Narberth Jazz News for November 2022

Please note our Mobile phone number has changed to 07551 793388

Hello Friends,

Welcome to our November news, as we watch the leaves falling all around us and wait for the official ‘Autumn Statement’ which will tell us how our finances will be impacted by war, climate change and the pandemic, we know it will not be good news but we have the joy of creative music at our monthly gathering to look forward to and take us to a different place.

Our next live show is on the 17th of November, we have a young pianist and composer who is poised on the brink of a glittering career in music with his trio called YETII.  Alex Veitch – piano Ashley John Long – bass Alex Goodyear – drums PLEASE book your tickets now as they are going fast!

He graduated from Cambridge University in 2013 where he played regularly with the Andy Bowie Quartet and went on to study on the Jazz Piano Master’s Program at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying under musicians including Gareth Lockrane, Jason Rebello and Malcolm Edmonstone.

Alex counts Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Fats Waller among his main influences. In his spare time Alex enjoys active pursuits such as running and cycling: a county champion athlete and long distance cyclist from London to Barcelona in summer 2016.The band has been playing together for 5 years, with a monthly residency at The Greenbank in Bristol. They’ve had time to hone their sound and their style is very interactive, with segues between tunes and frequent forays in and out of improvised sections.

Here is a link to an original composition by the band called ‘Summer’: https://youtu.be/v194E3DHzg8

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Inevitably at this time, thoughts turn to Christmas and this year we have an absolute corker of a party lined up at the Queens Hall.  Please book your ticket soon as places are going fast.

Constellation Big Band has been delighting audiences since1973 and was originally known as ‘Joe Berni Dance Band Neath’ Originally filled with musicians who played in bands during the war and post-war years, who came together to once again enjoy the pleasures of playing music that they loved. Over the years, the Band have toured Germany and played at various prestigious venues and have appeared on S4C’s ‘Heno’ TV programme.

Several personnel stayed with this fine Band over the years and they are very proud that a number of fine musicians remain amongst their ranks almost half a century since the beginning alongside the young players who have recently joined the ranks. The band recreates the sounds of music from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton and many more. They also take pride in having a vast array of music to play all genres of musical taste and style. They have two talented and versatile vocalists in Angharad Sanders and Chris Richards, both very experienced big band singers and presenters, under the musical direction of Phil Anthony. This will be the first time in many years that the band have played in Narberth and we can’t wait to enjoy this rare treat.

You can see more about the band here https://www.constellationbigband.co.uk/welcome

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I am still buzzing from the Jazz Promoters Network conference which I went to last week in Belfast. I made some great contacts for the future of Narberth Jazz. Plans for 2023 are well advanced, but we are always open to your recommendations, so please stay in touch.

An important word from the management

Because our only income comes from ticket sales and membership fees, we need to find other sources of income to keep ticket prices down as low as we can. We are considering some form of what is known as ‘Merch’. A tea/coffee mug is favourite among the committee, but it could be a cap or a T-shirt etc. We look to you for your choice before we invest.

We want to feature our logo and a brief, witty, relevant text following it.

Can you reply and tell us what you suggest? There will be a prize for the suggestion that becomes the one we use.  

info@narberthjazz.wales 

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Now a few interesting links for you:

Firstly, London Jazz Festival has a stunning line up and kicks off tomorrow and runs till the 17th.November https://efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk/

Tenby Jazz features the Dom Norcross trio with Elaina Hoss next Sunday 13th at The Imperial Hotel https://tenbyjazz.co.uk/

Black Mountain jazz Wall To Wall festival in Abergavenny is coming up soon http://blackmountainjazz.co.uk/

I found a fun group called The Jazz Cannibals on YouTube, see what you think of them  https://youtu.be/rzdCxpXAFwM

The 100 year old BBC continue to cater to us on Saturday and Sunday afternoons on R3 and Jamie Cullum on R2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001dctt

I also found this on World service https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct43qq The Truth about jazz!

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Did you notice the poster images featured here? they are both the work of a talented designer friend of the club based in Preston where he runs a group called Jazzin the Park https://jazzinthepark.uk/

That’s all for now I hope to see you at an event soon

Declan and the NJ Team

October 2022 Jazz News.

