The Jammers Bit

31 seems to be the new normal

Not that we would ever accuse anyone at a Jam Session of being normal, but for the second week in a row, there were 31 musicians at the Caelidh, all keen for a bit of a fling, and, by the end of the evening, all had been, hopefully, been accommodated. Well done Captain Chaos, although it was a close run thing… 12 singers was the feature of the arvo. Each sang three songs, suitably elongated to accommodate various soloists.

John Bell and Rose

Pick of the singers this week was a fine set from Jane, from Yuko, Kerry and Aimee, sweet afters from Rose, welcome back, patience from Kay, with the cheese and biscuits course supplied by Gilbert, and Susanna who you may remember from Leinster Arms days – or not as the case may be. Carol put up a confident set, and Tye surprised some of us (mainly me) by putting in a fine version of My Way. More to come from the lad…

Of the soloists, Alan, Jeff and Laurie saxed things up, and John Bell continues to glow brighter on trumpet by the week.

Laurie looking worried, Ivan and Malcolm

I am sure I have forgotten to mention somebody other than the drummers, and bass players, all of whom I have managed to ignore entirely because you can from time to time. Oh alright, here’s a pic of Chantelle with Pete on Bass, Malcolm on keys.

Chantelle on drums – welcome back!

We finished rather late due to having to fit in over 30 musicians – again. Pizza on the way home. It really is the new normal.

The Third Jam Session of 2020

Will be this Sunday, 2nd February at 4.00pm. At The Post Hotel, corner of St Kilda Road and Inkerman Street. Lots to look forward to – John Curtis will be on keyboards starting shortly after breakfast and finishing in the middle of the night. I have been invited to the Castlemaine Jam, forward to which I am rather looking.

Plenty of parking around the Hotel (Bath Street is the go – it is off Inkerman behind the Post). Come to think of it, everything is off Inkerman, other than Inkerman itself. Or just waddle in with ya weapon of choice, get yer name on the list and whoops you’re in..

Enthusiasm essential, charts a bonus, performance anxiety optional, and competence to be well concealed as a kindness to others…

Update: The Newport Jazz Festival May 2nd and May 3rd, 2020

The Captain keeps posting more bands to the website wranglers – and we are now full of big bands which is a great headache to have.

The Two bands per musician malarkey: As a small Festival, we decided at the outset that we would limit all musicians to a maximum of two bands. This has a significant benefit for the playing programme as there are a lot less “clashes” to avoid. If you are still looking for a band to play with, why not give Col a call – the number is on the Contact tab of the website.

The Committee: Met this week, we now over 40 bands registered – and the Committee has been discussing ways of shooting the laggards should we be over subscribed.

Facebook/Whats App/Twitter: someone tell me how we do this. Please. Still waiting

Promo Cards: seemed like a few of you liked the idea of double sided cards. Going fast.We will get some more soon.

The Website Jess has given a much needed spruce up to the website with updated information and photos of at least some of the bands. We have also sorted out the Paypal situation though the handy expedient of disabling the option. Some payments have gone through on Paypal, and some will have been refunded.

Check out the website (updated) , like it on your Facebook page

https://www.melbournejazzjammers.com.au/

The Jammers Bit

Here we go again!

This week’s Jam marked the beginning of the Year for most of us, the beginning of a hectic week for many of us, and a great way to avoid the weather for all of us.

Long story short, there were 31 musos in attendance, POCKOTL back where she belongs, Bette in yellow, and the rest of us in clover. Seems like everyone came back from a break full of renewed vigour and there was a happy vibe about the place.

Started with a Committee meeting which was a riot in itself, Susie came to see what we were on about, left none the wiser, but will take up the role of Media/Marketing/Sponsorship/Promotion. Haven’t got a clue what she will do next meeting… but great to see her on board.

So… Mme Kay back, a bit to my surprise as I thought she was in Darwin, but a bright start to the year, Jeff H on soprano sax. He started brilliantly which left him far too much downside later on, but does anyone appreciate how difficult it is to get a soprano to sound like something other than a strangled cat? Alan West as benign a ever, John on trumpet patient then pretty good – no, bugger it, probably as good as we have heard him. Terry on guitar rather smooth, the usual contingent of drummers (Steve Bray, Michael Happy Snaps Findlay, Mac,) with Mr “Carpet” Hirsh himself the pick of them with a fine late solo on Sunny.

Trevor Prasad put in a brief piano stint, pretty sweet, but only after Peter Garam had (a) started the session, and (b) continued to play pretty well – back next week ?

John, with Steve Bray and Peter Garam backing him

A bunch of new faces whose names I probably haven’t got, Yuko and Aimee both sang solo then duo later on, Deborah waltzed in with a confident set, maybe the pick of the singers this week. Ashley de Wang rounded out the arvo with a suite of Sinatra songs and way too many saxophone players, then Gilbert maintained his reputation as Mr Smooth – look out for his band Gilbert and Swing the Boogie at the Festival – should be a shoo in for best new band name. And that brought us to a late conclusion. Nice work Lads!

