Jazz & Jazz

Delving through our business archives, my wife Ginny came across a jazz promotion we produced for our client, The Weizmann Foundation back in 1989: “An Evening of Jazz with Humphrey Lyttelton & His Band”.

This was during my “lapsed era” when earning a crust came first – between my somewhat superficial youthful jazz craze and my new found dedication to jazz over the past decade. But it was a huge privilege to work on this project amongst many others for The Weizmann Foundation, especially in recognition of the Jewish Community’s love for jazz. Just Google: jazz and jewish music.

Our mini-bio included in the promo:

Plus Martin Mendoza’s note ot commendation for our work:

Forgive me for this touch of reflective indulgence.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

There is no better band than Christine’s Stackyard Stompers for delving into the deep south past of Jazz. Take for instance The New Orleans Owls’ “White Ghost Shivers” introduced on this Jazz&Jazz YouTube by trumpeter, John Picket.

The New Orleans Owls played regularly at the Hotel Roosevelt and other hotels in New Orleans between the years of 1922 and 1929. They were one of only a handful of bands that were recorded in the city of New Orleans in the 1920s. In turn The Owls originated from The Invincibles String Band which had been playing around New Orleans since 1912 and in turn “evolved” from a Ragtime Group in the 1890s.

Remarkably their original version of “White Ghost Shivers” is “live” on on YouTube!

Ron Finden
Another wonderful member of The Stackyard Stompers is Ron Finden (clarinet, saxophone and vocals). Here is his brilliant rendition of “Summer Time” – also performed at Lemsford Jazz Club.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos & YouTubes (except New Orleans Owls) © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Written and composed by Shelton Brooks in 1910, first recorded by Sophie Tucker in 1911, later by numerous stars including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Elkie Brooks – performed here in the town square, Châteauneuf-du-Faou, by the young stars of Joan Chamorro’s Sant Andreu Jazz Band at Fest Jazz 2014.

Joan Chamorro and The Sant Andreu Jazz Band are star attractions again at Fest Jazz, 2016: http://www.fest-jazz.com/english

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Tad, Gary, Richard and Amy

Rising star, Amy Roberts (2015 British Jazz Award winner on flute) and Richard Exall (sax) with Tad Newton’s Jazz Friends at The Walnut Tree Jazz Club, Blisworth. Gary Wood (trumpet) recently featured in Just Jazz Magazine (January 2016). Like Richard, Gary is “A child of the ‘60s”. Ray Crick asked him “Are you a musician or a minstrel?” Gary replied that he sees himself as “the latter, a strolling entertainer who makes people happy.”

Jazz&Jazz YouTube Advertising
I have a treasure trove of YouTubes I have taken yet to be featured on Jazz&Jazz and Social Media, including my Facebook Jazzers Group. It takes me time to edit my videos in iMovie for best results before uploading to my YouTube Channel. As much as I would prefer not to, I include Google ads on the YouTubes. Simply put, I need to cover the increasing costs of my efforts to help promote and support jazz or run down my activities. I have hinted at possibilities of fund raising to help cover these costs (there is a Donate button on the Jazz&Jazz website) but with little response it seems limited revenue from YouTube advertising is currently my best bet.

Thought I’d add this comment received in response to the YouTube:

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos & YouTubes © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

The February issue of Just Jazz Magazine included a pertinent article by Graham Hughes entitled “Some Musings over the future of Our kind of jazz”.

Extracts from the article follow along with Jazz&Jazz observations.

“Ever since the birth of jazz over a century ago it has been loved by audiences the world over … Every 20 years or so it has undergone a revival of some form or other and each revival stokes the audience with new fans from another generation. Echoes of the ‘Trad Boom’ of the 60s still reverberate in clubs and festivals up and down the country, if a little faintly now.”

“A style of music which relates to everyone …”
Graham paints a picture of jazz in the pubs and clubs in those days compared with young musicians nowadays “exposed to and confident in performing many styles of music”.

Lizzy Exell & Old Hat Jazz Band

He quotes Lizy Exell, leader of Old Hat Jazz Band: “We’ve played in bars, theatres, music halls, village halls, restaurants, parties, Swing dance balls and jazz clubs to a very broad selection of people … we are playing a style of music which relates to everyone … as applicable today as it ever was.”

Graham continues: “These versatile, hardworking and motivated musicians have found other like-minded musicians among their peers, set up bands, set up clubs, organised events and dances, found new venues, and have been creating a whole scene of their own”.

Graham Hughes’ Sunshine Kings at Olney Jazz Club: Laurence Corns, Ben Hazleton, Adrian Cox, Bubu Drum, Peter Horsfall, and Graham Hughes.

He lists some of these bands, their venues and their achievements. Then he raises the issue of them appearing at jazz clubs up and down the UK. “Jazz clubs need to be willing to experiment and explore.” Jazz audiences “know what they like and like what they know, and these new bands, as with their names, can be quite different!”

Frankly, you need to read the entire article for yourselves. To subscribe to Just Jazz, email: [email protected]

But I want to continue by raising a few valid points

1. It is the intention of this website, Jazz&Jazz, to introduce and feature younger generation bands and musicians whenever and wherever possible.
2. It is simply not possible for many older jazz fans to get to the venues in the towns and cities where these bands play. Personally, as a number of the younger bands and musicians know, I do what I can, but I fear that for me outings to clubs, for instance in London, are becoming ever rarer events – especially evening events.
3. In my experience, I think we could quickly take a liking to “their kind of jazz” – including their own new numbers. After all, didn’t the greats in the “Trad Boom” era introduce numbers of their own – and not all could be called jazz, let alone Trad.
4. As for the band names, I can think of a few incongruous examples from earlier days.
5. I seize every opportunity I can to film new bands and musicians and to feature them on Jazz&Jazz and on my Jazz&Jazz YouTube Channel.

Ben Holder at The Walnut Tree Jazz Club

Welcoming Clubs
I can name jazz clubs which regularly welcome emerging bands and musicians. At risk of being accused of favouritism let me mention some.

Obviously I would mention those in my own neck of the woods which I can reach with a degree of ease. So for instance there are Tad Newtons’ venues at the Walnut Jazz Club, Blisworth, Bedford Golf Club and The Castle, Wellingborough. And Alan Haughton’s Olney Jazz Club in Buckinghamshire. Then there is Kay and Tony Leppard’s “Winning Post Club” at Twickenham (they will be featuring Lizy Exell’s “Old Hat Band” on Thursday, 25th February). And further afield, Plymouth Jazz Club.

In conclusion, I must mention the achievements of young promoter, Tom Syson, Conscia Jazz, Bedford, due to launch the 2016 Bedford Jazz Festival in March.

Peter M Butler
Editor & Proprietor Jazz&Jazz

(Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)