Peter Burton's daily log, covering Peter's personal interests, e.g. jazz, travel and general grumpiness plus (occasionally) the business of Isomatic and its associate companies.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Magna Jazz Band with Mike Pointon & John Barnes
This evening we went to the
Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where
Brian White's Magna jazz band is resident. There were two deps.; John Barnes (baritone sax, alto sax, clarinet, vocal) and Mike Pointon (slide trombone, vocals, pictured). The band lacked a trumpet/cornet player as Pete Towndrow 'phoned in sick too late for a replacement to be found. Our favourites were:
Mike's vocals 'Yes, Yes in your Eyes', 'Sherry' and 'Gee Baby Ain't I good to You';
John's vocal 'You're a Sweetheart';
and best of all, Alan Dandy's feature on keyboard, 'Sleepy Time Gal'.
Labels: Jazz
Monday, February 25, 2008
Frog Island jazz band at the Cricketers
This evening we saw the
Frog Island Jazz Band at
the Cricketers in Horsell Birch, Woking. Their programme was entirely composed of numbers from the early days of jazz; primarily Jelly Roll Morton and King Oliver. Keith Durston (keyboard) plays everything in Morton style. This type of band fills the Cricks to near capacity, with punters fighting for seats.
Our favourite numbers were:
King Oliver's 'Olga', to which we danced;
'Dippermouth Blues' with audience participation for 'Oh play That Thing';
Jelly Roll Morton's 'Kansas City Stomp';
Johnny Dodds' 'Forty and Tight' (with reference to a woman ?);
'Jazzin' Baby's Blues', with which we are unfamiliar.
The photograph manages to squeeze in the whole band, with the heads of Felicity and Gordon in the foreground.
Labels: Jazz
Sunday, February 24, 2008
UGH with Dave Cox and Andy Lawrence
This evening we went to
The Europa in East Molesey to see the Urban Gin House Band. The line-up comprised Alan Brock (trumpet, vocals), Dave Cox (tenor sax, clarinet, pictured), Alan Dandy (keyboard), Andy Lawrence (bass, pictured) and Mike Knipe (drums). Our favourite numbers with the base band, to which we danced, were:
'My Romance', and 'Black and Blue'.
Alan Dandy played a fine version of 'Exactly Like You' with just bass and drums, then Colin Lewry played keyboard in the break.
Guests were:
Andrew Clancy (keyboard, warmly welcomed as he was just out of hospital), Aileen May (string bass), Roy Stokes (trombone) and Trevor Dockerill (tenor sax) playing 'Honeysuckle Rose' and 'Undecided';
Peter Clancy (trombone) playing 'Some of These Days' and 'Tishomingo Blues'.
Europa regular Lisa was on top alcohol-fuelled form, laying hands on several men. She even kissed me !
Labels: Jazz
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Magna Jazz at the Berrylands !
This evening we went to the
Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, for
Brian White's Magna jazz band, with the standard line-up back together.
Our favourites from the excellent list of numbers were:
'Marching Through Georgia', with the expressed hope that there were no confederates in the audience;
'Nobody Knows You When You are Down and Out' AKA 'Nobody Knows You When You're Up The Spout';
Jelly Roll Morton's 'Black Bottom Stomp';
Sidney Bechet's 'Dans Les Rues d'Antibe';
and, best of all the keyboard feature by Alan Dandy (just back from holiday, pictured); his own rag/boogie composition 'Down By the River'.
Derek from Oban was back; even his wife Joyce is coming down to do some work in Kingston.
Labels: Jazz
Monday, February 18, 2008
Swingfellows at the Cricks
This evening we saw Swingfellows at
the Cricketers in Horsell Birch, Woking. The band comprised Pete Skivington (leader, Bass Guitar), John Barnes (baritone sax, clarinet, vocal), Dave Hewett (slide trombone, baritone horn) and Jim Douglas (guitar). This is a great quartet, three of them being from the Alex Welsh band that we saw every 3 or 4 weeks during the 1960s. Numbers that we loved included 'Singing the Blues';
'At the Jazz Band Ball';
'Black and Blue', to which we danced;
'I believe in Miracles' John Barnes vocal to which we danced again;
Dave Hewett's baritone horn feature 'Have You Met Miss Jones';
and best of all
John Barnes' baritone sax feature 'Stardust'.
