It’s a huge plus for fans when jazz bands announce their events well in advance. Tad Newton does just that so I’m pleased to feature his Jazz Friends’ Spring/Summer Programme on Jazz&Jazz in keeping with his motto “LIVE JAZZ … USE IT OR LOSE IT!”

 Plus:
8.00pm Jan 30th – Bedford Golf Club, Carnoustie Drive, Bedford, MK40 4FF
8.15pm Feb 27th – Pumphouse Jazz Club, Local Board Rd., Watford, WD17 2JP

That’a it Jazz Fans! A huge program of events to choose from.
Make yours a golden year of jazz by making your selections now and
booking in advance with Tad on the telephone numbers listed.

Web Address:
www.tadnewtonsjazzfriends.com

Founded 1984

Plymouth’s Premier Jazz Venue

Jazz&Jazz is delighted to support Plymouth Jazz Club in their 30th Anniversary Year.

Founded in 1984, the Club is at the forefront in presenting live jazz and
their March/April Programme is as dynamic as ever.

*** *** ***

Sunday, March 2nd • 7.00 for 7.30pm.

Enrico Tomasso

and The Craig Milverton Trio

Enrico Tomasso, leading Louis Armstrong style trumpeter, joins Craig Milverton, Britain’s
finest jazz pianist in the Oscar Peterson style, with his trio.

“Louis Armstrong meets Oscar Peterson”

The Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5DH

Admission £9, Members £7, Full-Time Students £5
Tickets on the door.
Tel: 01752 721179 or 01752 774343.

Sunday, March 16th • 7.00 for 7.30pm

Gittisham Hall Jazz Band

Bob Manuel

A fine Devon-based traditional jazz band

led by Bob Manuel

The Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5DH

Admission £9, Members £7, Full-Time Students £5
Tickets on the door
Tel: 01752 721179 or 01752 774343

*** *** ***

Sunday, April 6th • 7.00 for 7.30pm

The Carol Gasser Band

Carol Gasser

Saxophonist Carol Gasser, formerly of the Ivy Benson Band and the Rod Mason Band,
returns to Plymouth leading her own group from Cornwall

The Royal British Legion Club, Tailyour Road, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5DH

Admission £9, Members £7, Full-Time Students £5
Tickets on the door.
Tel: 01752 721179 or 01752 774343

*** *** ***

Sunday, April 20th • 7.00 for 7.30pm

A Tribute to Trad Jazz by

The Pedigree Jazz Band

The Pedigree Jazz Band

Roger Marks and Chris Walker, co-leading a great band, recreate the
Barber, Ball & Bilk classics from the 50’s and 60’s.

Admission £9, Members £7, Full-Time Students £5
Tickets on the door.
Tel: 01752 721179 or 01752 774343

*** *** ***

Gig information and general enquiries:
(01752) 721179 or 774343

www.plymouth-jazz-club.org.uk

email: [email protected]

FOOTNOTE

The Dave Hankin Big Band Charity Gig
on Sunday, 2nd February, in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support
was attended by 150 people & raised over £1,200 for the Charity.

Our heartfelt thanks to Plymouth Jazz Club Members and guests.

“You can find Olney Jazz Club at The Carlton House Club, High Street, Olney, MK46 4BB. It runs on the first Tuesday of every month except for August, when we take a summer break. We’re a very friendly club and no membership is required.”

With those few words, composer and musician Alan Haughton, tempted me into exploring Olney Jazz Club’s website.  And when I did I discovered that Olney is all but equidistant between Bedford and Milton Keynes just a short drive from from my home. Not only that, but Alan’s choice of Tuesdays as the club night is perfect as it doesn’t clash with other jazz venues.

Olney Jazz Club meets in an ideal setting at The Carlton House Club, High Street, Olney, MK46 4BB where fans can make an evening of it and dine at the club.

Amy to Star at Olney

But what about the jazz? You only need to delve a little deeper into Olney Jazz Club’s website to discover that Alan has booked Amy Roberts and Ian Bateman to guest at the club on Tuesday, 4th March, with the hugely popular Frog Island Jazz Band playing on Tuesday, 1st April. And if you are tempted enough to get along to Olney earlier than that, Josh Kemp’s Jazz Prophets are playing on 4th February as part of their current national tour.

Visit JAZZ AT OJC IN 2014 for  updates to the programme.

Amy Roberts

Alan’s excellent site also includes Galleries, Recordings and even Newsletters with updates on events. So if you are within striking distance of Olney be sure to get along to The Olney Jazz Club.

Ian Bateman

The Frog Island Jazz Band

( Above Photos with permission of Olney Jazz Club)

Alan Haughton (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Congratulations, Alan, on such a friendly jazz website. Yours is the kind of club fans need to help keep jazz live and alive!

It was my good fortune to meet Denise Gordon at Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends’ Christmas Jazz Party. We spoke briefly but having found we have things “New Orleans” in common, we are now exchanging Facebook messages.