Aimee and Yuko, with a (very small) Hirsh in the background

In the middle of which, the jammers raised $176.20c for the bushfire appeal. (receipt attached!)

Nice One!

The Second Jam Session of 2020

Will be this Sunday, 26th January at 4.00pm. At The Post Hotel, corner of St Kilda Road and Inkerman Street. If you missed last week’s sesh, all the more reason to dip your toe in the pool this week. Plenty of parking around the Hotel (Bath Street is the go – its off Inkerman behind the Post). Just waddle in with ya weapon of choice, get yer name on the list and whoops you’re in..

Hope to see you there.

Another fine crowd
all photos by Michael Findlay

No advice for the desperates this week – you will just have to wing it.

Update: The Newport Jazz Festival May 2nd and May 3rd, 2020

The Captain has developed a taste for the beer and now needs to liaise with the Newport Bowls boys on a regular basis. Wrangling the bands a treat!

The Navy Band has confirmed, and that is a very big deal. Whoo Hoo!

The Committee: Met this week, we now have 40 bands registered – and the Committee has been discussing ways of shooting the laggards should we be over subscribed.

Facebook/Whats App/Twitter: someone tell me how we do this. Please.

Promo Cards: seemed like a few of you liked the idea of double sided cards. Going fast.

The Website Jess de Webmeister is back from the land of the long white Pom, and will hopefully start polishing the Festival website as soon as she reads this.

Check out the website (updated this week) , like it on your Facebook page

https://www.melbournejazzjammers.com.au/

The Jammers Bit

Pay Attention at the back…

Welcome back. As there hasn’t been a Jammers Newsletter since 8^th December, there is a bit to catch up on…..

Item 1 The Jam Session after…

Following the biggest Jam Session we have ever had, for the Christmas Bash, we had an extra, for the benefit of Yuko’s parents, who were in town the following week for a 5 day trip from Japan. Apparently they had never heard Yuko sing, so we thought it might be fun… we rang a drummer and a bass player to make sure we had a quorum… and then 36 musicians turned up, all of them apparently with nothing better to do or no homes to go to or something.

Much Fun ensued. ‘Nuff said

Item 2 The Australian Jazz Convention

Quick toddle up the Hume in the Captain’s car, and it wasn’t until we got to smokey Albury that the thought occurred that we were playing with a singer who had never done a gig before in her life…or anyone else’s come to think of it.

We amused ourselves by going to gigs by two outstanding singers – Annie Smith who absolutely scorched through a set with Nicole Thorne, and Anita Harris who was a powerhouse in a duo with Kim, and then with her larger band.

After a nervous first set, and a fun extra session with Jeff Harris, Steve Bray, and meself, Yuko soaked up every bit of stagecraft and then sang up a storm with Steve Bray (drums), The Captain (saxophone), Dave Taylor (double bass) and some old half blind, half deaf pianist.

Other Jammers we saw; The Hirsh playing brushes for a full set. Ace. Marion and her new band putting up a pleasing show. The aforementioned Annie singing better than ever. Steve Bray and Jeff Harris in particular playing out of their skins.

Job done. Let’s do it again

Mr Hirsh, of carpet fame.

Item 3 The Quartet Sessions at The Post.

I thought we had arranged for others to do this, until I got a text from Obergruppenfeuhrer Mike whilst at the AJC. Put together a band at short notice for the next two weeks.

Katerina Myskova sang first week, with Ivan, Michael Findlay, the Captain and meself. Fully unrehearsed, the bar staff gobsmacked at how good it sounded.

Second week, Jess Dams, with Pete Micevski bass, Mac Beshai drums, the Captain and meself again. The rhythm section sounded even better. Again, a classy sound, under the tutelage of Toby the Heavy Metal barman. Gobs were smacked again.

The First Jam Session of 2020

Will be this Sunday, 19^th January at 4.00pm. At The Post Hotel, corner of St Kilda Road and Inkerman Street. If you have nothing better to do, you could consider strolling in at around 4.01pm, scoring a spot and playing the tits off your favourite tune. If you have something better to do, you had better do it some other time…

Hope to see you there.

And stick to the black notes – they’re cheaper.

Update: The Newport Jazz Festival 2nd & 3rdMay 2020

This week’s update: we now have 38 bands registered – there was a bit of an influx after the New year. The bands are listed on the website (see link below).

The Committee: hasn’t met since before Christmas – we will be dotting t’s and crossing i’s or something next Sunday, promise…

The Website didn’t crash! Even Jess was surprised. Which means we now have to update all the band bios, put in more photos of the bands and venues and sort out the Paypal situation If you paid a registration or partners ticket by Paypal, we may be in touch soon, but the payment may bounce back to your account in the meantime..

Promo Cards: the next round or promo cards for both the Jam sessions and the festival have been printed (double sided) and if you want some to hand out to your friends, ask Col or Ted at the Jam Session.

Check out the website (updated) , like it on your Facebook page

https://www.melbournejazzjammers.com.au/