Art Themen in a mellow mood.

Yesterday, like the tide going out, my pain went away. I wouldn't want to exaggerate this - it comes and goes. The main thing is, it's retreated for a while.

So we went out for the evening to the Red Lion, Isleworth to see my favourite saxophonist; Art Themen - here playing soprano.

It was a very pleasant evening spent with friends and listening to good music; Trevor Tomkins on drums, Andrew Cleyndert on bass and John Donaldson on keyboards.

Perhaps there was less classic Bebop than I would have liked but I was in a relaxed mood and the music suited that.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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Worth the extra effort;Art Themen at The Red Lion, Isleworth.

Well, after being ill for about 5 days, I'm over it now. Still got problems and I'm back at hospital this week and I don't expect that to go so well.

But we went out; to my jazz Club at The Red Lion, Isleworth and I got to see my favourite saxophonist.......Art Themen.

I may have been feeling a bit better but I still managed to forget my camera on the night when I most wanted it.

This picture is from Robyn's phone;

I like the kind of music he plays - classic Bebop and I like the way he plays it too - lots of invention and surprises.

There was plenty of Horace Sliver, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. There were noisy, outrageous bits and quiet reflective moments.

Andrew Cleyndert was given plenty of scope on bass and John Donaldson excelled on keyboards.

It had been due to be a 5-piece but Don Weller was ill; secretly I prefer a quartet. And with Art Themen that means a bigger chunk when it's only cut four ways.

Once again, Trevor Tomkins was great on drums.

It's always a special night seeing Art Themen.

Maybe that's because there have been times when I have had to really fight to get the time, to find the energy.... just to make it back to Isleworth and that often seems to have coincided with a visit from Art Themen.

Probably because he's worth the extra effort.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Still going out.

Monday night and we were down at The Red Lion enjoying Vasilis Xenopolis on saxophone;

And Nigel Price on guitar. You can just make out Andrew Cleyndert on bass although John Donaldson is out of sight on keyboards.

This is the last night when I have the advantage of checking the line up in 'Jazz in London', which does not come out this month after 43 years.

There is a rare view of Trevor Tomkins on drums here;

And I suppose there's been a process of venues closing, prices rising and a loss of opportunities just as there has been in every other area of grassroots music.

I'm puzzled why people don't seem to want to go out any more - given the rubbish on TV.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Monday, Monday.

I've got a particularly nasty hospital appointment today so last night we weren't going to miss an evening of Jazz at the Red Lion, Isleworth.

Don Weller couldn't make it, he was ill. We all sent good wishes to him and were lucky enough to have Bruce Adams on trumpet and flugelhorn - hitting aome very high notes indeed;

Simon Spillett was in excellent form on saxophone and the pair played some very fine duets together too;

John Donaldson was on keyboards, Andrew Cleyndert on bass and, of course, Trevor Tompkins on drums.

It was a good evening spent with friends and a having achat with Trevor at the interval.

Tomorrow?

Well I have a good idea how that's going to turn out but wish me luck anyway!

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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Ow!

 

 

This week we made it to the Red Lion jazz Club - which is getting to be the exception these days - it's a struggle.

 

 

It's also a struggle perching on a bar stool all evening. By the time I got up to take this picture my back was screaming.

 

Here you can see Quentin Collins one of my favourite trumpet players and to his right Theo Travis on Sax. I haven't heard him play before and I wasn't disappointed.

 

 

Robin Aspland was on keyboards as you can see while out of sight was Trevor Tomkins on drums and Andrew Cleyndert on Bass.

 

Good music but a struggle.

 

On the way home we stopped off for curly fries......mmmmmmh!

 

Oh and to my surprise, a number of you have e-mailed me having worked out where we are going to be spending dawn on Midsummer's day morning.

 

I'm not going to tell the rest of you as I'd rather keep it a surprise and it's always possible we may not make it.

 

I must be getting very predictable!

 

Neil Harris

 

(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

Back at The Red Lion.

Monday night and we made it back to our Jazz club at The Red Lion, Isleworth!

 

That's an achievement - the last time I was there I was in a whole world of pain.

 

Back then, by the second set I couldn't sit down any more. I had to stand up.

 

It was certainly back in April, probably about two months ago and there's been a lot of water under the bridge since then.

 

If I'm honest, Monday was still a real struggle; halfway through I fell asleep. That's not the fault of the musicians....it was just a real struggle.

 

This is Don Weller on sax and behind him Trevor Tomkins on the drums.

 

I wasn't so nimble on Monday,  so no photos of John Donaldson on keyboards or Andrew Cleyndert on bass I'm afraid.