Denise’s website introduces her as:

“UK Soulful Jazz and Blues singer-songwriter
Denise Gordon has performed on the
International Jazz scene for over a decade…”

Without steeling her thunder here are just a few snippets from
the website:

“Denise grew up attending church and this is where her natural ability to sing was first encourage by her mother, thus with her style firmly rooted in Gospel, she can express an array of styles; performing anything from Jazz, through Funk, Soul, Rhythm ‘n’ Blues & Spirituals, leaving her audiences in no doubt that they have witnessed something exceptional.”

“Denise has entertained Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Ministers, Presidents’ and sang acappella for the late Pope John Paul II to an audience of quarter of a million.”

In our messages Denise and I discovered that each of us had visited New Orleans in 2010. This was a wonderful opportunity for Denise to further her career. For me The French Quarter Festival was all the inspiration I needed to launch Jazz&Jazz.

Denise’s “soul remains deeply rooted in Gospel” and with her New Orleans-based band she “presents traditional & contemporary flavours of Soul, Funk, Latin and R&B… so that’s all in a days’ work with some unforgettable nights for this International Singer-Songwriter.”

In one of her messages, Denise told me she had sent me her latest CD “Just One Of Those Things”. I was delighted and asked her if she would like me to feature it on Jazz&Jazz.

She replied, “It would be great if you could promote it on Jazz&Jazz. It was released Oct 2012 but only became available on iTunes in November 2013. Of course I’d rather sell it at live gigs where I meet the Jazzers …. but much thanks for your help. I’m especially happy with this record as it was recorded in 10 hours in George Buck’s Jazzology Studio, so most of it is one or two takes. Recorded in two 5 hour sessions 6 months apart; started October 2011 and a completed in April 2012. Without a doubt one of the most pleasurable 10 hours of making music for me EVER… a lot of fun with these New Orleans virtuosos, including Wendell Brunious (trumpet and flugelhorn); Gerald French (drums, percussion); Jesse Boyd (bass); and Thaddeus Richard on piano and Hammond organ. Thaddeus was musical director for Paul McCartney for 25 years. He is an  awesomely multi-instrumentalist and I toured with him in 2008 on a Lillian Boutte tour in Germany. Wendell Brunious, a regular performer at Preservation Hall, has starred with Kid Thomas Valentine, Sammy Rimington, Barry Martyn, Dr Michael White and Chris Barber. Gerald French, is leader of The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band and Jesse Boyd plays classical music as well as jazz and is a professor at Loyola University, New Orleans.”

To preview the CD on iTunes click here: “Just One Of Those Things”.
I especially enjoyed “Bourbon Street Parade” in view of our
New Orleans connections.

Denise Gordon’s Website

For quality, this YouTube of Denise singing “Dark Town Strutters Ball” with the Moulin à Café Jazz Hot Orchestra
is tops:

In conclusion, here is my YouTube of Denise singing with
Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends at their Festive Frolics:

(YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor
Jazz & Jazz

Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

After he bravely stepped into the breach in August last year, to the fans delight, Smiffy invited Jamie Rowan, self proclaimed HonkyTonk pianist, back to The Peartree Jazz Club to help blow away those post Christmas January Blues. Not exactly jazz, but Jamie never fails to to get fans on their feet and and singing along. 

This YouTube contains just a few clips of the performance. After that I stopped filming and joined in the fun. Fans have a feeling he’ll be back again!

Jamie Rowan Performs The Big Finale

Back in November last year I posted a YouTube entitled “Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends Live at The Peartree”. I was far from happy with the quality I require on Jazz&Jazz.

I’ve now added the following description about that video on YouTube:

“NOTE: Taken on my iPhone, this YouTube does not match the quality I now achieve on my iPhone/Sony Carl Zeiss Lens Camera. Recently released, it revolutionises videoing with a compact zoom lens operated by the iPhone (or iPad) by a simple App providing local WiFi connection. Crystal clear imaging along with a powerful zoom, the compact, versatile iPhone/ Sony lens combination now allows me to discretely film the top quality YouTubes I require for Jazz&Jazz – to support my aim of KEEPING JAZZ LIVE AND ALIVE! ”

You can view this YouTube at: http://youtu.be/h2IzZ2bADKg but please compare it with my subsequent YouTubes, even those taken in difficult club/stage lighting confines. I think you will agree the improvement is dramatic. For instance:

When I Grow Too Old To Dream

Peter Mark Butler
Jazz&Jazz Editor and Proprietor 

Tad Newton promised “Melliflous Festive Frolics” at his Jazz Friends’ Christmas Jazz Party at The Walnut, Blisworth, on Sunday, 22nd December, and he wasn’t kidding! It was a fantastical lunch time session and The Ellington Room was packed wall to wall with fans.

The media give short shrift to jazz, convinced it’s a lost cause. Tad’s Christmas Gig showed that they are well off beam. With guest stars, vocalist Denise Gordon, trombonist Roy Williams and Zoltan Sagi on saxophone, Tad (trombone) and his band – Alan Haughton, piano; Gary Wood, trumpet/vocals; Ronnie Fenn, percussion; and Tomas Pederson, double bass – couldn’t fail
to do so.

Tad Newton never fails to live up to his motto, “LIVE JAZZ … USE IT OR LOSE IT!” and in that he echoes the aims and goals of Jazz&Jazz.

