Ed Jones in full flight.

I like this photo, it's Ed Jones full of action on the saxophone at The Red Lion Jazz club. We don't see him often but he plays a fine Sax when he comes round!

We had another good night; Trevor Tomkins on drums, Dick Pearce on trumpet, Simon Thorpe on bass and the incomparable Ross Stanley on keyboards.

It's an early start tomorrow morning for us - we're off to St. Peter's Hospital to join the picket line for the Junior Doctors.

I hope you will show your support for this cause too.

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

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

Back at the Red Lion.

We made it again!

Last week was the first time we got back to my Jazz club after I got ill....we made it back again.

And it was good; Quentin Collins was electrifying on the trumpet and Dave O'Higgins is one of my favourite saxophonists. It is fair to say that I do have a number of favourite saxophonists.

 

 

 

They pl;ayed a couple of my favourites too; Thelonius Monk's 'Hackensack' and Horace Silver's 'Barbara'.

 

 

These nights are booked by Trevor Tomkins (drums) and on bass was Dave Green, keyboards John Horler.

 

 

The best in British modern jazz.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

 

Home:   helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 





Nice to be back.

We finally made it back to our Jazz Club - at The Red Lion, Isleworth.

It's been over two months since I got ill or that bad things were happening which meant we couldn't go. It was nice to see familiar faces, drink a cider and catch some great Jazz.

The Saxophonist couldn't make it, so Tim Whitehead stepped in to help out at the last minute; 

 

 

I haven't seen him before - he was great, very expressive and a little tension in the air always helps Jazz!

 

It was nice to see Trevor Tomkins on Drums and Henry Amberg-Jennings on trumpet. Tim Wells on bass and Robin Aspland on piano made up the group.

 

 

I even heard some old favourites; Freddie Hubbard's 'Up jump Spring' and Charlie Parker's 'Scrapple for the Apple'.

 

Nice to be back.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

Jimmy Hastings night at The Red Lion.

Jimmy Hastings down at The Red Lion is not something to miss; it's the sound of 1970's jazz played well.

Not my kind of thing at all, not a decade when I was really into Jazz at all, which is why it's such good playing...the sounds of Chick Corea weren't my thing.

 

 

If anything says it all its the sound of a jazz flute - the sound of that era and Jimmy's got it just right.

 

 

But I like Wayne Shorter and Gerry Mulligan who both got an airing as well as the very great Jimmy Giuffre who does not get played often enough.

 

And it was just a quartet which I really prefer; Trevor Tomkins on Drums, John Horler on keyboards and Tim Wells playing a very fine bass.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

 

 



Why not?

ZFive Alive

On tour: 17-3-14 to 21-4-14

The High-s                                                                                  Scott Freeman

Throat Cut City                                                                          Bright Light City

Girl in the Garden                                                                     BRD

20 Yards behind                                                                        Devil Neck                           

T and the Mugs                                                                         Pete Davies Quartet

Trevor Tomkins Quintet                                                          The SkaSouls                                    

The Reggulaters                                                                        The Reflections

The Jeff Mack Quartet.                                                            Drum ‘n Bass.

Crossfire Hurricane                                                                  44 Fires                                                                                           

The Carnabys                                                                             UKID

Confessions of a Traitor                                                           Treehouse                                                                                            

The Wonder Beers

Official sponsor;

The

Cancer Drug Fund

L

Of course it was all very silly but there was a reason for it. Back in March I was given an unexpected 5 weeks I didn’t think I’d have.

5 weeks of walking, of moving, of being.

What a shame it would have been to have wasted it.

What fun it all was – MOD music, Ska, Jazz, Drum ‘n Bass and a whole lot more – alternative rock and even The Mighty Rockgoblin.

An amazing time and won’t I just miss it now it’s gone.

