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)
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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)
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Steve Waterman and Pete Hurt at The Red Lion, Isleworth.

Monday night and we were back at The Red Lion, Isleworth, enjoying modern jazz - this time with Steve Waterman on trumpet and Pete Hurt on Sax;

While Trevor Tomkins was on drums and Steve watts on bass;

Missing from the pictures was the excellent John Donaldson on Keyboards.

I really enjoyed 'Alice in Wonderland' as well as an own composition by Steve Waterman.

The Red Lion is clearly still in danger with the ever present threat from developers who want to convert the old pub to flats; the number of live music venues continues to shrink month by month.

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

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Art Themen at the Red Lion.

Saturday night in a night club, Monday enjoying the best Modern Jazz that London has to offer.

How good is that?

This is John Horler giving it some;

In fact it was a special night - the fifth anniversary of the club's move to the Red Lion.

It was special for me because we had Art Themen making a rare visit;

John Donaldson played keyboards, he's probably my ideal pianist while Trevor Tomkins drums and Dave Green's bass all contributed to a great night.

It's always a pleasure to see Art, not least because three years ago when I broke my ankle, one of the things that kept me going was the thought of making it back to see him again.

I wasn't disappointed last night.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
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The return of Ginge the cat?

I'd had a busy weekend and Monday saw me doing nothing much to get over it.

Until the evening - I did make it back to our Jazz Club at The Red Lion in Isleworth.

My photo is missing out the excellent John Donaldson on keyboards but you can see Trevor Tomkins on drums and Dave Green on bass.

I don't know Pete Hurt (sax) so well but he was good  and Henry Lowther is always welcome.

The started with Thelonious Monk's 'Monk's Dream' and went on toWayne Shorter's 'Blue Nile' (which I haven't heard before.

Henry Lowther composes; we heard 'Segment' and 'Quadrant' - both good.

But I was suffering; there are only a few chairs and by the time we get there they've all gone. An evening perched on a bar stool is not ideal.

The big debate now is whether 'Ginge' is back or not. With the change of ownership, 'Ginge the cat' disappeared for good.

Before he would lie luxuriantly on the fishtank but then leave as soon as the Jazz started (not a fan our Ginge)

The new ginger cat stayed for the music, so I'm still doubtful.

I couldn't take a photo because he was surrounded by admirers.

The jury is out on Ginge.

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

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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)

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Hard Bop beats the blues anytime.

Monday was always going to end up at my Jazz Club. It didn’t matter to me whether the news was good or bad at Charing Cross Hospital. It didn’t matter that I had a hacking cough. It didn’t matter that I got home late and worn out. I was always going to make it.

On the way back from the hospital I passed Sid’s Shoe repairs/keycutter/Trophy supplier on The Fulham Palace Road – I wrote about his amazing trophy cabinet last month;

http://helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/thanks-sid.html

This time, to my horror, the life size F.A. and European cups had disappeared from his window. Sid was closing up and I asked him – when the shop shuts he has to lock them away because he is worried that they would be stolen.

In their place?

 

 The World Cup, of course. I fear that’s the only one that’s coming to London this summer.

I made it to the Jazz Club because the great Art Themen was playing. He is the best in British Hard Bop and is there any other kind of Jazz worth listening to?

 

It also matters to me because at every stage in my illness when I’ve need a bit of a boost, Art Themen happened to take his turn at the club and I found that little bit extra I needed to make it in.

My reward?   Art Themen on top form – saxophone screaming and then breathless as he blasted through ‘Trinkle Dinkle’ and ‘Hackensack’ by Thelonious Monk, ‘Four’ by Miles Davis and ‘Doxy’ by Sonny Rollins to name just a few.

Trevor Tomkins on drums, Paul Morgan on bass and John Donaldson on piano made up a great quartet.

Quite a night.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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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)

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I was dreading April in New York.

There are some good Doctors, I thanked a good one on Monday morning.

Monday evening and I was watching another one – Art Themen, retired orthopaedic surgeon. There was nothing retired about his Saxophone work.

 

Monday night was always going to be quiet, we clashed with a tribute to Stan Tracey at The 100 club. All the greats of British modern jazz were there including Peter King and Cleo Laine. We also lost our bass player and were lucky to have Steve Watts take over.

This really was Thelonious Monk night with loads of his numbers starting with a bright and sparky ‘I mean you’.

A couple of tunes later and we had a treat from Henry Lowther on trumpet, playing his own composition ‘Mataya Sleeps’, dedicated to a neice who was asleep while he wrote it. More Monk closed off the first set – ‘4 in 1’.

The second set brought us a Henry Lowther solo on a beautifully played ballad; ‘It never entered my mind’, and then Art Themen took over but with a segué into ‘April in New York’. I’d caught sight of the music and was dreading this sad and sentimental song. I didn’t need that on Monday, not after hearing bad news, but I was lucky to hear it torn apart and then reassembled without any fake sentimentality.

There were a few familiar Art Themen setpieces; Dexter Gordon’s ‘For regulars only’ and a Clifford Brown blues to finish giving John Donaldson a chance to shine on piano. It was still a great night of modern jazz from the greats, played on a quiet Monday night.

I should add that Stan Tracey was for many years the house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s and in that role he accompanied the greats of the jazz world. I remember seeing him several times in the early 1980’s, entertaining another local club, with some fairly experimental jazz.

