Bob’s Choice…

… will be back soon

March 2019

It has been drawn to my attention that I have neglected this blog for twelve months. I cannot deny this and plan to make amends with regular publication again. So beware!

There has already been some great music since 2019 kicked off and the gigs I have been to have been well supported. So my choice does echo that of many of you fans. I have also read that Jazz is having a nation wide revival, led by “Jazz Refreshed” in London. Frankly I get irritated by some of the rubbish written by non-jazz journalists about the jazz scene. Yes, there are some brilliant young jazz musicians newly on the scene and they are creating a stir, but to suggest a) that the scene nationwide needed reviving and that b) this is happening because of a certain spot in London, is ludicrous. Jazz events in the Reading area abound and have done for years now. This applies to many towns and cities. It never died so, does not need reviving. Young musicians revitalise established musical genres and that may be what is happening and that is great. Let us hope we get some more of the new blood in our area in the coming months.

Oh, look we have!

Goring Jazz welcomes the Misha Mullov-Abaddo Band on Friday 8th. A sextet of newcomers led by the bassist Misha, who in 2014 gained the Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize and the Dankworth prize for music composition. Since graduating from the Royal Academy he is extremely active in the London jazz scene and this gig is part of the new album tour. A friend of mine saw this band recently and was very impressed.

Young in heart Georgie Fame is at the Kenton Theatre, Henley on the 7th although the website detail is rather scant I am sure he will delight the audience with his unique vocal style and tales from his now many years in the business.

A musician who enables the younger generation to gain experience through gigging is drummer Clark Tracey and he brings his quintet to Fleet Jazz on Tuesday 19th March featuring Alexandra Ridout on trumpet and outstanding pianist Elliot Sansom, Sean Payne-Alto, James Owston-bass. I experienced the band last July at Swanage and they are great.

We have two lovely vocalists on the scene this month. Tina May on the 15th at Norden Farm, Maidenhead and Sara Dowling at Jagz in Ascot on Mothering Sunday 31st March, at lunchtime.

Jazz In Reading at Progress Theatre on Friday 22nd Get The Blessing make their debut at this popular venue and promise an evening of explosive Jazz-Rock and punchy be-bop. Pete Judge trumpet, Jake McMurchie saxophone, Jim Barr bass, Clive Deamer drums. A chord-less set-up and

bass-drum driven by the Portishead founders.

Most of these shows mentioned are in the gigs diary with links to the venues for tickets.

2019 will be a momentous year for the UK and I for one am not looking forward to it. I was talking to one of our well known jazz artists recently who had just been to Malmo, was going to Poland and then another Eu country. Let us hope that his and others trips remain hassle free, but as we will one day be joining the queues for non-Eu passport holders, that is just one of many hassles to come that we do not need.

Best wishes for Spring,

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

… will be back soon.

October

I cannot believe that it was May when I wrote my last Blog and I was soon to depart on my main summer holiday. When I returned late June, we had seen the demise of the Tory majority and Reading East returned to Labour. The fun has not stopped in that regard. There were some very good gigs during the summer, but the scene was quieter than previous years over the summer months and into September. Now things are hotting up.

We must welcome ace guitar veteran Jim Mullen at Norden Farm, Maidenhead. Jim was very ill at the turn of the year and could not perform for several months, but he now back on the road and in good company on the 20th.

The London Jazz Festival arrives in November, but we have an exciting festival nearer to hand this month: The Guildford Jazz Festival runs over a weekend from the 20th until late on the 22nd over several venues in the town. I do not recall this festival in previous years and have not even read anything about it in the media. Curated by Denis Rollins of funky trombone and community events renown, there is a plethora of names and styles to entice you from the comfort of your hearths. To name a few; Ruby Turner, Sax Appeal in big band and combo format, Joe Stilgo, Clare Teal, Mica Paris, Byron Wallen, Martin Shaw, Courtney Pine, Soweto Kinch, Jazz Jamaica. There are many others and also some interesting projects. A must for serious jazz fans.