Hello and welcome to The October news from Narberth Jazz.

‘More fun than you can shake a stick at’.

(Where did that stick shaking come from).

At least that was what participants told me about our September event which was aimed at widening the jazz audience with the St. Louis Express swing and jive band, who had people dancing from the first number – I’m told. I could not join in the fun because Maggie and I were laid low with a bout of Covid 19 Thankfully we are now over it.

There have been calls for more dance events and there is one in the pipeline for the Christmas Special which will be at the Queens Hall on Thursday 8^th. December with the Constellation Big Band. This band was formed circa 1973 and has been playing continuously since.

The 18 piece band recreates the sounds of the Big Band era with music from Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Stan Kenton and many more. They also pride themselves in having a vast array of music to accommodate all genres of musical taste and style.

A recent picture of the front line. I could not find any recent film footage, but this might get you ‘In The Mood’ https://youtu.be/TlRlXk7nk1U

This month’s live event at the Plas will feature a fine Welsh Alto player – Glen Manby.

Glen Manby is an alto saxophonist, composer, and teacher, working primarily in straight ahead modern acoustic jazz.

His main influences are Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, and Cannonball Adderley. He gained an M.A. in Jazz at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and was granted a scholarship to study at a New York music college

He will be playing for us with the indefatigable John Gibbon trio on Thursday 20th October. Tickets  Glen Manby with John Gibbon Trio | Narberth Jazz 

In November we will feature a very talented young pianist – Alex Veitch who is based in Bristol and now calls his trio YETII, a strange name for creative but conventional piano bass and drum group playing Alex’s music. Their debut CD is showcased by this tour. I think you will enjoy their fresh music.

This is ‘Summer’ https://youtu.be/g61NxC9v-Bw

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Tenby Jazz has Moonshine Boulevard on 9^th October. You will need to book lunch at the Imperial hotel. More info here https://tenbyjazz.co.uk/

Sadly the great Pharaoh Sanders passed away recently, so you can find a number of tribute mixes here https://www.mixcloud.com/

I was reminded about the neglected piano master Dave McKenna by this terrific tribute film https://www.pbs.org/video/the-key-man-dave-mckenna-ybiywk/

I recently attended a Zoom meeting with others working in jazz in Wales (Jazz Promoters Network) where guitarist Nigel Price talked about his work in setting up Grassroots Jazz, to help clubs keep going in difficult times. He emphasised the importance of social media in bringing people into clubs.

We are looking for a person who enjoys working with social media to enhance our offering on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you have relatives who might like to help, please let us know.

That’s all for now, just a reminder that any comments you have would be welcome via our website or Facebook page which is found by looking for Narberth Jazz.

Declan and the NJ team

September Jazz News

It’s been a busy time in the jazz world since we last met up, with Brecon, Llandeilo and Fishguard festivals, packed with performances. Several of us (the NJ core group) took the A40 for a day at Brecon Jazz, which like ourselves is run entirely by volunteers, and enjoyed a hot day of free music in the town square and the church. We were impressed with the Constellation big band and have since booked them for our December show. Since there are up to 20 players, this will be at the Queens Hall.

Meanwhile back at the chicken shack, we chickens have been busy letting all our friends and relations know about the fabulous Swing and jive dance that is our next date at the Plas. Yes it’s Thursday 15th. and will be quite different to our previous shows. This one will have the dance floor cleared and all the large tables removed and replaced by small tables and lots of chairs!

A chance to dance but – sitting to enjoy the nostalgic music is also an option, there will be enough seating if dancing is not for you.

Click here to get your tickets now www.narberthjazz.wales/events

Click here for a taste of the band  https://youtu.be/80BXB4mQ85U  If you feel like dressing in swing era styles we would be delighted.

We have also been looking ahead so we can promise you an interesting autumn/winter programme with the return of The John Gibbon trio, with Guy Shotton on piano, Ollie Blanchflower on acoustic bass and John on small drum set and caustic comments.

They will be playing on October 20th with star alto sax player Glen Manby.

