Forthcoming CDs

We had plenty of interest in the two planned CDs we mentioned last night: The rip-roaring session with the Bateman brothers and Roger Manwaring, and the memorial CD of Mike Turner's last gig at Malvern.

We'll get on with running them off, and hope to bring them to you within four weeks. For people who missed the first compilation of last years highlights, we'll be making a few of those too.

Price will be £5 each to cover our costs, and of course to top up the fund out of which we pay distinguished visitors. In answer to a question about that, we maintain a small fund which helps us in two ways. First, it enables us to maintain our policy of keeping admission charges as low as possible, even when we have star guests (eg only a fiver to see Roy Williams). Second, it's an insurance policy against the odd Winter evening when too many people decide to stay at home in front of the fire! (I'm pleased to say, we only had to dip into it once for that reason this year).

Interesting footnote: the band that the Batemans fronted, with Nick Millward on drums, was meant as always to be together for just the one night. However, the following week we got an offer we couldn't refuse, to take the band to a gig at RAF Brize Norton, so we did. And another great session resulted. In the very same week we got an invite to take the band to a festival in Brittany, which sadly we've got to miss due to the sheer logistics of getting the boys together. Goes to show though, dunnit!