Southport Jazz Festival ~ jazz and real ale

Not recommended as a drinking vessel

The Southport Jazz Festival returns this month, 10 to 12 May, and it will be based in the newly refurbished arts centre, now known as the Atkinson, which will feature most of the main events. CAMRA will be running a small beer festival in the Cambridge Theatre Bar area; it's open to all and there is no admission charge to the bar, although there is to the concerts. The beer festival will be open throughout the jazz festival, unless the beer runs out first. You can see who's on, both in the Atkinson and around the town in the brochure here.

Jazz in other real ale venues around the town (very few this year)

Friday 
Credo in the Sandgrounder Bar, Lord Street at 8.30pm. Free.
Chameleon in the Coronation, King Street, at 9.00pm. Free.

Saturday 
Modjango in the Inn Beer Shop, Lord Street at 2.30pm. Free.
Cottonhouise Shakers in the Coronation, King St. at 9.00pm. Free.

However, if you can cope without real ale, you'll see from the brochure that there are plenty of other jazz events around the town in various places, some in the open air in the Town Hall Gardens, and the Café D'Art in Formby is hosting free events for diners. There's even a couple of free concerts on Saturday afternoon in Christ Church on Lord Street, although I doubt anything stronger than tea will be available. I'm not sufficiently familiar with jazz to comment upon the various acts that will be on, but I will be going to some of the events and working for three sessions in the beer festival in the Atkinson. Even if you don't like jazz, the beer festival is surely worth a visit!

Southport Jazz Festival - real ale venues

This weekend is the Southport International Jazz Festival and, as usual, there are lots of events, many of them free, but only a few are in real ale venues. In some cases, such as hotels, the real ale may be in a different bar from the music. Here are the real ale venues that are putting on jazz events:

Friday 11 May 2012
Red Stripe Band, 8.00pm, The Bold Hotel - £13.00
Sueyo, 7.30pm, S&B Sports Club - £25.00 (tickets only available through venue)

Saturday 12 May 2012
La Tintos Bros, 8.00pm, The Bold Hotel - £10.00
Nova Scotia Jazz Band, 9.00pm, The Coronation - Free
EVE, 9.00pm, The Phoenix - Free

Sunday 13 May 2012
Modjango, 2.30pm, The Inn Beer Shop - Free

For details of the whole festival, click here.

Southport Jazz Festival - real ale venues

I've looked through the Jazz Festival programme and here are the the events taking place in real ale venues - much better than last year, when there were just two.  Please note that the Scarisbrick Hotel has real ale in the Baron's Bar only, and not in the rooms being used by the jazz festival.  You'll find the full programme here (click on 'downloads').  There are plenty of other events at venues without real ale, many free, including some at Lord Street's bandstand, which might be nice if the weather's good.  Please take any inaccuracies up with the venue, the council, the prime minister or the pope - in fact, anyone but me.

u WED 25 MAY

Des Hopkins Original Jazz Band

The Shrimper, Fylde Road

9.00 pm. £4 raffle donation.

u THU 26 MAY
Nicola Farnon & her Music
Barker Suite, Scarisbrick Hotel, Lord Street
8.00 pm. £8-50.

u FRI 27 MAY
Malcolm Hogarth Trio
Barker Suite, Scarisbrick Hotel, Lord Street
12.30. Free.

Frank Garner (jazz pianist)
Knight’s Cocktail Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel, Lord Street
8.30 pm. Free for drinkers.

Des Hopkins Original Jazz Band
The Coronation, King Street
9.00 pm. Free for drinkers.

u SAT 28 MAY

The John Hallam Trio with Vinny Parker

Barker Suite, Scarisbrick Hotel, Lord Street

12.30. Free.

Marley Chingus

The Fishermen’s Rest, Weld Road

8.00 pm. Free.

Frank Garner (jazz pianist)

Knight’s Cocktail Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel, Lord Street

8.30 pm. Free for drinkers.

u SUN 29 MAY

Modjango

The Inn Beer Shop, 657 Lord Street.
2.30 pm. Free.

Brady and Shaw
The Fishermen’s Rest, Weld Road
8.00 pm. Free.

Southport Jazz Festival

The Southport Jazz Festival takes place from 27th to 30th May in various venues around the town centre. The festival seems smaller than last year, probably due to the recession. Disappointingly, unlike last year, hardly any events take place in real ale venues ~ in fact only two, in the Falstaff on King Street: a jazz quiz on Thursday evening, and the Original Guinness Jazz Band on Saturday from 9.30pm, both free. There are several other free events on the fringe around the town during the festival, and the headline events are in the Prince of Wales Hotel this year, as the Arts Centre is closed for refurbishment.