We had a very enjoyable meal with Dave and Sylvia Hewett plus our usual dinner companion Axel. Watch this space for news of the April opening of Dave and Sylvia's new jazz club in Warlingham. Dave collects adult cartoons so we are about to send him one. Pity it is not suitable for broadcasting !
Labels: Jazz
Sunday, February 17, 2008
UGH with Mike Byrne, Andy Lawrence and Roger Limb
This evening we went to
The Europa in East Molesey to see the Urban Gin House Band. The line-up comprised Alan Brock (trumpet, vocals), Mike Byrne (trombone), Roger Limb (keyboard), Andy Lawrence (bass, pictured with Fred Shaw and Roy Stokes in foreground) and Mike Knipe (drums). The numbers to which we danced were:
'Georgia on my Mind', and 'Basin Street Blues' and we also enjoyed 'The Preacher'.
Guests were:
Bonnie (vocals, pictured) singing 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love', 'Pennies From Heaven', 'Love Me or Leave Me' and 'Cheek to Cheek';
Fred Shaw (cornet), Roy Stokes (trombone) and Trevor Dockerill (tenor sax) playing 'Big Butter and Egg Man' and 'Up a Lazy River' (Fred's vocal).
Colin Lewry played keyboard in the breaks, joined by Roland (tenor sax) for 'Satin Doll' and 'Autumn Leaves'.
Selina told Mary Stokes that I liked to see her in short skirts, whereupon Mary proclaimed me a dirty old man; the ultimate compliment.
Labels: Jazz
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Burford Bridge; Lust, Caution
For our 42nd wedding anniversary today we had lunch at the
Burford Bridge Hotel. The food was excellent, as was the service and the view (pictured). The Mercure Group has kept up the fine tradition inherited from the previous owners.
In the evening we saw
Lust, Caution at the David Lean cinema in Croydon's Clocktower arts centre. This is a truly great film by Ang Lee, with a believable plot that keeps the suspense going to the very end. Wei Tang is a fine young actress, switching effortlessly from poor innocent student with no make-up and baggy clothes to the painted seductress in beautiful Silk Cheongsams. The sex (and there is plenty of it) is very hot and features a wide range of positions. Don't miss it !
I have to ask myself why all the great cinema of the last 12 months has featured foreign language films: 'Tell No-one', 'The Lives of Others' and now 'Lust, Caution'. I suppose English Language cinema is just catering for the mass audience, AKA the great unwashed.
Labels: Eating out, Film
Friday, February 15, 2008
Modern shopping
Why have all the department stores adopted this modern system of collecting multiple franchises under one roof ? When we are looking for a particular item of clothing we want to see all such items together in one place so we can choose from all that is on offer. Instead we have to wear out our feet walking from one franchise to another, with 100% chance of missing something and 90% chance of leaving the store empty-handed. This cannot be good for business.
I used to shop in the old-style Debenhams but Marks and Spencer is the only place for me now. Even they are beginning to scatter the womens clothing between Per Una, Autograph, etc. Selina buys trousers and lingerie there but it is not vey good for her trademark mini-skirts. The exception pictured is an M&S 'tunic' that she wears as a dress.
Labels: Grumpy
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Magna Jazz Band with John Barnes, Dave Hewett & John China
This evening we went to the
Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where
Brian White's Magna jazz band is resident. There were three deps., all pictured; John Barnes (baritone sax, alto sax, clarinet, vocal), Dave Hewett (slide trombone, baritone horn), John China (keyboard, vocals). Our favourites were:
Peter Winn's request 'You Are So Beautiful', surprising Pete Towndrow, who loves these fine Richard Rodgers numbers;
'Where or When' with John Barnes leading on clarinet;
'Stardust' with John Barnes leading on baritone;
John China's keyboard feature 'Gone With The Wind'
and best of all, Dave Hewett's feature on trombone; 'Dark Eyes'.
Labels: Jazz
Monday, February 11, 2008
Panama Cafe Orchestra with John Lawes
This evening we saw the Panama Cafe Orchestra at
the Cricketers in Horsell Birch, Woking. The band comprised Dave Lowe (cornet, vocals), Richard White (washboard, cymbal, vocals), Chris Lowe (trombone), John Lawes (clarinet, vocals), Chris Houslander (sousaphone) and Dave Griffiths (banjo).