Glen Manby is an alto saxophonist, composer, and teacher, working primarily in straight ahead modern acoustic jazz. His main influences are Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, and Cannonball Adderley. He gained an M.A. in Jazz at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and was granted a scholarship to study at a New York music college. Glen has had some high profile gigs including the EU European Summit, the Queen’s banquet for the Opening of the Senedd Welsh Parliament, the Opening of the Wales Millennium Centre, and club dates around Britain, as well as gigs in New York, Germany, and Switzerland. In 2015 he was awarded an Arts Council of Wales Project Grant to compose, arrange and record a new repertoire with his recently-formed quintet, featuring Steve Waterman, Leon Greening, Adam King, and Matt Home. The resulting CD, “Homecoming”, is available on the Mainstem jazz label.

Glen has previously taught saxophone at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and was a part-time lecturer in music at the University of South Wales for 12 years. He was visiting jazz saxophone tutor at Cardiff University School of Music 2000-2021.

He will be playing for us with the indefatigable John Gibbon trio on Thursday 20^th October. Tickets here: Glen Manby with John Gibbon TrioNarberth Jazz

You can read about his career here https://www.glenmanby.com/about

and listen to him here https://youtu.be/2Frd_9a6jvs

On November 17th. we will feature a young group from Bristol on tour for their first album. They hail from Bristol where they have made a big splash with a monthly gig at The Greenbank. Alex Veitch, who is the very talented pianist, is a first class emerging artist and we are proud to present his band which is called YETII.

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The next Tenby Jazz Lunch at The Imperial Hotel, on 18th Sep, features the “swinging mainstream vibes with a hint of West Coast low-key coolness” from the Cool Jazz Quartet. Led by Greg Sterland (tenor & baritone sax).

We hope you were able to watch some of the BBC Proms, which I enjoyed, including the South African Jazz prom which was really exciting https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001bcrz

Welcome to the August newsletter from Narberth Jazz

Firstly a big thank you to all who helped to make our second garden party a success, without you we could not have pulled it off. The weather also has to be credited, it was a perfect Pembrokeshire day, and of course, our wonderful hosts Mr. and Mrs Williams who coped with the disruption and fed the crew afterwards.

Please see the Home page for further pictures of the event.

Onwards and upwards to an exciting autumn programme which I hope you will find to be interestingly different.

This month we are back at the Plas hotel, on the last Thursday of August, the 25th. with a great pianist and raconteur, DALE STORR. He became fascinated with the piano styles of New Orleans and has made it his business to bring the joys of ‘The Sounds of New Orleans’ to piano fans of the UK. Inspired by his parents’ record collection of early R’n’B he immersed himself in the evocative music of New Orleans and soon became a sought after pianist for many visiting blues artists. Eventually he immersed himself in the music of his heroes, professor Longhair, James Booker, Alan Toussaint and Dr. John. Eventually he took his show based on this music all around the UK and Europe, and now we can enjoy his acclaimed show, based on those styles.

There is a rolling example of his style on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tim.aves.7/videos/1510977059322266

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In September we will do something that we have been asked to do for some time, and that is to host a dance event, and oh boy – we have been able to secure the best Swing and Jump Jivers available to take us back to the age of swing and sway – the incredible 7 piece band ST LOUIS EXPRESS.

Full of energy, great entertainment and fun, playing sounds from the Golden era of music 1920’s to early 1960’s. They have developed their sound to suit all ages from playing at various live music venues around the UK. Songs from legends, Ray Charles, Louis Jordan, Dean Martin. Louis Jordan. and plenty of swing classics. Playing Jazz and Swing standards that most people will recognise. They were the resident band for the Peaky Blinders events at Cardiff Depot & Motion Bristol, playing to sell out nights, attracting over 6,000 people. They regularly perform at Vintage festivals, corporate & special events. The band dress in vintage attire to take audiences back in time to the Swing era. They are known for entertaining audiences with infectious uptempo feel good music.

So look out your best vintage gear and get your tickets for this Narberth Jazz dance night at The Plas Hotel on September 15th. The band have a great following in South Wales and you are sure to find your feet heading for the dance floor as soon as they start to play.