Jagz in Ascot hosts the monthly Sunday lunch gigs over the Autumn Winter and Spring and a regular is Ex Pat Benn Clatworthy who visits annually from Los Angeles. He appears on the 22nd and never fails to dig deep on his tenor, makes the standards fresh and his originals sparkle.

Jazz In Reading at Progress Theatre has a couple of “Tough Tenors” lined up in the shape Alex Garnett and Ray Gelato with their gang of outstanding musicians. I saw them at Jagz earlier this year and highly recommend the gig on the 27th.

Local axeman Hugh Turner brings a funky line up to The Global Cafe in Reading on the 28th and you can be sure that the joint will be jumping.

I must sneak in one gig that is happening 3rd November. The NYJO makes their annual appearance at the Kenton Theatre, Henley. I really must try to get to this, as I have as yet to make a gig of theirs, which is a terrible confession.

You can find all these events listed on the gigs calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

My November highlights will definitely appear in a few weeks.

Enjoy live Jazz.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

May & June

Where is the year going? Soon be into the summer festival season and the unwarranted General Election beforehand. Still, plenty of good jazz around to keep us sane.

May, Friday 5th sees Jazz In Reading at Progress Theatre feature a group of musicians rarely found in these here parts, Partikel. More used to playing London and city venues, the guys are showcasing their latest album which is what one may term contemporary, groove driven with some electronic enhancement.

Ever popular Alan Barnes, guests at Pangbourne Jazz Club Sunday 7th and he never fails to deliver the goods.

Bracknell Jazz on Friday 12th finds the wonderful reeds player Ian Bellamy as the main guest. Expect original interpretations of familiar and not so, plus original compositions. On the same night, but many miles away, Goring Jazz has Art Themen-sax, John Etheridge-guitar, Lianne Carroll-vocals making Friday night swing. Great line up.

Digby Fairweather wields his faithful trumpet at Fleet Jazz Club on the 16th. with fellow main streamers for an evening of foot tapping music .

I think there is a special treat lined up by Bracknell jazz Young Musicians on Saturday 27th at South Hill Park. The guests are Simon Allen-sax, Quentin Collins-trumpet with BBC Young Jazz Musician Winner 2016, Alexandra Ridout-trumpet with The Purcell Jazz Octet. This is a terrific line up and reflects the fact that young musicians want to play jazz. Not that it is easy to earn a living doing so and us jazz fans need to support these youngsters in order to keep the music alive and evolving. Purcell head of music and former Pendulum star Simon Allen and Ronnie Scott’s regular Quentin Collins lend their experienced chops to the occasion. Highly recommended.

June

As we know, female USA jazz vocalists have always been the setters of standards in the genre of jazz. Naturally, they would because that is where it began. The likes of Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters who were exponents of Blues and Jazz vocals in the 20s/30s/40s, were followed by Billy Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald and all the great divas that we fans can surely list. For decades our sole UK true jazz vocalist represented on the international scene was surely Annie Ross. She was so acclaimed in the states that she became part of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, forerunners and influencers of Manhattan Transfer, as well as innovators and lyricists. However, over the last twenty years I would contend that Europe has developed vocalists to match the past greats.

Jazz In Reading has persuaded our own UK international star in the galaxy of female vocalists, Claire Martin to perform an exclusive gig at Progress Theatre on Friday 23rd June. Claire had a long standing partnership with the sorely missed pianist and composer Richard Rodney Bennett and they performed many times together as a duo. For this gig, Claire pairs with another sumptuous exponent of vocalist accompaniment, in the shape of David Newton. David was for many years the pianist in Stacey Kent’s rhythm section and features strongly on her early albums. Jazz In Reading have actually hired a baby grand piano for the occasion….whoooo!!

This gig must not be missed by any lover of jazz vocalists. Except me, I am foolishly away on holiday!