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)

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Day two of the 'tour'

I spent Monday night with the ‘Trane,  Thelonious, and Dexter – ending up ‘Round Midnight’.

Day two of my ‘fill your pockets and run like f@#k’ tour, before playtime ends next Monday when I have to go to my clinic.

I went to my Jazz Club at the Red Lion, Isleworth to see the great Art Themen, giant of British modern jazz, who is kind enough to come and see us freeloaders roughly every three months. It’s his social work.

 

Apart from the jazz it’s also a chance for me to put two fingers up to my illness and celebrate the sheer joy of being alive. Just over a year ago I was still trying to get my act together and struggled in to see him – the Olympics had just finished and a week later I broke my ankle – did I ever mentioned that?

November last year, I struggled in again pretty triumphant, this time wearing an air cast boot and crutches although I wasn’t doing a lot of toe tapping. Then in February it all went wrong on me, my ‘fighting February’, then even worse news in May. So, it means a lot to me, it’s an achievement every time I see him.

The set started with ‘For regulars only’, Art crouched squinting over the music until someone got his glasses from his car – it didn’t seem to do the music any harm though, fast and furious. ‘Forest Fire’ was a quieter contrast and then it was back in top gear again for John Coltrane’s ‘Lollies lament’, with Trevor Tomkins getting pretty fired up on the drums, triggering a first round of whistles while Steve Watts was on bass.

John Donaldson was let free on piano for Michel Legrand’s ‘You must believe in spring’, but then as this was only a quartet tonight (always much better than five) everyone had the chance to play, and they did.

‘Trinkle Dinkle’ ended the set – Thelonious Monk’s part pretty much stolen by Art Themen on the sax.

At half time I snuck out into the garden to check out shooting stars, but it was too cloudy and light.

More Monk (‘Played Twice’) –really tight, really sharp, after the break there was more Monk again a couple of numbers later (4 in 1) – no prisoners taken there or anywhere.

‘I’ve grown accustomed to your face’ was an Art Themen Tour de Force, followed by a brisk old blues.

Then, this brisk old bluesman stumbled out into the night, hoping for a helping of stardust (previous Blog) later on.

The ‘tour’ continues!

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Comin'.

What goes around, comes around. When I turned up at my Jazz Club, who should be there but Roy, who runs the Staines Riverside club, and who introduced me to The SkaSouls. That’s Jaaazzz for you.

Hottest day of the year so far and I wasn’t so enthusiastic when I saw Jimmy Hastings on the bill – he’s always heavy on 1970’s fusion – the name Chick Corea flashes onto my retina like a cut price neon sign.

I’m being a bit of a grouch – Hastings plays the flute, the tenor and soprano sax and does it all very well, but even feeling bad and having had a lively Friday, the desire to tap a foot is always there. Corea never did it for me.

There is something about the jazz flute – for me it’s the sound of the Gil Scott Heron band, afro hair styles, wide flairs, flowery shirts. Can’t help it, that’s the image – somewhere between 1971 and 1973.

In contrast, Jimmy Hastings looks like a retired bank manager but he plays like a dream.

The first one up was Joe Hendersons ‘Isotope’, and John Donaldsons keyboards were amazing – as he was throughout the evening – the piano solos had the crowd cheering.

Oscar Pettiford’s ‘Two little pearls’ was a highlight, almost classical, certainly orchestral and written by a bassist it gave Tim Wells a rare chance to really explore his bass.

Gary McFarlane’s Street Dance was lively – a wild Trevor Tomkins was using all his drums today, even ones I’d not heard before. The dust was flying.

The end was two – you can guess – Chick Corea pieces. I didn’t mind, it was a virtuosos evening.

Mind you, next week is all Miles.

That’s ‘Miles of Smiles’.

It’s Cookin’, Walkin’, Workin’….

I’m being silly – TT has formed a band to play Miles Davis numbers from the 1960’s, the ‘Herbie Hancock years’, and I am so looking forward to that.

Shhhhh, don’t tell anyone – get there late because I don’t think anyone will be interested.

 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

 Home:    helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

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P.S. if your getting a bit irritated with all this silliness – take a look at my other Blog, the serious boring one;

 helpmesortoutthenhs.blogspot.com

Over the last few days, I’ve been posting some hard hitting stuff and in a few days I’ll put up my analysis of the Keogh Review into the 14 failing NHS Trusts.

Hey you, yes you at the back – stop yawning, its good stuff..

PS 2 Comin', is a Miles joke.

Tak, Tak, Tak.

 

                                         

I took the motorway up to town instead of the normal route – looking for route one, maybe. What I got was a long traffic jam and no exit. Gulp.

When I got to my Jazz club at The Red Lion, Isleworth, I found that the grapevine had told everyone it was going to be a quiet night – the last few weeks were packed. They were right.

Trevor Tomkins took the chance to push his drums out to the front for a change. There was a lot of Wayne Shorter and a couple of Dick Pearce (Trumpet) compositions;‘Fast track’ and ‘Airships in a cloud’.

For me the highlight was ‘my one and only love’ and Pearce was left at the bar for this one. There were some long solo’s from Pete Hurt on Sax but the stars were the trio of John Donaldson on keyboards, Steve Watts Bass and TT on the brushes and split sticks. Very sparse, very precise. Tak, Tak, Tak.

Otherwise, there was an encore ‘a short blues’, which sounded like Monk to me, and that was pretty good.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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