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Thursday 20th October we will definitely welcome back the irrepressible John Gibbon trio with special guest, saxophonist GLEN MANBY.

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Lots of summer jazz going on around Wales including Brecon Jazz from 7th.-21st August www.breconjazz.org

Aberjazz Festival in Fishguard  26th – 29th August  has a host of gigs including actual jazz. www.aberjazz.com

Swanseajazz.co.uk has a packed programme  and Jazz in South Wales page

on Facebook has lots of events.

If you use Facebook , please visit our Narberth Jazz page and hit like!

That’s all for now

Declan and the NJ crew

JUNE 2022 NEWSLETTER

Sunny June greetings to all NJ newsletter subscribers and a special welcome to new members. May’s live show which featured 3 of Wales best musicians and singer Jane Williams, was sadly under attended, but nevertheless they gave us a fine show of musical brilliance, playing many nostalgic numbers from the past.

The audience showed their appreciation and enjoyed the singing of Jane Williams and authentic improvisation of Keith and Gethins playing.

This month our team tramped the streets of Narberth and Templeton delivering fliers to encourage attendance at the gigs and afternoon music and chat sessions, but that did not result in increased interest, and so we have reluctantly decided to discontinue the afternoon events. Thank you to those who braved the barking dogs and posted through letterboxes.

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This month’s live evening will be on Thursday 16^th June and features Dominic Norcross, the sax wielding fireman and Elaina Hoss. She sings in the evening and her day job is nursing.

They are both members of the popular party band Numbers Racket as well as respected jazzers who happen to live in our community. Joining the locals will be John Paul Gard on Hammond organ, who comes from Bristol to be with us and has released  several CD’s under his own name. This same band played last year for the streamed event we held during lockdown at the Queens Hall and was booked to play in January at the Plas, but that had to be moved to this June date due to virus restrictions. Playing in an easy mainstream style, reminiscent of Zoot Sims and Stan Getz, Dom’s sax is sure to please. Please head to the website for tickets and more information www.narberthjazz.wales/events

Where you can also order advance tickets for  our fabulous GARDEN PARTY on the 21st July. Once again we will have the beautiful garden of Lampeter House at our disposal for this great event thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Williams. There will be food and drinks available, but you are welcome to bring your own if you wish. The music will be supplied by 6 piece swing band No Mean Biscuit and a special performance from American saxophonist Peter Fraize playing with ATLANTICUS.

Jazz Across the Pond could refer to the garden venue which we enjoy, but here it refers to the band ATLANTICUS who are a unique British-American musical partnership bringing together two powerfully distinct musical personalities, US saxophonist Peter Fraize and UK organist Terry Seabrook, to explore their common interest in the rich transatlantic heritage of jazz.

The music is mostly original, spanning a stylistic spectrum from the hard bop blowout of  ‘Blue Haven’, the modal explorations of ‘That’s What’, the boogaloo of ‘Swank’, and the Afro-Cuban reimagining of the Bobby Timmons classic ‘Moanin’’.

I do hope you can come to this special event on 21^st July and I have attached a poster which I hope you will print and display to reach a wide audience. Thank you.

If you would like to help on the day please call our jazz line 07778 563334. You may have to leave a message.

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We are making plans for the Autumn now which include a special family show at Narberth Primary School about the classic female singers called

Time travelling with the jazz queens              

Tenby Jazz brunches are back at the Imperial Hotel in July https://tenbyjazz.co.uk/

Aberjazz have information on their festival here https://www.aberjazz.com/

The BBC covered Cheltenham Jazz Fest you can relive some acts here https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001770q/jazz-all-stars-cheltenham-jazz-at-25

Our Facebook page needs people to like it, please do take a look and leave anything you would like to tell us.

Meanwhile I look forward to seeing you at a gig soon

Declan and the NJ team

Your May News Letter.

Spring greetings to all music lovers.

Welcome to those who have recently joined Narberth Jazz. Thank you, your £15 will be used to bring more Music to more people who enjoy the music that we love.