Jazz In Reading has two gigs lined up this month and preceding Claire’s is Art Themen’s New Directions Quintet on the 2nd June. Steve Fishwick rejoins the line up that starred at the Kamuli Jazz Festival last July when Laura Jurd deputised in Steve’s absence. Another superb gig is assured.

Local jazzman Nat Steele on vibes is joining sax player Alison Neale as guests of Bracknell Jazz on June 9th and I am sure that this will be an evening of relaxing swinging jazz on a summers evening at South Hill Park. Why not have an alfresco meal overlooking the beautiful grounds beforehand?

My final choice for is an interesting performance of Benny Goodman’s small group jazz. This is by Julian Bliss-clarinet who became a fan of Goodman’s from a very early age and has created a septet that includes Martin Shaw on trumpet, Empirical’s Lewis Wright-vibes and Colin Oxley-guitar. All superb. A free pre gig talk precedes the performance at Reading Town Hall -The Concert Hall on June 15th.

You can find all these events listed on the gigs calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

Enjoy live Jazz,

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

 

 

March

I am glad to say that there are several attractions for us jazz fans this month

Friday 3rd sees UK’s international jazz vocalist Ian Shaw as the star guest of Jazz In Reading at Progress Theatre. Ian is rated up there with Kurt Elling and the late Mark Murphy in the world of jazz singers. He interprets many genres of songs and gives them a unique jazz tinged flavour as well as airing the usual standards. I have seen Ian several times and his performance is usually laced with sharp, witty, and satirical observations on life in general and current affairs, adding spice to what is always an exciting evening of musicianship. Ian is accompanied by Jamie Safir on keyboard, whom I saw recently and really enjoyed at Southport Jazz Festival, “On A Winter’s Weekend” and renowned bassist Mick Hutton.

Ever popular trumpet supremo Steve Waterman, guests with the Simon Cook Trio at Bracknell Jazz, on Friday 10th  and should pull in another full house at this monthly gig, which is proving a real hit with jazz fans. Book early.

Two robust tenor players appear at Jagz in Ascot for the monthly Sunday lunch time extravaganza on the 12th: Alex Garnett and Ray Gelato, billed as Tough Tenors. Not tough to listen to I know and if you like bebop, these are the guys. However, they can be tender as well as tough. So expect an eventful couple of hours with a feisty quintet. The roast is pretty good too!

Loose Tubes, the anarchic, yet not, big band of the 80’s spawned many stars of today like Julian Arguelles, Django Bates, Martin France, Chris Batchelor and reeds man Ian Bellamy who is appearing for Fleet Jazz on the 21st. With whom I know not, but you can bet it will be a quality band delivering original compositions of involving contemporary jazz.

I have to give you notice of an April gig, as it should be a sell out. On April 7th Jazz In Reading at Progress presents Arnie Somogyi’s Jump Monk Band. This is in fact Mingus and Monk jazz. Not enough Mingus is performed on the circuit in my opinion and the two iconic composers, from what many may call the golden era of modern jazz, will get inspired interpretation from a tremendous line up. With Arnie, are Tony Kofi-sax, Clark Tracey-drums, Mark Edwards-keys and Jeremy Price-trombone. Make no mistake, this is some line-up.

You can find all these events listed on the gig’s calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

I hope that you may enjoy some, if not all, of these gigs.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

December

The town of Reading and area is actually quite well served when it comes to Jazz. Apart from the professionals who earn a crust visiting various venues, we have our regular musician enthusiasts who keep pubs, clubs and restaurants humming. So, well done all of you and I say thank you for the music.

Here are the highlights for me over December, with apologies for not choosing sooner.

I have to start on the 16th with the Jazz In Reading gig that I am hosting at Progress Theatre. The reason is simply that EMPIRICAL are so rarely in our part of the World that I do not want you to miss the date and opportunity to catch this outstanding band. They have been together as a quartet for eight years, which is unusual these days for young jazz musicians, but means that their improvisational understanding is highly developed. Their latest album, “Connections”, as with previous releases, is original and highly praised. I’ll stick my neck out by saying that I guarantee an exciting gig. So I look forward to seeing you there!

