Googlies Jazz Supper Club

Colin Peters, pianist and leader of the house quartet

at Googlies Jazz club.

Mike Cole, ex bass player of Mungo Jerry

now resident at Googlies Jazz club.

Bill Yeomans, house reed and flute player,

and drummer John Jarvis in background.

Alan Barnes

After the crash bang wallop music of Wednesday night it was good to get back to the comfort of Googlies Jazz Club. Top of the bill was saxophonist Alan Barnes. Barnes is not only a very good player he is also a funny and entertaining man. Well, that is to say he is only funny if you enjoy corny jokes. Last nights jokes were particularly corny. But as usual his jazz was wonderful. When Alan Barnes gets booked to play the only thing you have to ask yourself is what instrument he is going to play. Last night he chose alto and baritone saxophone. I have been told that he has been known to bring a bass clarinet. Last night he was very enjoyable on either but I think most people enjoyed listening to him play the ‘big one’. If fact at one stage he gave us the opportunity to choose and it was a landslide victory for the baritone. So, another good night of music and in comparison to Wednesday far more gentile and laid back and more importantly my ears aren’t bleeding.

" thats why they call it the blues"

Me and the band at the Half Moon, Bishops Stortford

My First Gig

Have you ever thought it would be a good idea to do something and then wished you had not even got out of bed that day? That is how I felt yesterday evening. I went along to a blues jam session at the Half Moon PH, Bishops Stortford. I originally meant to go and just listen with a view to deciding whether to play at a later date but after a little encouragement from others on the Breakfast Room Forum (http://www.breakfastroom.co.uk/) I thought, what the hell lets have a go. It turned out to be a bad decision.

When I got there I quickly realised that this was not what I had expected. You see I did not think it through properly. This was an electric blues club. People come here to play electric guitar and as loud as they can. They were experienced semi-professionals. Not amateurs like me who was looking to gain experience after a one week jazz course. I knew none of the songs, I knew none of the chord progressions and I was bricking it. By the time I was called up, nearly two hours into the night, my ears were bursting and my mind was a complete blank. I had prepared a little list of blues scales that I intended to refer to when I needed it but the sound coming out of my sax bore no resemblance to what the other guys were playing. Indeed most of the time I could not even hear the sound coming out of my sax. I stood next to a very loud drummer and in front of an enormous guitar amp. There were so many distractions I could not even remember my own name.

Should I have just abandoned the idea and not got up to play? I did consider it for a long while. The biggest problem I had was that I did not know enough about the style of blues being played. Because of all the guitars this was more blues/rock than shuffle. I stood on stage with Led Zeppelin and went down like a lead balloon. Any small number of jazz licks I had learnt were absolutely no use at all. The rhythm and blues I had played at the improvising course was no use at all. I was out of my depth.

So, would I go back? Not on your life. Was it worth it? Yes. I got a great deal of experience out of it. Not in playing terms but knowing what it is like to play on stage in that type of atmosphere. And anyway I am 53 years of age and for fifteen minutes I was in a rock band, which alone was worth the £3 entrance fee. I gave myself 10 out of 10 for courage but nil point for musical content. I got home and had a very large scotch before going to bed with my ears ringing like a church on a Sunday morning. I felt embarrassed about my performance but proud I did not chicken out.

Next Wednesday I will go back to my nice quiet concert band with pages of notes telling me what to play. I can’t wait.

Pirates of Penzance

Last night I saw The Carl Rosa production of Pirates of Penzance. We had seen the Mikado some weeks ago and enjoyed it very much. Pirates was also a good show with excellent costumes and sets but it lacked something. I am not sure what it was though. I thought the script lacked warmth places but that is down to Gilbert and Sullivan not the production company of this edition. The singing was good by the main cast and so was the characterisation, but still something just did not work.

I am sorry to say that I did not enjoy Jo Brand. For me this guest appearance did not work. She could not sing which may be forgivable on its own but she could not act either. She looked uncomfortable on stage and very awkward during her songs. Sorry Jo, a brave attempt but stay with what you know.

Ray's Jazz Cafe

Ray's Jazz Cafe is on the First floor of Foyle's bookshop Charing Cross Road, London.

It's a great place to have coffee and browse the jazz, blues, roots Cd's. It also has jazz gigs periodically.

Benn Clatworthy

Last night Googlies jazz club saw a guest appearance by tenor saxophonist Benn Clatworthy. As a sax player myself I am always looking to learn from the technique of others, particularly the professionals. But there was nothing I saw last night that is going to help me with my playing. Clatworthy plays in his own strange but effective style. He holds his tenor low down in front of him so that he has the appearance of someone holding a heavy weight around his neck. He contorts his face in an expression of severe pain and even his exaggerated leg movements suggest he is in a great deal of discomfort.