Monday night, knowing that I had a rather sombre appointment looming with the long suffering Dr Feelgood at Charing Cross hospital early on Tuesday morning I decided that the only way of dealing with all that was a late night of Modern Jazz at my club (don't the words 'Jazz Club' sound really great?) with the incomparable Derek Nash playing his many Saxophones.

 

There were 4 saxes to match every mood and key – I came to the conclusion that he actually had only one sax but it was inflatable, like those ones you can take to football, just blow it up or down to suit any occasion.

The Baritone came out for Gerry Mulligan but there was also Thelonious Monk’s ‘Straight, No Chaser’ and the ultra cool ‘Comin Home’ written by Mel Tormé.

Nothing could follow that. Here’s the sax, deflated.

 

Click on any picture fopr a slideshow and better quality pictures.

Anyway, Tuesday morning and I was up really early, ready for almost anything.

I can’t believe it – it went well. I’ve got another 4 weeks.

Walking back down the Fulham Palace Road (Sid’s European Cup has been decorated with ribbons in Chelsea’s colours – bit premature there, mate.) you cannot imagine how good that felt.

Poor old Dr Feelgood is stuck with me a bit longer and so are you.

4 weeks? That’s a whole lifetime for me and I’ve got such plans.

May is looking particularly good and then on Friday I catch the;

A

Magic Bus!

Where am I going at midnight on Friday night?

Here’s where –

 %%%%%

Can you guess where I’m going? What’s behind the balloons?

I’m not doing a competition because none of you ever bothers to enter anyway. But it’s somewhere very special and very exciting for me.

There will be a lot of amateurish photos, probably some arguments with waiters and there’s always going to be something completely unexpected happening.

There may be alcohol and I’ll be doing an injection somewhere totally outrageous. That’s outrageous in geographical terms rather than outrageous in…..well never mind about that.

You’ve never been on a coach with me before have you? You really have no idea what’s coming or where I’m going. Stick around for the ride.

My only rule is ‘Why Not?

A

Magic Bus!

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

That's that then.

Even my camera is bored with the flood – yesterday for the second day running, the batteries gave out just as I was about to take another extremely interesting picture.

The Flood Marker in Staines fell by a foot in the last 24 hours and you can now walk along the river bank again.

After all the excitement of last week, I’m bored. I’ve been loading my MP3 with more music and that has been depressing me.  
It probably isn't helped by me calling it; ‘The Death Disco’ after the Public Image track of the same name because I keep it with me in case I’m admitted to hospital.

It was all full of slow jazz and Mile Davies, which given what it's for did seem like a good idea but now I've decided to load it up with dance music, good time/happy sounds.

As the memory is running out, the decisions are getting harder – I may need to buy a bigger MP3.

And then last night I went to The Barley Mow in Shepperton and spent a quiet, happy evening in the company of Pete Davies and his rather flexible Quartet.

This is modern jazz (is there really any other kind?) but it’s not so cool, not so demanding, mainly standards but played with some real style. The Quartet? That changes all the time depending on whose free or just can't keep away.

Here’s Pete giving the sax a workout:

 

 At halftime the drummer and bassist teamed up with Roy Cook for three numbers as a trio – and they flew. I recognised ‘Laura’ and a little Thelonious Monk.

 

Not so bad a night.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home:   helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

A not bad Monday night.

Monday night and I struggled off to my Jazz Club at The Red Lion, Isleworth and the celebrations for its third birthday. It was time to take my thrombosis out for the night.

To mark the occasion they had a sextet – that’s two more than I would want but then I’m in a minority of one on that.

Also I had to swallow all my prejudices as the excellent Mark Nightingale was playing his trombone – not one of my favourite modern jazz instruments.

 

 Dave O’Higgins plays a fine saxophone and duetted well with Quentin Collins on trumpet and flugelhorn. Trevor Tomkins drums and Tim Wells on bass made up the line-up except for a late substitution pianist whose name I’m afraid I didn’t catch.

