Isomatic UK Weblog

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, for Brian White's Magna jazz band, with the standard line-up back together. John Goddard (trombone, pictured) sat in for three numbers. All the numbers played were good but we particularly enjoyed:
'Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out':
'T'aint Nobody's Business', a Bessie Smith number played as an instrumental;
Brian's bluesy vocal 'St James Infirmary';
'St Louis Blues' another instrumentalised Bessie Smith number that is seldom sung now;
and, best of all, Alan Dandy's keyboard solo 'Softly as a Morning Sunrise', composed by Sigmund Romberg.
The Magna band is still the best we see regularly.

Labels: Jazz

This evening we saw the Apex Jazz Band at the Cricketers in Horsell Birch, Woking. The band comprised Tony Nutt (cornet), Peter Minett (soprano and alto sax), Bob Dwyer (trombone), Terry Twiss (guitar, banjo, vocals), Bert Shipp (bass guitar, vocals) and Ian Parry (drums).
As usual, our favourite numbers were the slow ones with Terry playing guitar and either Terry or Bert singing.
Everyone was fearful that the heat would be unbearable as the doors and windows are normally closed to minimise noise disturbance to the unfriendly neighbours, two of whom had been drinking in the pub earlier. However, Richard, the bar manager, pleased us all by keeping doors and windows open and risking neighbourly wrath. I do understand that noise is annoying to those not participating but presumably these people chose to live next to a pub so what did they expect; silent drinking ?
While congratulating members of staff, Kim deserves a mention for greeting Brian with a smile and a hello as he arrived. He does appreciate it, as he is ignored by most people.

Labels: Jazz

This evening we went to The Europa in East Molesey to see the Urban Gin House Band. The line-up comprised John Shepherd (trumpet, vocals), Dave Allison (baritone sax, clarinet, vocal), Alan Dandy (keyboard), Mike Bennett (bass) and Mike Knipe (drums). John noted that Mike Bennett's father was called Gordon !
Our favourite numbers with this line-up were:
'Am I Blue' unfortunately without vocal;
'There'll be Some Changes Made', without verse as is usual these days (compare with the Dutch Swing College version from the late '50s-early '60s);
'C'est Ci Bon', with John hurting his throat with a Satchmo voice;
'September Down The Drain';
'Someday You'll Meet Doris'.
Alan's fine keyboard features were 'All of You'(by Cole Porter but seldom played) and '24 bar Boogie'.
Guests were grouped as follows:
Fred Shaw (cornet, vocal) and Aileen May (bass) with Dave Allison, playing 'Deed I Do';
Fred Shaw, Aileen May, Roland (tenor sax) and Peter Tallent (trombone), playing 'I Want a Little Girl' with Fred singing;
Fred Shaw, Roy Stokes and Peter Clancy (trombones), playing 'I Can't Believe That I'm In Love With You';
John Shepherd, Roy Stokes and Peter Clancy, playing 'Mood Indigo'.
Mary Stokes brought in a cake to celebrate the 45th wedding anniversary of Peter and Jan Tallent so everyone had a piece. Congratulations to Jan and Peter; we wonder how many couples will have such successful marriages in future.

Labels: Jazz

This morning we went to the Wigmore Hall to see Midori (violin) with Jonathan Biss (piano) and Johannes Moser (cello), performing Schumann's Piano Trio in F Op.80 and Beethoven's Piano trio in B flat Op.97 'The Archduke'. I fear that our many years of attendance at the Wigmore could be coming to a close because:
1) Travelling to London and back is so tiring; even on a Sunday it is 'ordeal by traffic lights'.
2) Cost is excessive; this was the cheapest event available, the Sunday Morning coffee concert but, with two glasses of wine each costing 6.5 pounds, we still spent 33 pounds without eating anything.
3) Most of the music, including that of today, is hard for musically-naieve people like us to follow.

Labels: Concerts

This evening we tried a new jazz venue, Elstead Mill, where the Golden Eagle Jazz Band were playing. The Band comprised Kevin Scott (leader, banjo, vocals), Mike Scroxton (trumpet, vocals), Roy Stokes (trombone, one vocal), Alan Cresswell (clarinet), Peter Clancy (string bass) and Pete Jackman (drums). This is a trad band with humour thrown in, not unlike Redwing. Alan Cresswell was the main difference; a fine musician we don't often see. Our favourite numbers were:
'One Sweet Letter From You', with Kevin singing well as always;
and Roy's vocal 'Curse of an Aching Heart'.
Peter Tallent (trombone) sat in for 'Tishomingo Blues' and 'Girl of my Dreams' and then joined the full band for the final session.
We chatted to John and Helen who we used to see at the Watermans Arms. Helen was very complimentary about Selina's legs, shown off in straight white mini-skirt. We told John that our friends the Holts seem to think we are alcoholic, sex-crazed petrol heads. He wanted to know if the middle item is true !