We are having a push on the ‘Jazz In The Afternoon’ sessions at The Dingle with printed fliers which we intend to deliver to local houses in central Narberth.

This is what they look like.

We hope that if you know anyone who would enjoy a social afternoon with fellow music lovers, you would call in for a while on one of these dates. Bring some music if you like, and we can play it and start a discussion.

Better than election stuff!

We try and get our news out to everyone via the social media and we would welcome your views on our Facebook page   www.facebook.com/narberthjazz

You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram.

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Aberjazz had a concert recently at Rhosygilwen featuring saxophonist Trish Clewes but I missed it. If you attended we would love to know if you enjoyed it. The tickets for the Festival are now on sale here   https://www.aberjazz.com/en/html/Tickets.html

Our member Martyn Oughton’s latest show for Pure West Radio is really worth a listen, and you can catch up here   https://player.autopod.xyz/164958?fbclid=IwAR1x_HunwM7GhiVeKl7WirPaRoPpGI8MwYKOtbf5rF8WL2EkznxwuDaIOzI

Long link address!

BBC Radio 2 has been celebrating Jazz with shows from The Cheltenham Jazz Festival and celebrity playlists   https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m000vzr5

Our live event this month is a nostalgic delve into the music of piano masters like Earl Hines and Fats Waller with stride pianist and veteran bandleader Keith Little. His trio features Wales busiest trumpeter Gethin Liddington, a superb player who also leads his own swing band. With just the bass and trumpet dueting the the bass keeping the pulse can be mesmerising. (Think louis and Earl on Weatherbird). Here is a taste of our trio at Cafe Jazz.   https://youtu.be/5I99s8AmnHk

On June 16^th local hero Dominic Norcross brings his Quartet featuring the funky organist John Paul Gard and singer Elaina Hoss. It was a year ago, this band did an online concert at The Queens Hall  for us, which is still available on Youtube    https://youtu.be/KMo02LUVWow

Our Garden Party will return on July 21^st at Lampeter House by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Williams with 2 exciting bands and an American star. Volunteers will be needed for stewarding, so to offer your time for this day, please call on our exclusive number 07778 563334.

Thank you for your contributions large and small, together we can enrich the musical offering locally.

Tickets and information on all activities click at   www.narberthjazz.wales

Declan and the team

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April 2022 News letter

Welcome to the NJ news,

Firstly the ‘back office’ activity, which is nevertheless important to tell you. Our chair has modified our constitution to conform to charity rules and we can now announce that we are now officially A CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION. It does not change the way we work, but it does protect our trustees from personal liability, and more importantly it opens the way for us to obtain funding to do the unprofitable side of our work. (youth band and jazz in care homes etc.) As soon as our status was confirmed, an application for funding was completed so that, if successful we will be able to carry out our plans. This has meant a busy time for our chair, so big thanks to Ben!

Our overworked treasurer, Gordon has now got help to simplify the ticket booking system and overcome the current problem dealing with iphone bookings and we are looking at ways to help you get what you want from your membership of Narberth Jazz. If you have yet to become a member, I urge you to do so now, as it is important for us to show we have a demand for jazz in Pembrokeshire – and your £15 will not only support live jazz but contribute towards our Care Homes Project and the setting up a Narberth Youth Band

We intend to join the Jazz Promotion Network soon to improve the opportunities for top class artists to tour in Wales, and hopefully come and play for us.

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Our March event with The Coltrane Dedication Quintet turned out to be one of the best evenings that we have held so far. They brought highly skilled minds to bear on Coltrane’s tunes with great skill and imagination. The large audience gave them a heroes send off and we will ask them to come again.

On Thursday 21^st. April we are pleased to have one of Wales greatest entertainers, the singer JEFF HOOPER who has gained a huge reputation singing the great American classic songbook with his own groups and has featured with the BBC Big Band on many occasions. Jeff  developed his talent as a singer with the famous Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Jeff likes to give really well presented shows with entertaining dialogue, and combined with his magnificent singing this has made him a popular figure on the music scene. Not just lists of songs, but fully developed shows. His work is prolific, with overseas concert tours, weekly radio shows, luxury cruises and regular performances across Britain and beyond in some of the world’s top jazz clubs, concert halls and cabaret spots. For us, on 21^st April he will present an intimate take on the songs with The John Gibbon Trio.