Six musicians are frankly hard to fit into the cupboard that is the Red Lion stage but on several numbers they took full advantage of Mark Nightingale’s arrangements to revel in a big band sound from a small ensemble.

 

For the real Big Band sound, The Riverside is hosting an 18 piece Big band in a fortnight – more on that nearer the time. It’s a sound that isn’t heard these days – you need a lot of money or a wealthy sponsor to play that kind of music. Famously, Charlie Watts the Rolling Stones drummer fritters away his earnings to support his Big band and the BBC can afford to do the same every once in a while.

With The Riverside, the band is being charitable to us as I suspect their fee would barely cover the travel expenses for 18.

It’s going to be a good night and I’ll be plugging it!

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

The second Pterodactyl.

A second pterodactyl has appeared in The Red Lion, Isleworth. Now one pterodactyl could be an unfortunate accident but two?  I feel that’s more than just a coincidence.

If you remember, last week (Blame it on the…) a pterodactyl turned up in a corner of the pub – today I spotted another one, hiding by the coat stand.

I took a picture of it:

 

 There must be a factory somewhere, churning them out. And no, it isn’t the same one being moved about, the other one is still perched in its spot. If there’s a third one next week I’m going to have to make enquiries.

The Jazz? Quiet pub for quiet, very reflective music. There was a lot of Charles Mingus –three numbers all really thoughtful. Two numbers by Cedar Walton, who died recently; ‘Cedar’s Blues’, Woody Shaw and Thelonious Monk.

 

 Kate Williams on keyboards was on very good form, Chris Biscoe had three different Saxes but spent most time on the soprano – it was that kind of music. Steve Fishwick on Trumpet. Steve Watts on Bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums made up the back row.

I was told three of the group are a big part of ‘Way Out West’, a jazz collective playing in Richmond.

 

 

sCLUE No 6

Here’s the question;

7000 what? By whom?

K

Clue Number 6;

He was also a sculptor.

It’s a work of art by one of my favourite 20th century artists.

He was very European and an early pioneer of performance art.

When you’ve got the answer, e-mail it in to me at;

neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The first right answer wins a combat bracelet, made by me.

 Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

 

Second chances.

Sometimes great things happen.

For years now, I’ve missed out on seeing The James Taylor Quartet – this is the coolest jazz band on earth. Taylor plays the Hammond organ and they recreate the jazz-funk groove of the 1960’s and 70’s. So much so that he did the theme for Austin Powers. They do a lot more besides.

Nowadays they don’t tour so much, except every September they do a residency at Ronnie Scotts small, intimate Soho club - perfect.  For years I missed it – too busy working, or I was too ill, or last year in hospital with a broken ankle. It’s been a running joke, except I wasn’t laughing.

This year (of course) they did it early in August and I didn’t realise….that was my last chance, gone.

Or so I thought, because by accident I found out that they are headlining a free jazz festival in …….on……. Do you think I’m going to tell everybody? I’m not well enough to cope with a huge crowd any more.

Did I mention it was free?

Anyway, on Friday I was listening to Robert Elms ‘Funky Friday on BBC Radio London. Every Friday he celebrates the end of the week with a dance music session with a theme. At the start of the programme he played a JTQ track as an intro – then as ‘Funky Friday was getting into full swing, the James Taylor Quartet themselves e-mailed in to the show from a café in Milan, to tell us they were enjoying ‘Funky Friday’ on their laptop, as they relaxed the afternoon away before they did their show later in the evening.

Mind you I’d rather be in Milan than in ……. But I should be very grateful. Now all I have to do is try to persuade a friend to come with me, in case I don’t last out the full day.

Any offers?

sCLUE No 5

Here’s the question;

7000 what? By whom?

K

Clue Number 5;

He was an early pioneer of performance art.

He’s very European.

It’s a work of art by one of my favourite 20th century artists.

When you’ve got the answer, e-mail it in to me at;

neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The first right answer wins a combat bracelet, made by me.

 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)