Labels: Jazz

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, for Brian White's Magna jazz band, with the standard line-up back together. All the numbers played were good but we particularly enjoyed:
'Melancholy Blues' with fine clarinet from Brian (pictured);
'Love Me or Leave Me' with a great trombone solo;
'Misty Morning', a number we don't really know;
old favourite 'Yellow Dog Blues;
and Alan Dandy's great keyboard feature '24 bar boogie'.

Labels: Jazz

Today Ampair was featured on Radio Berkshire's morning programme. The pictures show the radio car in the yard at our Park Farm premises, plus two of David Sharman being interviewed by Maggie Philbin. David gave an unbiased view of the economic advantages of using wind power to supplement a household's energy provision.
Maggie was impressed by the fact that a small company in Berkshire is really producing something, contrary to the popular opinion that Manufacturing and Engineering are dead in the UK.

Labels: Wind power

This evening we saw the Panama Cafe Orchestra at the Cricketers in Horsell Birch, Woking. The band comprised Dave Lowe (cornet, vocals), Richard White (Clarinet, alto sax, baritone sax, vocals), Chris Lowe (trombone, vocals), Graham Collicott (drums), Chris Houslander (sousaphone) and Dave Griffiths (banjo).
The picture shows the full band with the menu in the foreground less evident than usual. Our favourite numbers were:
'Log Cabin Blues', a number that we had not heard before;
and 'Candy Lips', which we usually hear played at the Cricks by another band.
At our table were; Alan 'Mr Sherry' Roper (who spilt his sherry), Brian (sporting an Artie Shaw vinyl record) and Tony (back after missing some jazz due to falling off a ladder).

Labels: Jazz

On Sunday evening we went to The Europa in East Molesey to see the Urban Gin House Band. The line-up comprised Alan Brock (trumpet, vocal), Bernie Holden (alto sax, soprano sax, pictured), Caroline Cooper (keyboard, pictured), Mike Bennett (bass) and Mike Knipe (drums). Our favourite number was 'Bernie's Tune', which provoked Mike Bennett to suggest it should be followed by 'Sweet Caroline' (suggestion ignored).
Guests were in three groups:
John Shepherd (trumpet) and Roy Stokes (trombone) playing 'Undecided' and 'Georgia on my Mind';
Roland (tenor sax) with Peter Tallent (trombone) playing 'Honeysuckle Rose' and 'Careless Love';
Phil Brown and Peter Clancy (trombones) playing 'Some of these Days'.
Colin Lewry contributed his usual good keyboard work during the breaks.

Labels: Jazz

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where Brian White's Magna jazz band performs every week. Chez Chesterman (pictured) replaced Pete Towndrow on Cornet, and John Stewart (banjo, guitar, pictured) replaced Alan Dandy. Highlights for us were:
Chez' vocals on 'Baby Brown' and 'Round The Clock Blues' AKA 'My Baby / Daddy / Mama / Rocks Me';
'Memphis Blues', reminding me of the John Wain novel 'Strike The Father Dead' featuring piano (my little black and white friends) and valve trombone (far superior to the usual slush pump);
The slide trombone feature 'Stars Fell On Alabama' proving John Wain very, very, wrong and with John Stewart playing some excellent finger-style guitar;
and 'Riverside Blues', one of the many numbers Selina brought with her in her dowry of Dutch Swing College records.

Labels: Jazz

This evening at The Cricketers in Horsell Birch we saw Razzamatazz, comprising Chas McDevitt (trumpet, vocals), Mark Aston (Tenor Sax, Trombone), Martin Davison (clarinet) Gerry Reid (guitar), Mike Bennett (string bass) and Andy Jones (drums, vocals). This is a great band, particulary strong on vocals with both Chas and Andy having fine jazz voices. Our favourite of these was Andy's 'What a Wonderful World'. As if this were not good enough the band was joined by singer Naomi (pictured) for 'Am I Blue', 'Big Butter & Egg Man', 'We fell Out of Love', 'Careless Love' and, best of all, her duet with Mark for 'Mean to Me'. As for purely instrumental numbers, our favourite was 'Mighty Like the Blues'.
The guests were rather numerous and came all at once (not a good idea); Phil Brown & Peter Clancy (Trombones), Trevor Dockerill (clarinet) and Nicki (drums). They played 'Mood Indigo' (well) and 'Royal Garden Blues' (making a mess of the ending). By chance, Phil Brown's wife Pat was sitting at our table. She has said before that this number has been performed badly by more bands than any other, particularly the ending.