Tickets from the website www.narberthjazz.wales/events

If you would like to book a meal, please call the Plas Hotel on 01834 869006

The following week Thursday 28^th.April we will hold our Jazz In The Afternoon at The Dingle Inn, Jesse Road Narberth with a presentation from NJ member Martyn Oughton, who also presents a monthly wide ranging jazz programme on Pure West Radio, called

Jazz Box. Which can be found here https://www.purewestradio.com/podcasts

Please come along at 2pm for music and conversation- not just music- but interesting chat about what’s on our minds. (Excluding virus and war!)

On Thursday 19^th. May we welcome back the pianist KEITH LITTLE with his trio and singer Jane Williams

Keith Little – piano, Gethin Liddington – trumpet, Don ‘donnie joe’ Sweeney – double bass, and Jane Williams – vocals. Keith has recently returned from an extended stay in Munich, and we are delighted to have him back.

On Thursday 16^th June The DOM NORCROSS Quartet with organist John Paul Gard and singer Elaina Hoss, which which was scheduled for January, but the virus meant we had to defer them until now.

On 14^th April Aberjazz have the Transatlantic Hotclub with Ben Creighton-Griffiths in Peppers

28^th April, Trish Clowes and My Iris at Rhos-Y-Gilwen www.aberjazz.com

Not jazz related but I wanted to flag up that the marvellous No Fit State Circus is back in the Shire from 8^th. To 23^rd.April with an unmissable treat for all ages at Withybush Showground. It really is a fantastic show. Tickets here www.notfitstate.org/sabotage

If you are a fan of the young New Orleanian Street band Tuba Skinny, you might like to know that they have a new album of self penned tunes which you can hear here:- https://tubaskinny.bandcamp.com/ Also to be found on Bandcamp are a host of good jazz albums that you can stream and buy, including Mark Kavuma’s Banger Factory and Nubia Garcia, young British artists of the moment.

Please join us on Facebook Twitter and Instagram where you could leave pictures and messages etc.

I have attached a poster for this month in case you can print it and display in your local shop /garage/ village. Thanks That’s all for now – happy Jazzing

Declan and the NJ team

NJ News March 2022

Spring Greetings Jazz people I hope you are enjoying the hopeful signs of life returning to the Shire with the snowdrops and daffs nodding through the rain.

The two February NJ events were both excellent fun and enjoyed by many, especially the return after 5 years of the marvellous Hot Club Gallois who blew the capacity crowd
away with their Django style music. Violinist Xenia certainly captured the hearts of many of us with her vivacious presence and thrilling playing, with the two superb guitarists evoking the gypsy jazz virtuosity of Mr. Reinhardt.

Our jazz afternoon record session was hosted by the tireless Gordon Barry and enjoyed by the attenders at the Dingle Inn.

The next afternoon for your diary is on March 24th when our host will be the indefatigable Tudor Thomas who will feature great trumpeters of the classic years.

We have to apologise for the problem our website has in processing payments from Apple devices. We are unable to resolve this until we complete the process of registering as a Community Interest Organisation which will take some time as the bureaucracy involved moves slowly. Meanwhile I suggest that if you use an Apple phone or device normally,  please call our dedicated number 07778 563334 and I will take your bookings to be paid for at the door.

