again a tourist hot spot!

So why delay? Be sure to explore the full programme and place your bookings post haste!
We truly look forward to seeing you back at Fest Jazz 2022.

The Fest Jazz Team

The Fest Jazz Programme:
http://www.fest-jazz.com/in-english

HOT OFF THE PRESS
straight from

FEST JAZZ 2022 at Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Brittany.

This year, Fest Jazz, one of the most talked about jazz festivals on the European classic jazz scene, welcomes one of the most celebrated classic jazz groups in the world: Tuba Skinny.  Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hop over the Channel and see them.

The eight-piece group with its relaxed, informal approach to life and music will fit perfectly in the atmosphere of this legendary Breton festival, with its slogan “More Woodstock than Conservatoire!”

Nestling on the banks of the beautiful River Aulne in central Brittany, Fest Jazz is a four-day explosion of music and swing dance that attracts around 4 000 festival goers every year.  There are four covered venues with spectators freely strolling from one to the other, as well as music in the bars in the town where there is a rally of Classic Cars.  120+ musicians perform over 40 concerts during the weekend.

The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial with a great mixture of nationalities and generations. And there are swing dancers everywhere!  There is a “young and democratic feel” to Fest Jazz with young artists, young spectators and young organisers.  There is no “Artists’ Bar”, everyone mixes together.

It is likely that this year (as in 2021) that festival goers will have to show they have been fully vaccinated.  But Brittany has happily been spared the worst of Covid.  It is said that Châteauneuf-du-Faou is so far from anywhere, the Spanish ‘flu hasn’t arrived yet !

The early names on the programme 2022 include: Tuba Skinny (28th/29th July), the wonderful Gunhild Carling and her Family (30th/31st July), Tatiana Eva-Marie and Joe Santoni, Anastasia Ivanova (young Russian trombone star), Sabine Sassi, The Mama Shakers and many others.

Lots of people in the jazz world are talking about Fest Jazz as a “new kind of jazz festival”.  Why not come and see for yourself and join in the fun?

Write to [email protected]  for information and any questions you wish to ask.  Brittany Ferries (Plymouth – Roscoff) is the nearest ferry terminal (70 minutes easy drive away), Brest is the nearest airport.

4 day tickets 80€/Single day tickets 25€

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