Play snowed off? No way

Jan 28 2010 All That Jazz With Tony White,

AS I write this, it is raining ... again. But where does jazz come into this? Well, the inclement weather of recent weeks does not seem to have had too bad an effect on the local jazz scene.

David Hays was able to go ahead with the Scott Hamilton gig at Beaconsfield on the January 11 with, predictably, a full house, and presentations in the barn at Merlin's Cave, Chalfont St Giles, went ahead as scheduled though, not surprisingly, with much reduced attendances.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we've seen the last of the snow, as there are some nice presentations coming up in February, including pianist and vocalist Eriko Ishihara in Beaconsfield, two ex-Lyttelton tenor players, Jo Fooks at Merlin's, Karen Sharp in Marlow and, towards the end of the month, Gilad Atzmon in Marlow and Jimmy Hastings at Merlin's.

With Ishihara at Va' Pensiero will be guitarist Colin Oxley, multi-award-winner and professor at the Guildhall School of Music's jazz department, and bassist Simon Thorpe. That is on February 8, while on February 22 mainstream swinger Ron Drake will take centre stage with guitarist Max Brittain and bass player John Rees-Jones.

Marlow's Royal British Legion Club will play host to the tenor duo of Karen Sharp and Robert Fowler on February 9. This pair have played tribute gigs to Al Cohn and Zoot Sims in the past, so much of that music will be featured, no doubt.

Others lined up for local appearances include Steve Fishwick and Al Nichols at Merlin's Cave, Chris Briscoe with the Bobby Orr Trio at Bradenham and, at Berkhamsted's Civic Centre, Tony Jacobs' Red Hot Swingers on Saturday, February 20.

Looking further ahead, watch out for the Berkhamsted presentation in March when Pete Long and his Good Men recreate the Benny Goodman 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. If you have the original recording, as I do, it will be an interesting comparison, if that is fair. More on this next month.

* Dinner Jazz at Va' Pensiero, Gregories Road, Beaconsfield.Alternate Mondays [

* February 8, Eriko Ishihara with Colin Oxley and Simon Thorpe 

* February 22, Ron Drake with Max Brittain and John Rees-Jones

* Red Lion, Bradenham Sunday, February 7, 7pm - Bobby Orr Trio with Chris Briscoe

* Jazz in the Barn, Merlin's Cave, Chalfont St Giles Sundays, 12.15-2.30pm - The Peter Hughes Trio with:

* February 14, Steve Fishwick

*February 21, Al Nichols

* February 28, Jimmy Hastings

* Marlow Jazz, Royal British Legion, Station Road, Marlow Alternate Tuesdays, 8.30pm - The Frank Toms Trio with: [2022] February 9, Karen Sharp and Robert Fowler

* February 23, Gilad Atzmon

Thursday, February 25, 8.15pm - Berks, Bucks and Oxon Big Band

* Berkhamsted Jazz, Civic Centre, Berkhamsted Saturday, February 20, 8pm - Tony Jacobs' Red Hot Swingers