Alan Barnes joins the Skelton & Skinner All Stars on the 6th at Fleet Jazz Club for a swinging gig of favourite standards. I believe Ellington and Basie feature heavily and with an octet packing a punch like a big band it will be a great pre festive season gig.

Speaking of big bands, Chris Barber brings his to Goring on the 9th. Live near there? If so, no excuses.

Steve Waterman is always a pleasure and he brings an oustanding septet to Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead, also on Friday 9th. With Clarke Tracey and Andy Clyndert around, what is not to like?

Local musicians including Stuart Henderson, are holding a JATP like session on Sunday 11 December in honour of local jazz lover Dave Curwell, who died recently. I did not know Dave, which is my loss, as everyone who did, thought highly of him. The free entry gig at The Retreat from 6:00 PM will be a fund raiser for Cancer Research. Please give generously to the collection.

Jagz in Ascot gets in the festive mood on Sunday 11th over lunch time, with the John Critchinson Xmas Special. Apart from the former Ronnie Scott pianist, we have the ever affable sax supremo, Art Themen. Bassist, who has played with all the greats in the UK, plus many of those visiting our shores over the past umpteen years, Dave Green. Augmented by Matt Holme on drums and Jacqui Hicks vocals. Attendances have picked up over the last few gigs and the music food and atmosphere is really good at Jagz.

Nigel price Organ Trio with Vasilis Xenopoulos will no doubt bring the house down as they did recently at Progress in Reading. Those Marlow Jazz Club fans will have a great evening on the 13th. Why not join them?

In fact, it is one great line up after another this month. Norden Farm on the 15th hosts Alec Dankworth’s World Spirit which also features the sax of Brandon Allen, uniquely expressive percussionist Paul Clarvis on drums, plus Emily Dankworth who continues in the family tradition of being an outstanding vocalists.

You can find all these events listed on the gig’s calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

I wish you all the very best for 2017 and a Happy Christmas.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

November & December

2017 draws to a close and the World does not get any saner. So those of that can, may as well enjoy ourselves and what can be better than listening to top class jazz musicians strutting their stuff. We have quite a few visiting stars who will light the way over both remaining months of the year, bringing gigs, funkiness and mirth.

November. Friday 4th sees a first time to Reading for the Ben Holder Quartet at Progress Theatre. Ben is that rare breed. A young jazz violinist, influenced by Stuff Smith and Grappelli, he swings and sings with gusto. A foot tapping start to the month will ensue if you get along.

The NYJO makes it’s annual visit to Henley on 11th and tickets go like proverbial hot cakes for this gig. Jazz stars of the future adorn the ranks of this famous band.

Gilad Atzmon, reeds supremo, has a couple of gigs coming up. Goring on the 11 November evening and Jagz in Ascot Sunday 13th lunch time. Gilad is a forceful player and composer with a big personality who will blow you away.

Marlow Jazz Club hosts a guest from the USA with the first date of his UK tour, Harry Allen on the 15th November. An international name who plays with a tone reminiscent of Coleman Hawkins and tours with many of the big names in the states. He covers the gambit of jazz standards and has a great rhythm section backing him including, from Italy, Andrea Pozza who is Harry’s pianist for the tour.

This promises to be one hell of a gig.

Chris Barber is a phenomenon really. Still touring at 86 years of age and since the early 1950s with his own bands. Lonnie Donegan started the skiffle craze from within the first band’s ranks before breaking away to start his fantastic career . Chris brought many, then unknown in the UK, Blues and Rhythm and Blues artists over, well before the Stones were even thought of and these tours influenced them and others to form bands. His place in the history of UK music of the 1960s is assured. Catch him on the 27th at The Mill, Sonning.

You can find all these events listed on the gig’s calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

My choice for December will be added soon.

Stay cool,

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

October

Summer draws to a close and we need something to keep our spirits up, plus give us a warm glow over the coming months. So it is good to see some excellent hot gigs in October.