Dave Lowe, playing a borrowed cornet, took a while to achieve his normal sweet tone but John Lawes' clarinet and voice were as good as ever. Our favourite numbers were:
Bix Beiderbecke's 'Davenport Blues' to which we danced;
Jelly Roll Morton's 'Kansas City Stomp';
'Canal Street Blues';
John's vocal 'Melancholy Blues' to which we danced;
and, best of all, John's finest vocal 'Black and Blue', another excuse for a dance.
It is interesting to note that most of the nominations and all the dancing were for the blues. They are numbers that allow the musicians and the dancers to explore subtle timing variations.
We had a good crowd at our table; Axel (who said Selina is 'still beautiful'), Alan 'Mr Sherry' Roper (encouraging us to see even more jazz), Tony (who thought the band were poor until they had warmed up) and Don (who says he does not get out much).
Labels: Jazz
Sunday, February 10, 2008
UGH with Les Dyos and Roger Limb
This evening we went to
The Europa in East Molesey to see the Urban Gin House Band. The line-up comprised Alan Brock (trumpet, vocals), Les Dyos (trombone, pictured), Roger Limb (keyboard), Mike Bennett (bass) and Mike Knipe (drums). The numbers to which we danced were:
'If I had You', 'Someday Sweetheart' and 'Tishomingo Blues', all good for jazz and for dancing.
Alan's excellent vocals were 'Nagasaki' and 'Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me'.
Guests were:
Fred Shaw (cornet), Roy Stokes (trombone) and Trevor Dockerill (clarinet) playing 'Strutting With Some Barbecue' and 'September in the Rain';
Colin Lewry played keyboard in the breaks.
Mary Stokes rearranged the tables as usual, with two seats specially for the lovebirds, i.e. us.
Labels: Jazz
Friday, February 08, 2008
Magna Jazz Band with Graham Barton
On Thursday evening we went to the
Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where
Brian White's Magna jazz band is resident. There was just one dep.; Graham Barton (keyboard, pictured) a fine pianist who, after much nagging, finally gave us a feature number. Our favourites were:
'We Shall Walk Through The Streets Of The City' AKA 'Red River valley';
'C Jam Blues' with Graham playing a very original section in boogie-woogie style;
Graham's feature 'Temptation Rag' showing yet another of his styles;
'Blue Turning Grey';
'Crazy 'bout The Way I Ride', introduced with 'Walk' in place of Ride as usual.
Labels: Jazz
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
(Roughly to the tune of Joshua, Joshua)
Cantuar, Cantuar, oh what a foolish man you are
Do you think we'll all put up with Sharia
When drinking is the culture of Britannia
And we like our women just the way they are.
We like our pork pies and our caviar
And our country's staying secular.
Labels: Grumpy
Monday, February 04, 2008
Phil Brown Swingtet with Peter Godfrey
This evening at The Cricketers in Horsell Birch we saw the Phil Brown Swingtet, comprising Phil Brown (trombone), Lester Brown (trumpet, flugel horn), Mark Aston (tenor sax, alto sax), Ken Ames (guitar), Guest Peter Godfrey (keyboard), Mike Bennett (string bass) and David Clancy (drums). Our favourite numbers were:
'The Nearness Of You', a great number for a dance, allowing for momentary timing variations in the same way that it's 'holes' are so good for jazz improvisation;
'Bernie's Tune', interesting to compare with the Urban Gin House version; and 'Sunny Side of the Street' with vocal by Ken Ames (pictured with Mark in the background.
We shared our table with Axel, George and Tony. Comparing opinions on the music was interesting; George was the only one to really like the modern numbers.
Labels: Jazz
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Abbotsbury
Today we travelled to Abbotsbury in Dorset to track down our ISP, Abbotsbury Software AKA West Dorset Internet AKA Wessex Broadband. Having failed to find the premises, we went into Bellenies Bakehouse for coffee and cake and requested local knowledge. When we mentiond the company's proprietor was Tim Snape we received an instant response "oh yes, he's a local lad". This was followed by a quick telephone call, Tim's home number written down and I was offered the cordless 'phone because "mobiles don't work here".
Tim has been away in the USA but is back now and can hopefully clear my e-mail problems.
Labels: Internet, Travel
Saturday, February 02, 2008
The Knicker Lady
This evening we went to the Mill Studio in Guildford to see
Rosemary Hawthorne in The Knicker Lady. Hilarious from beginning ("I've always had a soft spot for knickers") to end, she took us through knicker history from Jane Austen's time to the present.
Labels: Theatre
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