 

Somehow, the charm of the old Red Lion seems to be missing.

 

The music is as good as ever. The beer is in the same league, only not for me as I'm still on meds.

 

But, it isn't the same and needs to create a whole new atmosphere.

 

I don't think the portrait of foxhunters that's appeared on the wall is going to help me.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

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Treading water.

Monday night - that means I'm only two days behind in Blogland - that's OK if I was to do nothing for two days I could catch up.

I went to my Jazz Club, a little tired.

And this is the incredible back row of Trevor Tomkins on drums, John Donaldson on keyboards and Andy Cleyndert on Bass.

The stars on the front row? Mmmmmm that's Henry Amberg-Jennings on trumpet and Flugelhorn and Don Weller on Saxophone.
So if I was to tread water for a while? Does that give a clue to where I went on Tuesday?

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home:   helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Whoopdidoo!

;

Monday at my clinic was a ‘no news day’ – in a fortnight’s time things will be a bit more glum.

But I was lucky enough to see ‘Dr Feelgood’.

I’m no better (that’s not the deal) but the Doc has swept away the bans on drinking, dancing, walking and generally doing foolish things. It's a 'what the hell' diagnosis.

Well, whoopdidoo!

Strangely, Monday wasn’t going to offer any opportunities for really reckless foolishness, except for a half pint of Lager.

Whoopdidoo! First since 25th October.

As I drove off in the evening to my jazz club at The Red Lion, Isleworth, it was cold and in the low lying Thames Valley where I grew up, there was mist hanging in sinister bands.

About head height and swirling as each car went through a band, the mist once hung over fields between cropped willow trees. Now its roads and houses where once was crops.

Don Weller was in fine form – on saxophone anyway. His intros were clipped to say the least. A man of few words but plenty of notes which means I have no idea what the numbers were.

 

It was only a quartet last night – usually there are five. I must be the only person there who prefers a quartet. As a result we were missing a good few of the regulars. They missed a good night.

Andrew Clyndert was great on bass, Trevor Tomkins solid on the drums and John Donaldson was inventive and bluesy on keyboards.

 

As I drove back home, the bands of mist were starting to join up into one big fog - cold and raw. 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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Nitrous oxide.

Monday night and I’ve dragged myself to The Red Lion, Isleworth. Apart from trying to see Ginge the Cat I’m there for the first of three fantastic weeks of jazz, three of the best line-ups of the year.

Tonight there was Ross ‘twelve gigs a week’ Stanley, on keyboards, Trevor Tomkins on Drums and Andrew Cleyndert on Bass. On the front line we had Stan Sulzman on Sax:

And Tim Hart on vibes;

The first number lasted 20 minutes the second 10. After half an hour of thoughtful reflective stuff, Tim Hart fired up his Vibraphone for the third. Hit the nitrous oxide!

We ranged through Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk with a fast blues to finish at the end of the evening. I love Parker’s Amous Amouche which I know well but have never been able to spell.

Look at those hands blurring;

 
Next week apart from an impressive list of musicians, the great Art Themen is on Sax. He plays every three months and every time I catch him it’s a big deal for me – those nights count off some tough periods I’ve got through.

Next Monday is going to be just about the toughest so far for me, and by coincidence it’s Art Themen night again. So I’m particularly looking forward to getting myself to the club, whatever happens.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Blame it on the pterodactyl.

I took some good photos of Don Weller and the rest of the group at The Red Lion on Monday but in a fit of tidying up I deleted them. Doh!

 I’m going to blame it on the pterodactyl. It wasn’t anything to do with not feeling well or being in a bad mood or going to bed far too late, let alone being an old idiot – it was the pterodactyl, really.

www.red-lion.info

Don Weller was in great form – I saw him a few months ago and he was a bit subdued after some major surgery, last night he was playing a series of his own compositions and fighting it out with the rest of the band.

In the third number and again second from last (they were keeping the numbers secret) he challenged John Donaldson – playing a phrase, then waiting for John to echo it which he did. Then again but more difficult and again, and again.

He did the same with Trevor Tomkins on the drums – he was up for it too.

Andrew Cleyndert was on bass and he, John Donaldson and Trevor Tomkins had a couple of spells as a quiet trio that took the roof off while you could hear a pin drop.

Strange people, jazz people.

This was another quartet, which I prefer. As a result it was half empty – next week its back to five and the pub will be packed out.

I suppose there was a good end to a grumpy day (until I hit the delete button) – I won fourth prize in the raffle – a Diana Krall CD that I would never have bought and now will have to listen to – always the best way to hear new music.

That Pterodactyl?

