Hi Jazzers!
Last week, Friday 21 August, was one of Vintage Jazz’s best nights, with special guests ‘Gentleman Jim McIntosh on banjo and John Lee on clarinet and tenor sax. John plays some wonderful moody ‘Ben Webster’ style solos on sax, as well as some great swinging clarinet.
It always amazes us the distance that bands travel to gigs. The Tees Valley Jazz Band come from Middlesborough, Savanah Jazz Band from Halifax and New Orleans Heat from the Midlands (their trumpeter Glyn comes from Wales although he’s only trying to escape!). Some times Phil Mason comes all the way from the Isle of Bute. Then of course there are the bands that come over from other countries on tour. However, last week we had a telephone call from Keith of The Tees Valley, needing to bow out of their gig in October, due to illnesses within the band and saying it was too much for them to travel so far. We shall miss you. But don’t worry Keith, when we win the big lottery, we will book you again, sending a big limo for you and put you all up in swanky London hotel - hmmm.
Of course it doesn’t help if you forget your instrument. One trumpet player came all the way from Suffolk, without his trumpet (we managed to find one) and the drummer in an Australian Band forgot his sticks. I (Keith) said “ring up Rolf Harris and borrow some brushes, they will probably work better on drums, than they do on canvas” (only kidding).
This week, Friday 28 August, we present the great ‘Mike Barry and his Fervent Jazz’ as a seven piece band, featuring Mike on trumpet, Graham Wiseman on Trombone, Goff Dubber on reeds and Hugh Crozier on piano.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Friday.
Diane & Keith
By the by, we are having a jazz day on the Bank Holiday Sunday (30th August) at Ye Olde Whyte Lyon in Locks Bottom (just down the road from the club) next to Princess Royal Farnborough Hospital. Featuring the Phoenix Dixieland Jazz Band playing from 3.00 pm (Bar-B-Q).