We are excited to have The Coltrane Dedication Quintet on Thursday 17th March, not only because this is a rare chance to enjoy the music of a great 20th. century music master, but because this band is composed of some of the very best jazzmen in Wales. Lyndon Owen – Tenor & Soprano Saxophones, Caractacus Downes – Tenor & Baritone Saxophones, Dave Jones – Piano, Ashley John Long-  Double Bass, Ian Poole – Drums Dave Jones is the only member we have previously seen here as the leader of his own group, and we know him as a pianist and composer of extraordinary brilliance who is now recognised by the jazz world in England as well as here. Ian Poole the drummer plays in 7Steps, paying tribute to Miles Davis as well as being a renowned Drum teacher. Lyndon Owen is a composer and saxman with a vast catalogue of experience in bands and orchestras Caractucus Downes Tenor sax here but he also plays piano and bass, he has been involved in classical music for many years. His playing is of course rooted in John Coltrane’s music. Ashley John Long is an award-winning virtuoso double bassist and composer. The the band is collective, founded in 2007, when a quintet of musicians who decided to dedicate their mission to the music they loved Coltrane’s ‘later period’, from 1960 to 1967, an era that take in such landmark Coltrane albums as “Giant Steps”, “Olé”, “Ascension” and, of course, “A Love
Supreme”.“Coltrane Dedication definitely approach JC’s music in the spirit of the man himself. I recommend their skilled and passionate updating of the Coltrane legacy to adventurous jazz listeners everywhere”– Ian Mann, The Jazzman 2020 We realise that the music of John Coltrane is not everyone’s cup of tea, but we hope that you will
come and enjoy revisiting the music that inspired so many people who came after him.
Book here, (not using Apple) https://narberthjazz.wales/event/the-coltrane-dedication-quintet/
We will hold a brief AGM at 7pm if you would like to take part, please come early.  —————–——————————————————————————–

We are still looking to increase our membership which is crucial to our future as Narberth Jazz, so if you have recently joined or re-joined, we thank you sincerely. If not, we hope you will consider joining now  and supporting us to serve the area with a diverse range of music into the future.

Other Jazz in the Shire:   Aberjazz present a night of swing with ‘Swinging Bill’s Vintage Revue’ at Letterston Hall on March 12th. https://www.aberjazz.com/

Tenby Jazz is returning with their famous jazz brunches at the Imperial hotel Tenby in July https://tenbyjazz.co.uk/I know that Haverhub want to include jazz in their future programme, so keep an eye out here https://haverhub.org.uk/

Stay well and be hopeful that peace will come

Declan and the NJ team

Hello Jazz friends,

Thank you for staying with us through this time of no gigs. Now that the party season is over in Downing street we can offer a programme of live events with the hope that they will be allowed to go ahead.

The first item I must bring to your attention is the little matter of support in the shape of our annual membership which is now due if you have yet to join or rejoin. This is really important, not just for the fee which keeps us afloat, but the fact that with a healthy number of members we can show funders that we are worth their attention. Last year we were nearly 100 strong and our target this year is 200. Would you please help and show your support for live jazz in Pembrokeshire with a commitment of just £15?

Just click here to complete the process https://narberthjazz.wales/event/membership-renewal/

Not only will you get at least £1 off at each live show, but also the occasional ‘members only’ event and the right to vote at the AGM which will be in March, and that will be your chance to vote us out and run NJ yourselves! Plus the warm feeling of supporting live music in the area.

Our next show at The Plas Hotel is with HOT CLUB GALLOIS which I am sure will please many people as these players are dedicated to giving their audience an authentic Django experience. Xenia Porteous, is a perfect lyrical violinist standing in for Stephane Grappelli, along with Richard Jones and Luke Archard, guitars and Mike Morgan on bass.

This show is at a special low price ticket to ensure everyone can come, and get back into live music again.

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We held our first Jazz in the Afternoon at The Hwb, Narberth on 27^th. January, which was an interesting start to the new series which is especially for those who are not able to get out in the evening. The venue proved less than ideal, as the separation from mums and babies in the main room was leaking in to our area.

We will continue the series on Thursday 24^th Feb. at The Dingle Club in Jesse Road and Gordon Barry will present a selection of tunes on the theme of ‘Now We Has Jazz’ A look at the hundred + years of jazz history with particular thoughts on piano jazz. Should be good.

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The good folks at Aberjazz in Fishguard have a swing show at Letterston coming up on 12^th March. Information here https://www.aberjazz.com/ I hope that a few people can go and see this show to assess if we should book them in here.