But this is only the visual side of this wonderful jazzman. To my ears his music is just superb. I watched and listened all night in sheer fascination. He fills his solos with a myriad of harmonics squeaks and barks from every compass range of his instrument. From the highest note to the lowest he made sounds that were not only musical but also challenging to the aural senses. His use of extended cadenzas without the accompaniment of the house band at the end of many of the numbers was a major part of the night’s entertainment. They were packed full of emotion, tension and excitement. I felt exhausted just watching him.

The only down side of this was that I don’t feel that this type of jazz mixed well with the standard modern swing style of the house band. It is not that the Colin Peters Quartet are not good musicians. They are very good and I always enjoy listening to them. It’s just that their style did not blend well last night with Clatworthy’s more free method.

Still a great night though!

Hank's Guitar Shop

Situated in London's Denmark Street, this is a wonderful place to buy an acoustic guitar.

There are hundreds to choose from and the staff are very helpful.

Denmark Street, London

The centre of London's music trade.

Macari's music shop

Macari's at 92-94 Charing Cross road, London.

A large new and secondhand musical instrument shop.

Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club

London's premier jazz venue in Frith Street

Funkydory

Last night we went to the Half Moon PH in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. The pub hold a blues club every Wednesday entitled Bluesalive. Most weeks they hold a jam session which I intend to go along to very soon. However, last night they had a gig with a band called Funkydory. As can be seen from other entries to this blog, my preferred listening pleasure is jazz rather than funk but I do enjoy live music and am willing to give anything a try. I am so glad I did. From the outset I knew this was going to be a great night. The four band members were clearly competent musicians which made me sit up and study them very closely.

At the front was vocalist Lorna Reilly. The Funkydory web site (www.funckydory.com) describes her as being “blessed with the voice of an angel”. I don’t know whether angels ever sang this type of music but if they did the gods were no doubt tapping their feet. Lorna’s voice is extremely powerful. Her style of delivery is energetic. Both these attributes give a great presence to the band and ensure that the listener’s attention is on the band and nowhere else.

Lead guitarist is Jules Fothergill. This guy can play. Oh boy can he play. His rhythm was spot on and not too repetitive with each number. His solos were fantastic and I could not help thinking that he would be just as comfortable playing in a jazz band. With each song he varied his sounds and riffs so that we were never sure what was coming next. Music should have a little predictability but not too much. If you get the chance go see this man play.

On the bass was Ian “Lillian” Maurico. Maurico is a left handed player but could not be described in the derisory sense as a south paw. His support play was of the highest quality and kept the funky feel going throughout the night. I was particularly impressed when he and Fothergill played in unison it was a very good sound.

On the skins was a visiting drummer. Unfortunately I did not catch his name but he was great to watch and was clearly enjoying himself as deputy to regular Hayden Doyle. There were a couple of times when I noticed he went out of sync with the band but this can be expected with any substitute. He did give us a treat though when he played out a tremendous drum solo at the end of the evening. He included a lot of variation including playing the rims of his drums quite extensively.

Finally, the one lasting impression I got from this band was that they had fun. They played with smiles on their faces (something we don’t always see at the jazz club) and judging by the long encore did not want the gig to finish. The audience agreed.

Henry Purcell

The area around Westminster Abbey, London has a connection with English Baroque composer Henry Purcell. He was born on 10 September 1659 into a family of musicians. His father sang in the Chapel Royal and sang at the coronation of King Charles II. Most of Henry’s brothers were also employed as musicians at some point in their lives.

After his father’s death, Henry became a chorister. He attended Westminster school which is situated next to Westminster Abbey. Not much is known about his early life. He did compose as a young boy but the earliest manuscript that exists that was written by him is dated 1670. In 1676 he became organist for the abbey and continued to compose sacred music. He died at the aged of thirty six in 1695 and was buried next to the organ in Westminster Abbey.

On the corner of Victoria Street and Broadway, SW1 stands a monument to Purcell sculpted by Glyn Williams erected in 1994. Nearby are Westminster Abbey and school. Within the school is Dean’s Yard where Purcell is said to have died.

Pictures from Jazz Course at Benslow Music Trust

Just a selection of some of the shots I took at the Jazz course I attended at the Benslow Music Trust in Hitchen, Hertfordshire.

A mixed quartet check their tuning.

Viktor Obsust giving a lecture

A mixture of reeds and brass in this ensemble

Some students are getting ready to perform with Viktor Obsust supervising.

Paint Your Wagon

Last night was the first band rehearsal I have attended for three weeks, it was good to get back. I am still struggling a bit with my sight reading and playing tenor saxophone which I find can be difficult with some of the fast passages. However, I do feel that I am improving each week and certainly the intensive playing last week has helped. Because of the squeaking I experienced I have bought a new BG leather ligature and am trying a slightly stronger reed (3).

A major part of our rehearsal last night was with a medley of tunes from Paint Your Wagon. It did not look too difficult on the score but a few people found it hard to play. I think it was the odd change of time signature. At one point it went from 2/4 to 3/2 and then split common time. We intend to play this the year with a view to get the audience to sing along to the most famous of songs from the show, Wandering Star.