Labels: Jazz

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where Brian White's Magna jazz band performs every week. On this occasion Brian was joined by Goff Dubber, playing Soprano Saxophone for a King Jazz session as a tribute to the Mezz Mezzrow / Sidney Bechet quintet. The photograph shows Goff on soprano with Rex Bennet (drums) and Richard Lyons (bass) in the background. Brian White (Clarinet) and Alan Dandy (keyboard) completed the quintet. This line-up always produces great jazz, this time including the following favourites:
'The Revolutionary Blues';
'Out Of The Galleon';
'Minor Swoon',;
'Really The Blues' with Goff on Clarinet;
'Baby I'm Cutting Out' with Goff vocalising;
Brian's own composition 'Nanna Tim';
Alan's feature 'Echo of Spring' by Willie (The Lion) Smith;
'Really The Blues' with Goff on clarinet;
'Delta Mood' by Sidney Bechet;
and for a great finish
'The Blues and Jung', a corruption of 'The Blues and Freud'.
Selina repeated the success of the last King Jazz session by wining a Jack Teagarden CD in the raffle.

Labels: Jazz

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, Clarinet), Johnny McAllum (guitar, pictured), Andrew Clancy (keyboard), Mike Bennett (string bass, in picture) and David Clancy (drums).
The band began with 'Lester Leaps In', which I requested last year but was not played.
We also enjoyed 'Creole Love Call', 'Bernie's Tune' and 'All The Things You Are'; the latter reminding me of Peter Sellers, supposedly singing in the bathroom. This band covers the widest range of jazz we experience, ranging from New Orleans to modern.
We shared our table with Axel (about to leave the country yet again), Brian (birthday again), Rustom (his Rolls does 12 MPG) and Tony (seems to be as irreligious as us).

Labels: Jazz

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), Mark Aston (tenor sax, trombone, pictured), Andrew Clancy (keyboard), Mike Bennett (bass) and Mike Knipe (drums). Our favourite numbers with these musicians were:
'Love is Just Around The Corner', 'Polka Dots & Moonbeams' and, best of all, Mark's feature 'Out of Nowhere'.
Guests were:
John Shepherd (trumpet), Peter Clancy (trombone), Trevor Dockerill (alto sax) and Aileen May (bass) playing 'Bugle Boy March' and 'A Kiss to Build a Dream On';
Fred Shaw (cornet), Roy Stokes (trombone) and Trevor Dockerill (clarinet) playing 'When You're Smiling' and 'Ain't Misbehaving'.
During the breaks Colin Lewry played keyboard.

Labels: Jazz

Guilfest is back ! We can hear the noise from here, 1 mile away, and it is only 17:00.
We know that we are a grumpy old couple but we have grown to hate all mass-attendance events. Surrey County Show, Guilfest, Glastonbury, Royal Ascot,...........; you name it we hate it. They disrupt the lives of all those like us who take our pleasures daily or weekly, either with a small group who share our tastes or just the two of us. What pleasure can there be in suffering in traffic jams to mingle with hordes of people in an overcrowded, and probably muddy, field.

Labels: Grumpy

One of the Peters at the Berrylands says he likes the rare political comment here so:
How about voting for the party that will

1) Help small businesses, not burden them with endless regulation
2) Help exporters, on which the country's economy depends
3) Help the oppressed car drivers, i.e. the biggest single section of the electorate
4) Stop the kamikaze cyclists, not blame drivers for killing or injuring them
5) Bring an end to faith schools and all institutions that seek to brainwash children.

Labels: Grumpy

This evening we went to the Berrylands Hotel in Surbiton, where Brian White's Magna jazz band performs every week. Deputising for Pete Towndrow on cornet was Denny Ilett (pictured), a fine musician from the Max Collie band.
We liked his interpretation of Bix Beiderbecke's 'Singing the Blues' and his great cornet solo in 'Black Cat On The Fence' but the highlight was his duet with Alan Dandy (keyboard) for 'Bad Penny Blues'. At one point Denny played with just the mouthpiece in his cupped hands, sounding like a plunger mute.
Towards the end the band played 'At a Georgia Camp Meeting', reminding me of a joke that really needs to be told rather than written.

Three women sat round the camp fire in Georgia one evening.
The first one announced "Ah cawl ma man Randy coz he wawnts me awl tha tahm".
The second one followed with "Ah cawl ma man Horny coz he's got a hard on awl naht long".
The third one followed with "Ah cawl ma man Drambuie".
"Drambuie" queried the others; "aint that some kahnd of fancy liquor ?".
"Thaz ma man !".

Labels: Jazz