Jazz & Jazz

Three Great Shows Scheduled for The Bedford Featuring
Exciting Young Jazz Stars!

Mellow Baku (Photo: Terry Adams)

Rachel Johnson

Vasilis Xenopoulos (Photo: Miyuki Tanaka‎}

https://www.facebook.com/rachaeljohnsonjazz
http://mellowbaku.com

BOOK EARLY – THE BEDFORD FILLS UP QUICKLY!

Olney Jazz Club presented The Frank Griffith Quintet on Tuesday, 6th January. An enchanting little number, “The Kerry Dancers”, in particular captured my attention.

Photo & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Along with Enfield, Hatfield, Potters Bar and Welwyn Garden City, and recently I was told,
St Albans, back in the 1950s/60s Hertfordshire was a hotbed of jazz. Potters Bar was home to greats such as Acker Bilk, Terry Lightfoot and Kenny Ball. Chris Barber was even born in Welwyn Garden City.

When I moved from Hertfordshire back in August, 2013, Welwyn Garden City’s Peartree Jazz Club was still striving to carry on the tradition. But now even The Peartree is no longer a venue as the club has relocated in Lemsford Village Hall, renamed The Lemsford Jazz Club, restoring a more recent tradition of jazz in The Long & The Short Arm public house.

Bob Thomas, trumpet, Tim Curtis, sousaphone, and Gordon Rushden, trombone, at a gig at The Long Arm & Short Arm in Lemsford, Hertfordshire. (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

So when we moved from Lemsford Village in 2013 I wondered where I would find jazz in and around Bedfordshire, our new county. I need not have worried because I soon discovered I had moved pretty well central to a “new era” emerging hotbed of jazz, covering a zone from Hitchin, Luton, Bedford itself, to Olney in Buckinghamshire and Blisworth and Wellingborough in Northamptonshire.

What has spurred this analysis of regional jazz?

Chris Pearce’s Frenchmen Street Band (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz).

First, the fact that as a youngster Chris Pearce lived in Welwyn Garden City and from his school he could see Lemsford Village from his school playground – even the home we moved from.

Second, because Chris and his Frenchman Street Band, based in Gloucestershire, star regularly at The Walnut Tree Jazz Club, Blisworth, Northants.

Third, because for Jazz&Jazz to feature as many jazz bands as possible without a crippling outlay for long journeys nationwide, I need top rate venues within striking distance of home. Tad Newton runs such venues at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth and The Castle, Wellingborough, in Northants, and at The Bedford Golf Club (even closer to home).

Fourth, because Alan Haughton, his colleague and pianist in his band, “Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends”, runs Olney Jazz Club in Buckinghamshire, also within easy striking distance. All four are thriving clubs and I count Tad and Alan among my “jazz hero” friends.

Therefore I feature them regularly on Jazz&Jazz, not because I favour them above other clubs and venues, but because due to them I can feature a huge range of jazz bands and musicians on Jazz&Jazz.

So, announcing Chris Pearce’s Frenchmen Street Band at The Walnut

Dave Keech Leads a Jazz Quintet based in Hitchin, Herts.

Web: Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends

email – [email protected]

Tel: 01604 858549

Web: http://olneyjazzclub.com

email – [email protected]

Tel: 01234 711348

RIDER
Ian Brameld posted on my Facebook Jazzers Group that I failed to mention Hertfordshire’s Pumphouse Jazz Club in Watford. Even though The Pump House is slightly outside the area under consideration, I apologise because it is a long established, thriving club.
Web: Pumphouse Jazz Club

“A little different from the usual jazz bands, often amusing but
always entertaining!”

The Rockin’ Chair Band at Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle, 2014

Photos & YouTube © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Box Office 01933 270007. Tickets £12.50/£10.50 concessions

TEL 01604 858549 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

David Horniblow

Ben Cummings

February & March Events Including

ST VALENTINES WEEKEND

Launching The 2015 Programme of Weekly Jazz

at The Walnut Tree, Blisworth

Jan 11^th Dave Rance’s Rocking Chair Band
Hot trad jazz, always entertaining!

Telephone: Tad Newton: 01604 858549
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.tadnewtonsjazzfriends.com

Frank Griffith

Tuesday, January 6th
The January gig features the Frank Griffith Quintet which is packed with top musicians who will have your feet tapping. The band features Frank on sax/clarinet. Griffith’s music has been performed and recorded by a wide range of soloists and ensembles and most recently he has collaborated with strings including the Brodowski, Maggini and Bowfiddle string quartets. He is also the founder and curator of the annual String Quartet Festival at London’s leading jazz club, Pizza Express in Soho. Frank has played, arranged for and recorded with the likes of Ron Carter, Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine. He  has also recorded three CDs for the Hepjazz label (www.hepjazz.com) as well as two more for Hep as a saxophonist, arranger and music director for vocalist, Tina May.

Also featured are Nick Weldon (piano), Dave Olney (bass) and Les Cirkel (drums). All tickets are £10 or £8 in advance. This should be a great night of swinging jazz.

Advance Notice

Jazz&Jazz Editor’s Note: