Where has the year gone? It’s still winter outside, I’ve got plants getting burnt by an early frost except my calendar tells me it will be June next week.

 

Jazz Jams at the Red Lion are going very well, follow the link on my links page to check out the blog. Maybe we can entice you along one night? If you can play Sidewinder – you’re in!

 

I’ve a couple of nice little gigs coming up. I am accompanying the Belle Voce Choir at their concert in Ramsbury Memorial hall on the 27^th June. A pleasant change from my usual diet of Jazz and Banana Soul. As is The Apollo Big Band where I’m standing in for regular bass player Paul Richens. The joke here is that the venue is the Apollo Hotel in Basingstoke. Slightly more discipline required, I’ll need to play as it’s written, rather than what it feels like, otherwise Mike Lock (MD) will be giving me the evil eye.

 

Can you believe I’ve STILL only got three wheels on my wagon? It only took ten days to get a complete set of fours wheel when I bought them, so I don’t know what the hold up is.

 

We are going to convert the garage into a room. Make some extra space. It’s attached to the side of the house so quite simple to do. I’m thinking I could get my cabs in there and turn them up a bit, maybe even room for a drum kit.  We’ve never put the car in there since we moved here, too full of junk. So we thought we’d spend thousands to convert it into a proper room which I’ll try not to fill with junk, again. Anyone want to take a bet I’ll ever have room for a drum kit?

 

I’m proud to say that the Samarians raised a phenomenal amount when we played at their quiz night the other week.  Not only that but the band won the quiz!!! That was nothing to do with me. I have to say a special thanks to Anthony, Bob and Peter for stepping in at the last minute. Once again Stephanie charmed them with her singing and Jim’s blues and boogie had them dancing all night, they wouldn’t let us go. Of course, Rick and I know they would be nothing without out solid drums and bass [snigger].

 

It’s the Hungerford Jazz forum this Friday 30^th May and Jazz at the Red Lion on Sunday 1^st June. Hope to see you there.

 

Take care. Keep it live.

Sorry for the lack of blog entries just lately, I got so wound up trying to pull off Blitz (the musical) that I retreated into my head for a while.

Somehow we got through the musical but it was every bit a struggle, for me, as the poor devils who had to endure the actual thing. The Newbury Weekly news gave it a fair write up but from a musical perspective it was one of the shakiest productions I’ve been involved with. Fortunately there were enough competent players to drag the rest of the orchestra through it, though we wouldn’t have done it without our conductor, Basil. He came along with only three weeks to go and not only got the orchestra into shape but managed to put a rocket up some of the so called artists. One lead performer, whose CV proudly proclaimed performances at the Albert Hall, BBC TV and a string of well known shows that he has appeared in, actually confessed to not being musical. The awkward silence from the orchestra said it all – “we know”.   

Nice to see a few friendly faces at the Red Lion in Brightwell cum Sotwell last Sunday. This was the first time the Jam had been held there so we weren’t sure what to expect. The beer was good and the atmosphere very pleasant. We had a few of the locals tapping their toes with a mixture of standards like Autumn Leaves, All of Me, Blue Moon as well as some blues and Route 66. It went well enough for Landlady Sue to invite us all again next month, so why not come along. Keep an eye on the gigs page for confirmation of the date.

The mighty Premium Banana were out in force last weekend at the croft hall in Hungerford for a 50^th birthday party.  It was another well received gig in the face of a critical audience, half the people there played in other bands. We had them dancing the night away though. 

We have a birthday of our own to celebrate today, our Julian is another year older. All together now #Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you….

It’s a bit late to mention it now but the Swanage Blues festival has been on all weekend (7^th, 8^th & 9th March). It is organised by Steve Darrington, the brother of Paul who I used to work with. He’s a fantastic pianist and puts on a great blues festival each year. If you ever get the chance to be in the area it is well worth dropping in on a few of the venues there are some fantastic blues players at this festival. But you’ll have to wait until next year to find out. 

Almost ironically, I’ve been listening to some Stephane Grapelli just lately. I haven’t listened to any of his stuff for a while and I’d forgotten just how bloody good he is. Whilst I was locked in my own (some would strange) little world I had a tune going round my head that I couldn’t name. After singing it to several friends who also knew the tune but couldn’t name it, one of them finally came up trumps and another lent me a CD with Stephane playing the tune. Turned out to be Crazy Rhythm.

Went to see one of the UK’s best boogie piano players, Ben Waters, at the Newbury Corn Exchange on Thursday night. As it was Valentines day I thought I’d treat Mrs Bassplayer to a night out and kill two stones with one bird. Ben was on form and this time playing with a bigger band than usual. It wasn’t all boogie woogie which made a difference to the slightly wider audience but I could listen to him play boogie all night. Local musician and music teacher Mark Smith (who I gigged with last night at the Croft Hall) got beckoned up on stage to perform an impromptu piano duet. Excellent stuff. But don’t take my word for it, ask Joolz Holland, he has plenty of good words to say about Ben. He even lent his recording studio to Ben to record his latest album. He never lends it to me!

Thanks to Hampshire County Council who can’t maintain the A343 and insist on leaving it riddled with potholes, I now have only three alloy wheels on BB. I hit said pothole on the way home from the office on Thursday night which buckled my front wheel, making it a total write off. Not good. Luckily no other damage occurred and the spare wheel is fitted, so I can get all my gear to the theatre next week for the Hungerford Town Show production of Blitz. I thought it was traditional to break a leg, not a wheel.

Dodgy Jammers were well received last night in the Croft Hall. It was a milestone birthday party for fellow musician and alto sax player Lisa, whose husband Andy plays in Dodgy Jammers, as well as the Apollo Big band and running the Hungerford Jazz Forum. We did a fairly toe tapping slot with harp playing guest Jim and guitarist Dave on a couple of numbers. Vocals were supplied by the talented Miss Stephanie Richardson. Being a family affair, sister Natalie got up for a duet as well. What a great night, happy special birthday Lisa.

Next week is taken up entirely with the musical, Blitz. Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.

Duty calls…

I heard from my old school pal Paul, this week. He’s been into photography for as long as I can remember. Last time I saw him was way back at the end of the last century when he was living in North Wales near Dolgellau and learning to dive in the safety of the swimming baths over in Tywyn. So it was a delighted to discover he is now a fully qualified BSAC & PADI diving instructor and prize winning photographer. Now living in Cyprus, for the past seven years, he has a thriving diving business and his underwater photography has netted him a shoal of prizes. You may have seen his work on the front cover of  January’s Sports Diver magazine. Apparently the weather is a mere 19c in Cyprus at the moment, it must be a real struggle, poor thing. More details, photos and videos on his website www.akamasdiver.com or through my links page.

 

I received some photos of my sister and her family in their new house in New Zealand.  A rather nice looking, spacious five bed roomed detached house in what appears to be a very pleasant town to the south of Auckland. I checked it out on Google Earth and it looks fine from the air. I’m told the weather in New Zealand is hot and sunny. What is it about ex-pats? All they ever talk about is the weather!

 

Friday night at Hungerford Jazz Forum was excellent. A really good turn out of musicians from all around the area, several of them traveling well over 30 miles on a horrid blustery February night (now they’ve got me talking about the weather!). I turned up a little later than usual but managed to guest on half a dozen numbers. Thanks to Keith for allowing me to play his bass and thanks to Andy and George for organizing yet another fine evening. More HJF info on the links page.

 

Keep music live…

Well, last night was an unexpected treat. Mrs. Bassplayer is away this weekend and I was facing an evening alone with the dogs in front of the television, when I got a call from harp playing blues fan, Jim. The barcodes http://www.thebarcodes.co.uk/ were playing at the Lock Stack & Barrel in Newbury. Blues & Beer beats the telly any day. It was great to hear these guys playing live at a pub just down the road. The down side was the lack of beer! The LSB are shutting for a refit and ran out of beer. There was lager and bottles so Jim and I put a brave face on and got drunk on that instead.

 

This morning was one of those bright winter days with just a light frost. I’d left the bass bus in town and walked home. Walking into town to collect BB with the dogs this morning blew away any hangover and I was ready for a big breakfast when I got back. Smashing.

 

I’m off to rehearsals for Blitz this afternoon. This will be the first practice with all the orchestra, so I’m looking forward to it all coming together. When you practice with only half a band, there are gaps every where. Sometimes your part doesn’t seam to fit what’s going on until you hear the rest of the score.

 

See you.

So here it is folks, the much talked about blog. Let’s get things straight right from the start, I’ve never been able to keep a diary up to date so past experience should tell me that this is a fool hardy adventure. Those of you who wish to hang off my every word should not hold their breath in-between posts. That said, I do have healthy correspondence with a wide circle of friends thanks to e-mail so the blog is not doomed to failure just yet.

 

Let’s get you up to date with what’s been going on. I was born at a very early age. Since then, lots of things happened and before I knew it, it was Christmas day 2007. The big news on that day was not presents, turkey or that little dude in a manger but that my sister and her family emigrated to New Zealand. I hear they let anyone in now-a-days [chuckles]. So look out you Kiwis. Auckland will never be the same.

 

The New Years gig was a great success at the Flowing Well inn for first time landlady Jeanette. This lady knows how to throw a sophisticated party, everybody dressed up, really great food and superb live jazz from the Bob Nichols Quartet with yours truly on bass.

 

I’ve started rehearsals for this years Hungerford town show – Blitz (see link on gigs page) To be honest, I’d never heard of it before. It’s Lionel Barts follow up to Oliver, set in war time Britain (you’d never guess from the title). Having played through a few of the numbers it sounds pretty good, I’m looking forward to half term. BTW. Tickets are still available.

 

This year, the first Hungerford Jazz forum is on Friday 1^st Feb instead of it’s usual last Friday in the month, but I reckon that’s close enough for most jazz musicians. I won’t bore you with the rest of the parish notices.

 

Take care.