Tuesday 3rd the Derek Nash Acoustic Quartet with Jools Holland’s regular side man, Derek Nash-sax, plus Dave Newton piano, Geoff Gascoyne bass & Sebastiaan de Krom drums headlining a Charity Jazz gig in aid of Basingstoke Stroke Support Group. A wow line up that will deliver a swinging evening – of that there is no doubt.

It all started with the Blues. So local musicians have formed Blues and Beyond with Julia Titus vocals, Gavin Wilkinson guitar, Jamie Howell bass, Jim Wade drums and they start a tour of local venues on the 4th at the Swan in Aborfield. Obviously not just blues involved and worth exploring.

Going way back to the 1970/80s we had the Bracknell Jazz Festival at which the Berkshire Youth Jazz Orchestra played many an opening set. The band became Pendulum a number of years ago and is still thriving, giving young musicians a start in the world of jazz. I recall a very young and now established Simon Allen cutting his chops in the ranks. Catch their next gig Friday 7th at Norden Farm, Maidenhead with the acclaimed sax guest Julian Siegel and you will no doubt be dazzled by the emerging talent.

Two not so young sax playing giants of the UK scene go head to head at Marlow Jazz Club on Tuesday 18th. Alan Barnes and Gilad Atzmon will give their all as usual and the audience will be in for a special treat, as anyone who has survived their meetings will inform you.

Jazz influenced songs, witty arrangements and lots of improvisation is provided by the unique Moscow Drug Club at Fleet on Tuesday 18th. A band that is entertainingly different and hugely enjoyable.

You can find all these events listed on the gigs calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

Please keep coming to live gigs, as musicians need the work and promoters need to pay them!.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

August and September

We are in a quiet spell as far as visiting artists are concerned. There are plenty of free gigs around and about at pubs and other venues during August and things do pick up during September, which I touch on below. Details of more September gigs may be released and I mention some as a taster.

South Hill Park’s Bracknell Jazz on the 5th August has Martin Speake as guest with the resident trio. Martin began playing the sax in 1974 when just 16 years old. He now has an impressive pedigree on the UK and international scene built from the 80’s when he was a joint founder of that innovative group Itchy Fingers. Martin always has something interesting to perform and plays his originals and compositions by the known greats with intensity, warmth and intelligence. Highly recommended.

Anthony Kerr is up there when it comes to practitioners on the vibes and I am sure will produce a swinging session at Marlow Jazz on the 16th August.

September

Some gigs happening early in the month.

Jazz in Reading’s new season starts on the 2nd at Progress, with the Nigel Price Organ Quartet featuring Brandon Allen on sax, Ross Stanley on organ and Matt Home – drums to complete guitarist Nigel’s line up. Having seen Nigel numerous times, I never tire of hearing him play and his fellow band members help deliver gutsy, driving stuff.

Bracknell Jazz has the sax favourite Art Themen on the 9th. I think I saw Art for the first time when he performed with Stan Tracey in the same Recital Room at South Hill Park in the 1970s. It was Stan’s Under Milk Wood suite with the actor Glyn Houston as narrator. Art has played many times at SHP, particularly at the Bracknell Jazz Festivals of the 70/80s, but I think this is a welcome return for quite a number of years. Art will deliver his usual top quality performance of a variety of standards and originals in a warm and relaxed manner.

Jazz violinists do not fall off the trees and we can all name the famous Stephane Grappelli, but will probably struggle to a few more. However, we should all know Omar Puente who has graced the UK scene for quite a good number years, having arrived from his native Cuba in 1997. I have seen him more than a few times with Courtney Pine and others. A guest spot with Nigel Kennedy at Scarborough Jazz festival stands out in my mind. Also, leading his own band at Swanage Jazz festival where he delivered an energetic, entertaining and enthusiastically received set. As you would expect, his music is highly Cuban in flavour, but he has many influences and I guarantee a memorable evening at Goring Gap Gig on the 9th.