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In March we will have THE COLTRANE DEDICATION QUINTET which will be a treat for many modern jazz fans. Coltrane Dedication was borne out of coincidence and recognition; coincidence that the five original band members were due to jam together and realised the gig was on the 40th anniversary of John Coltrane’s death so decided to dedicate that night’s repertoire completely to his catalogue, and recognition that the emotional platform that this exceptional music provides seemed somewhat buried. Why? Well, there is absolutely no doubting the integrity and execution of Coltrane’s work, and his influence on musicians ever since, and well beyond the confines of ‘jazz’ music.

In April we will welcome back The John Gibbon trio, who this time will accompany one of the top big band singers, Jeff Hooper. He is singing with a brass section in Swansea this   Friday https://www.swanseajazz.co.uk/

Recently he has been touring with the BBC big band https://www.jeffhooper.co.uk/

The May show is not organised yet but The DOM NORCROSS BAND who were postponed from last month, is now Playing for our June show, with singer Elaina Hoss.

That’s all for this month, stay well and we look forward to seeing you soon.

If you no longer want to receive these emails, just send me a reply with the word unsubscribe.                                               Thanks.

Declan and the NJ team

January Newsletter

Welcome to the January NJ newsletter.

Due to the current Covid 19 rules announced by the Welsh government last Friday, we have sadly had to postpone our scheduled performance on Thursday 20^th. Jan. with Dom Norcross band and Elaina Hoss. We hope to rebook them at a later date, possibly in May, as we have booked a really strong line up of live jazz events each month until then. If you have already booked an advance ticket, we will offer you a full refund or credit for tickets to a future event of your choice.

BUT  We would like you to come to The Plas on the 20^th to  support our efforts to keep jazz alive in these difficult times. We are calling it :-

Narberth Jazz SUPPORTERS NIGHT

Although without a band but with a chance to chat and enjoy some recorded music and possibly video clips. Of course you would be welcomed to join as a member, or renew your membership for 2022.

Please Note A maximum 30 people, please wear a mask and stay socially distanced. Table service for drinks.

Please Note

Our first ‘Jazz in the Afternoon’ at The Dingle is relocated to The Hwb, the new bar at The Old School site by the car park in Narberth . The date and time remain the same, 2pm Thursday 27^th. January when I will start things off and introduce some examples of the fun side of jazz and I hope you will be able to join us for a couple of hours of music and conversation. Tea, coffee, cakes, and booze are available.

We hope to continue these afternoon sessions with intriguing inputs from members and friends. Gordon Barry has promised to host the next Jazz In The Afternoon event in February with a reminder of the why and who of ‘Now We Has Jazz’ and we hope that others will join in this monthly chance to get together to explore  the wonderful world of Jazz

Now looking forward to live events in the spring :

February sees the return (Covid permitting) of the lively Django style band HOT CLUB GALLOIS

Who conjures up the swirling dance halls of 1940’s Paris with a heady mix of Django Reinhardt classics, swing-flavoured jazz standards and Hot Club Gallois originals. An irresistible mix of fiery violin, lyrical vocals, virtuosic guitar and stomping bass, you won’t want to stay in your seat. https://www.hotclubgallois.com/

Our March event is the first time we have been able to invite

 THE COLTRANE DEDICATION QUINTET 

The Coltrane Dedication Quintet is a collective of musicians who recognise the emotional power of the later music of John Coltrane and use those compositions as their own springboard for creating a powerful, engaging, passionate music.

 The band is drawn from a pool of top Welsh players and always comprise of two sax players (usually doubling on tenor & soprano, and tenor & baritone), Bass, Piano and Drums. I don’t know the full line up yet but I have been told that the pianist will be the marvellous Dave Jones.

A few suggestions for your online listening:

If you enjoy the music of casually righteous New Orleans band Tuba Skinny, I recently discovered a station playing them 24 hours a day! https://laut.fm/1-tubaskinny  That is a German station with a host of other genres available.

Here is an hour of Dizzy Gillespie with an all star band of American and European players including Tony Coe and Ronnie Scott.

Lastly an Earl Hines solo show at Nice Jazz Fest. 1975 running through some of his compositions, still fleet fingered at 71.

That’s almost all folks – Just a reminder that we would love to hear what you have to say about NJ.

Stay Safe.

Declan and the NJ team