 

 It’s just appeared, in a corner. There you are, spending your days moulding dinosaur sculptures for the kiln, when suddenly the landlord of your local pub rings up; “It's an emergency, we’ve got an empty corner, you couldn’t help us out with something?” 

He sounded desperate; “Not too big, we don’t want a Tyrannosaurus Rex or anything silly like that, people would only laugh at us”.

“I know” said the artist thoughtfully; “I’ve got a small, rather restrained pterodactyl that would do just right there, I’ll drop it off for you”.

He smiled enigmatically;

“Of course, it’s always possible that ignorant people might mistake it for a griffin – but that's a chance we’ll have to take”.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home:     helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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Oompah!

I had an out-of-sorts sort of night. Partly my own fault we all have prejudices and I should do more to suppress mine. I can’t stand ‘Trad Jazz’ –I think it’s a peculiarly English thing, this desire to recreate the music of New Orleans in the 1920’s, usually somewhere in berkshire. I’m a modernist with all that involves; Be-bop, left wing politics, a certain style, a certain attitude. It’s punk but it’s cool. At the end of the day its about who you are.

When I got to the Jazz Club at the Red Lion,Isleworth there were the instruments all set up, primed and ready. There was a trombone, the symbol of all I can’t stand.

It’s a prejudice and I’m not proud of it. Mark Nightingale plays it very well indeed, and not a hint of a bowler hat, a waistcoat, let alone the dreaded oompah! It’s still a problem for me. It’s not him, it’s that thing.

The two people I was chatting with, of course, took Mark’s side and wound me up. We put together my ideal line up for a night of ‘modern jazz’ – two trombones, a banjo, a Tuber and three guys with handheld snare drums. Heck, it’s a marching band. All it needs is a Sousaphone and we’re away.

Then we got on to Nick Weldon – I love his style on the keyboards, very sparse, very precise, the bluenotes like shards of glass. We agreed to disagree on that style. Andrew Cleyndert on double bass and Trevor Tomkins were on the button as ever.

Alan Barnes always fills the room and not just with his sound – the baritone sax came out a lot tonight. One of my companions gave me a tourists guide to the entire range of saxophones – which I’ve forgotten, again. I think he said that Alan was playing the Alto too. Anyway he had a small one which definitely wasn’t a soprano and a great big one.

I forgot my pen and my photos didn’t come out. So, I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself too.

Next week is special – Art Themen, a quartet and some memories of very tough times. I won’t be missing that, I hope. And definitely no Sousaphones.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)  

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Erf, erf, erf.

The last couple of days have been harder than they needed to be and in three days’ time it is the summer solstice – the longest day. Its downhill from then on and I could do without that. When I went out last night I could feel a cool, slow breeze that will always remind me of sitting around a campfire in wild places in June. Watching the last wisps of the sun disappear before the stars came out – far later than they should.

‘White nights’, the best there are.

Up at the Red Lion;

www.red-lion.info

 It all started with ‘Drifter’ by Herbie Hancock the trumpet, Saxophone and piano linking in together tight and disciplined, no gaps in that door.

That was followed by ‘Here’s that rainy day’, with Trevor Tomkins using one brush and one stick and pretty soon entering his ‘zone’ as you can see here;

 

 Clifford Brown’s ‘Tiny Capers’, set the scene for the evening; more head than heart. Slower and steadier rather than the fast and furious of last week – as you know I’m always in a fairly fast and furious sort of mood.

 Then, the first of many ballads – ‘Body and Soul’ – both brushes out now on the drums. Ed Jones was expressive and like me, exploring somewhere else on his sax while on ‘It could happen to you’, in complete contrast, Leon Greening’s keyboard playing got more frenetic, he got more hunched over, his hands more blurred and his hair getting closer to the keys with each chord, hammering out the rhythm of a summer night still a little streaked with light well after 10pm.

Hank Mobley’s ‘Roll Call’ got the trumpet, sax and piano close and tight again.

From then on, it was away with Henry Amberg-Jennings trumpet and out with the flugelhorn as the ballads got quieter and quieter.

 

Andrew Cleyndert’s bass, quiet and precise got more prominent as the other instruments fell back.

I could have done with a good stomping – I’ll have to find that somewhere else, but this was a long languid June night and the music was a match.

On the way home I put in my latest entry for the least appropriate music to play after a jazz gig – I put in Kraftwerk and drove into the night listening to ‘Autobahn’ as the lampposts and white lines regularly and rhythmically ticked past.

Where did summer go?

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production) 

Home:         helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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(All photos taken indoors from the back of the hall with the flash turned off on a 3meg camera bought in a charity shop for £11-99p. Erf, erf, erf.)