Hallam Comes Back Swinging

John Hallam returned to Spring Lane Sunday last on fine form and gave us what we now recognise to be 'the usual' - a fascinating variety of material of varying vintage, delivered with taste, swing and ideas to remember. It doesn't seem to make any difference whether he has picked up the clarinet, tenor or baritone - the music emerges with the same fluency and purity of tone. The more I hear John play, the more I realise how great he is at creating tension and excitement without overblowing or histrionics.

John was supported by the fluent and innovative piano work of Roger Heeley and by Roy Dutton's always tasteful drumming. Len, of course, added his characteristic bottom-end punch.
A great evening from first to last.

One of Your Favourite Bands will be at the Cheltenham Festival

John Beckingham and the boys will be jiving in the main arena at the Cheltenham Festival on May Bank Holiday Monday, 4.00pm. This is an important breakthrough both for the band, and for local musicians generally. That's because there has been a certain failure in the past to recognise local talent among the featured 'big names'. If any band deserves such recognition it's John's (featuring of course our mate Roger Manwaring and the wonderful Andy Wood on guitar.)

Jazz at The Bakery

Please support Jazz Express (which of course includes Martin Veasey and Martin Emeny) when the band make a return to the Bakery Inn next Sunday evening. We really need another succesful live jazz venue in town, and it'll only happen if we support it. Get down to the link, enjoy the band and enjoy the beer!

Business as Usual!

We've been so busy bringing you special evenings with pukka visiting bands and/or celebs that it's actually been some time since we had a good old fashioned Spring Lane night in jam session format. Well, what a pleasure it was to welcome Gary Wood, Martins Veasey and Emeny, Roger Manwaring and Rod Kelly last night, and didn't we have fun. Gary proved again what a great leader he is from the front line, and again we heard his creative improvisations. I thought Martin V, whom we haven't seen a lot of in recent months, was on absolutley cracking form too. Rod, too, was making a welcome return and never fails to add to the entertainment quotient.



And as part of our palace of varieties presentation, we were lucky enough to have as guest sitters-in both John Ripper on baritone and Ruth Frith on vocal chords. Thanks to both of them for helping to make the evening go with a zip. We also spotted tenor man Alan Jager in the audience, but as he is still recovering from a big heart op not many weeks ago, we will just have to look forward to a toot from him when he is fully back in practice.

May I also say words of thanks to the people who gave me feed back on our price increase. Thanks for being so supportive. We are totally committed to making the club an ongoing success and by building up a little cushion in the band fund we will feel able to take the risk of bringing people like Gary from a little further afield to spice things up.

Also, thanks to the folks who have responded with info about contact points in the local schools. I'll be following those up.