Local vocalist Gina Squires has organised a gig at Norden Farm on the 10th in aid of the Macmillan Wellbeing Programme in Berkshire and has an excellent band lined up featuring Tim Whitehead-sax and Paul Morgan-bass with other fine players.

You can find all these events listed on the Jazz Gig Calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

Help keep music live.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

May

A perfectly formed set of gigs to tickle the groove nerve this month.

Goring Jazz Club’s gig on Friday 13th May with a brilliant line up of Art Themen-sax, Jim Mullen -guitar, Lianne Carrol-piano/vocals, Winston Clifford-drums and Roger Carey-bass.

A new band to me performs at The Retreat in reading on the 14th May. Gli Avanzi, Italian for “left overs”; the band members are; Lorenzo Todorow- tenor, Martin Dix -guitar, Chris Wagstaff- trumpet, Esther Ng -bass, Andrew Last -drums. Give them a whirl – it is free!

Hop over to Hampshire on the 17th as Fleet Jazz Club welcomes Alison Neal-reeds and Matt Steele-vibes with the driving rhythm section of Leon Greening-piano, Steve Smith-drums and Marianne Windham on bass. Another terrific band.

On the 22nd Jagz in Ascot continues it’s now successful Sunday monthly lunch gigs. This time featuring UK’s giant of the tenor, Don Weller with other UK scene favourites, John Donaldson-piano, Andy Cleyndert-bass and Dave Barry-drums. Don did a great gig at Progress last year and is still blowing with passion and experience of his many years on the scene.

The team at Jazz in Reading have been itching to have a big band at Progress and now at last on the 27th they can scratch it. The Scott Willcox Big Band is a 10 piece outfit performing Wilcox originals, influenced by the great arranger/composer George Russel. With the likes of Gabriel Garrick-trpt, Tony Woods-sax, Ben Hazelton-bass on board, you can expect an exciting evening. Let’s hope the roof stays on.

Also on Friday the 27th in Maidenhead, we have Reading bred sax star Simon Allen at Norden Farm leading an interesting band with a couple of guys I have not seen on the local patch before; Malcom Edmonstone-piano and Mike Soper -trpt and flugelhorn. Plus the ever popular Clark Tracey-drums, Andy Crowdy-bass.

Finally, it is good news that The Angel at Woolhampton has reopened and on Saturday 28th offers a dinner jazz package. Local musicians provide the entertainment as the Judy Vaughan Quartet. Go on, treat yourself and support this initiative.

You can find all these events listed on the gig’s calendar with links to the venues for tickets and more details.

Stay cool,

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

January & February 2016

Once again, Jazz is kept alive in a quiet time of visitors, by our local stalwarts in Reading and area pubs restaurants. Stuart Henderson, Simon Price and his trio, High Turner, Mark Burton feature together with many others at venues, Abbot Cook, Magpie and Parrot, The Flowing Spring, Global Cafe, Fisherman’s Cottage: surf the gigs list for a complete opportunity to enjoy some good music over a meal or drink.

Django style guitar is the flavour of Marlow Jazz Club’s gig on the 19th, with Gary Potter and on the same night Fleet Jazz Club give you an opportunity to refresh your Mingus vibes with Chris Bricoe’s Mingus Profiles Quintet.

Norden Farm host sax firebrand Alex Garnett on the 22nd with Cleyndert and Tracey, plus Mick Hutton on piano. A hot time assured.

An interesting line up awaits us at Jazz In Reading’s Progress Theatre promotion on the 29th with The Moscow Drug Club. I think that I am right in saying that, apart from bassist Andy Crowdy, the musicians are Bristol based, like last month’s guest Andy Sheppard. In fact MDC‘s guitarist Denny Ilett is one of Andy’s favourites. With an accordion, trumpet and vocalist completing the line up, I anticipate something of a new experience.