So here I’m posting photos I took and YouTubes I filmed amongst the packed, exuberant fans at that glorious Xmas jazz session at The Walnut which will linger long in my mind.

In my next Jazz&Jazz post to follow shortly I will announce Tad’s Programme to carry The Jazz Friends’ forward in 2014 and to share with him our joint aim of Keeping Jazz Live and Alive!

Jazz&Jazz Jazz Friends YouTubes

Festive Frollicks at Tad Newton’s Christmas Jazz Party: http://youtu.be/gslznG-75XU

Struttin’ With Some BBQ: http://youtu.be/3Ck8TSOyBY8

Denise Gordon Starring at Tad Newton’s Festive Frolics: http://youtu.be/TAYBwLVyBzo

Zoltan Sagi “Skylark”: http://youtu.be/G_kweatnuP8

Gary Wood Centre Stage: http://youtu.be/X6Vy4Nnfv80

“One Two, Buckle My Shoe”: http://youtu.be/CGVfkkmBlno

Denise Gordon

Roy Williams

Tad Newton

Gary Wood

Zoltan Sagi

Denise and Roy “Hit it off”!

Alan Haughton

Tomas Pederson

Ronnie Fenn

Full house! Just one section of an enamoured audience.

Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Get down to The Peartree Jazz Club in

 Welwyn Garden City this coming Monday for a

jazz session with a twist.

A Honky Tonk Piano

Sing Along with Jamie Rowan & Friends

to blow away those post Christmas January Blues!

The show starts at 8.30 sharp so come along, join in and make yourselves stars!

The Band: Ben Martyn (bass), Emile Martyn (dms), Adrian Cox (clt); Ged Hone (tmp), Mike Pointon (tmb), Tony Pitt (bjo); Ray Smith (pno)

Pathos, Pity and Passion swept through The 100 Club on a recent bleak December day, leaving fans wondering what tomorrow will bring for touring and visiting jazz bands in London. It was the end of a long era of Thursday lunchtime jazz organised by Kay and Tony Leppard. So I’ve left it to Tony to sum up this historic occasion in, as usual, his modest and unassuming manner. 

Tony and Kay, rather than feeling gutted, fans should be so grateful to you both for all you have done for jazz in Central London for so many years. After all, as Kay recently put it, the closing event certainly “brought them out of the woodwork”.

So over to Tony:

End-Of-The-Line At The 100 Club!

More than 200 people crammed into The 100 Club on 12 December for the final Shooting Star
Lunchtime Jazz session, and what a treat was in store for them.

The band – Ged Hone, Adrian Cox, Mike Pointon, Ray Smith, Tony Pitt, Ben Martyn and Emile Martyn – was “on fire” from the first number and served up two hours of wonderful
New Orleans music.

Laced with a couple of ragtime pieces from Ray Smith, a cameo appearance by Alan Robinson for a clarinet duet with Adrian Cox on ‘Over the Waves’, a lovely Ged Hone/Ray Smith duet on ‘Davenport Blues’ and a few words from long-time club promoter Roger Horton, together with
Mike Pointon’s interesting and amusing anecdotes between numbers, this was a magical experience that we shall all savour for many years to come.

Tony Leppard

So, Tony, I suppose that now the 100 Club fans will, in the words of the song, just have to “Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring”, hoping that someone may even take up the cudgels!

But I cannot let such an even pass without a good selection of photographs for posterity. My good friend and jazz compatriot Lawrence Cumming took the superb stills of the band and the fans plus one of me for pot luck. Because thoughout the session I flitted here and there taking movies of the band and posting them on YouTube.

But you’ll have to forgive me for the somewhat dubious quality because, as I explain on YouTube, The 100 Club, and especially a crowded 100 Club, is not the best place for filming, given the packed seating, the jostling fans and the position of the two pillars which split the stage into three visual sections. So there was a degree of dodging, ducking and diving which shows up on the videos – yet accompanied by some great close ups. Come what may, here they are:

Joyous Jazz at the Last Ever 100 Club Thursday Midday Gig:  http://youtu.be/rTAK0DgZVn0

“Sweet Lorraine”:   http://youtu.be/XMQzqezLX2k

“Postman’s Lament”:  http://youtu.be/3CHmqrRXPuc

“The Glory of Love”:  http://youtu.be/b3w6BFjFUZc

Dancing in The 100 Club:  http://youtu.be/WvV6sE7ngyQ

A Tribute to George Buck:  http://youtu.be/HMckaOUuPxU

And Lawrence’s brilliant photographs:

Tony Pitt

Mike Pointon

Adrian Cox

Making space!

Emile Martyn (plus extinguisher in case drums overheat!)

Ben Martyn

Adrian Cox and Alan Robinson

Ray Smith Master or the Ivories

Ged Hone

Promoter Roger Horton giving a brief history of The 100 Club.

“Last Chance Saloon”: eager fans queuing for the best seats

Proud Uncle Emile with Ben & Eryn’s beautiful new born daughter Lorelai making her very first stage debut!

Yours truly attempting to film for YouTubes on Jazz&Jazz

The Iconic 100 Club!

 (Photos courtesy of Lawrence Cumming © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)