February

Moving into February, South Hill Park presents a double booking of jazz on the 5th. Although I suspect Bracknell Jazz have a slightly different audience for guitarist Mark Ridout in the Recital Room, as opposed to classy vocalist Jacqui Dankworth and cool piano plus vocals of hubbie Charlie Woods in the Wilde Theatre. As I am at the Southport Jazz Festival, I can regret not being at both gigs.

Dave O’Higgins last seen with Darius Brubeck at Progress, now cuts loose with a quartet that includes Clark Tracey-drums and Oli Hayhurst on bass at Norden Farm on the 12th. Dave is certainly one of our leading jazz musicians and always worth hearing in any setting.

I urge you to experience the unique music of Arun Ghosh at Progress on the 26th. An energetic fushion of Jazz with the sounds of the Indian subcontinent. Engaging and enthusiastic, Arun will thrill and charm you with his compositions and delivery. His musicians include rising star Shirley Tettah on guitar who is one of Gary Crosby’s Jazz Jamaica members and tomorrow’s warriors.

You can find all these events listed on the gigs calendar with links to the venues for tickets.

Remember, keep music live.

Bob

Jazz n Stuff

November

Jazz is being kept alive daily by our local musicians, pubs and restaurants. Most major jazz artists are appearing monthly at the various venues like Progress, Marlow and Goring Jazz Clubs, Norden Farm, Anvil, Fleet’s Harlington and Bracknell Jazz at South Hill Park. Even then, South Hill Park used to stage the occasional gig in the Wilde Theatre featuring bands and groups that were risky and may have required some subsidy. With the so called austerity cuts, these have now faded from view.

Jazz as an arts form attracts a loyal audience, but is it a growing one? With the demise of venues like Ascot’s Jagz that used to offer weekly gigs, musicians are still reliant more than ever on commercial work and teaching in order to earn a proper income. I have noticed a definite decline in the number of what one terms major artists appearing locally and this is not a healthy sign. However, Jazz In Reading promotions at Progress are featuring bands that are attracting healthy audience numbers. So encouragement there and we fans must get to as many live performances as possible in order to ensure that the gigs remain available to us. So do not forget the London Jazz Festival starts 13 Nov, just down the M4 – in case you wondered.

Tenor saxophonist Vasilis Xenopolous stepped in as a replacement at Bracknell Jazz last month and by all accounts delivered a blistering couple of sets. He appears with Karen Sharp at Marlow on the 10th. Both players who deliver driving, swinging jazz.

Goring present two superb guitarists on the 13th who have recently released a duo album and will be appearing at the forthcoming London Jazz Festival. Pete Oxley and Nicolas Meier play a variety of guitars, layered at times to symphonic effect. Turkish panache, soundscapes of Latin America to English pastoralism. If Goring is an adventure too far, Bracknell Jazz has guitarist Dominic Ashworth on the same night. Canadian born Dominic covers a wide range of musical genres in his playing and history ranging from George Melly, Michael Garrick, Paul Jones, Cuban, Blues, Jazz and the classics.

That good dining pub with atmosphere, The Crooked Billet, Stoke Row offers a special on the 16th of the month, the Budapest Cafe Orchestra, featuring Chris Garrick-violin with an equally superb accordion, guitar line up.

Fleet Jazz on the 17th offers a chance to catch a rare local gig with sax giant Alan Skidmore, normally kept busy in Germany and other mainland European countries and he is with local boy made good Simon Allen who again is much in demand from Jamie Cullum’s Big Band to his own line-ups. On the 17th Clark Tracey and Gareth Williams also feature. This gig is one of a number this month that it would be a big shame to miss.

Some may already miss out on the Darius Brubeck Quartet at Progress on the 20th as at the 1st Nov, only two tickets left.

The Anvil Basingstoke hosts vocalist, Stephan Triffitt on the 21st and he is the go to for any Sinatra tribute gig. An evening of standards made famous by Ole’ Blue Eyes complete with a stormin’ big band.

You can find all these events listed on the gig’s calendar with links to the venue.

Enjoy!

Bob

Jazz n Stuff