You can click in this link for the festival programme.

Cocking up a tribute...

... never a good idea!

I've just been listening via BBC iPlayer to the tribute on Radio 4's Broadcasting House to Johnny Dankworth who died on 6 January. They correctly said that he wrote the theme tune to Tomorrow's World and The Avengers, which is true, but then they went on to play at length Laurie Johnson's later theme for The Avengers that replaced Johnny Dankworth's tune when Diana Rigg joined the cast. Sloppy research, not excused by the fact they added the tribute to their programme at very short notice: I managed to find the correct version in about 30 seconds. I've sent them an e-mail.

The original theme tune is a good, atmospheric piece of jazz, well suited to the espionage/thriller style of the early episodes; you can listen to it here. And as for Johnny, who did so much to popularise jazz, we've lost another of the greats.

P.S. Since writing this, I have learned that in 1959 he became chair of Stars Campaign for Inter-Racial Friendship, set up to oppose the the nazi White Defence League, and which was a forerunner of the 1970's Rock Against Racism and the current Love Music Hate Racism and Folk Against Fascism. He found racism incomprehensible as well as abhorrent. A fascinating (but still completely relevant) tribute to this is in a TV documentary item from that time which shows not only Johnny but also Lonnie Donegan and Cleo Laine talking about the formation of this anti-racist group ~ you can see it here on YouTube. The organisation was founded by Anti-Fascist folk singer Karl Dallas, and included musicians as diverse Tommy Steele and Humphrey Lyttelton.

P.P.S. I've just received the following reply from the BBC:
Well spotted, and sorry for this schoolboy error which I think was broadcast during the news bulletin, and in our programme we raised other great compositions and performances. I think you sum it up well by saying "oh dear!" and thank you for taking time to put us right.  Best wishes.

Jazz nights move to the Shrimper

I have learned that the jazz nights at the Richmond have moved to the Shrimper in Fylde Road (PR9 9XP).  You can find details of forthcoming bands here, and I'll go on putting them in the What's On column to the left.  I've no idea why they have moved, but this jazz club does seem to lead a peripatetic existence; I think it's been based in the Hesketh and the Albert prior to the Richmond.  The Shrimper serves a well-kept pint of Tetley cask bitter, and good value food too.

Richmond Jazz & Holt's Beers

I went last night to the Richmond pub on Scarisbrick New Road for the weekly jazz night, which on this occasion featured the The Savannah Jazz Band. The old Richmond was demolished a few years ago and a modern pub built on the site; it was taken over a year or so ago by Joseph Holt's of Manchester and remains the only outlet for Holt's beers in the area. The beers on were Holt's bitter, mild and Humdinger, a honey beer. I've always regarded Holt's beers as acceptable rather than exciting, and last night was no different. My first thought was that the beers were a bit too cold for real ale. The Humdinger is a honey beer that I found more bitter and hoppy than honey-flavoured, although in bottled form it won the Tesco beer challenge. I actually preferred the ordinary bitter. At £2.36 and £2.32 per pint respectively, Holt's seemed to have adopted the local average price, rather than applying their own legendarily cheap prices. I may be mistaken, but I thought I remembered paying well under £2 three months ago. I don't think you'd go out of your way for this beer, but it is perfectly acceptable if that's all there is.

The Savannah Jazz Band played well in a New Orleans jazz style, and are therefore traditional, as are all the jazz bands that play every week at the Richmond. I quite often enjoy jazz without knowing as much about it as perhaps I should. If you think you'll enjoy an evening of jazz in a pleasant modern pub which has an open café style, then you'll enjoy Wednesday nights at the Richmond. They also do reasonable food until 8.00 p.m. there, so you can make a evening of it. To find out what bands are on, click on Jazz at the Richmond. Worth looking in on.

Tonight ~ Mason's singaround and Richmond jazz

Tonight is the regular singaround at the Masons Arms in Anchor Street, behind the main post office. Robinson's beer, and free sandwiches courtesy of Brenda the licensee. All welcome to perform, join in or simply listen. From around 8.30 pm.

Also tonight at 8.30 pm is the weekly jazz night at the Richmond on Scarisbrick New Road, this week with the Blue Magnolia Jass Orchestra. Having seen some of the bands booked, including tonight's, I judge the style to be classic jazz and swing. I haven't been to any of these nights yet, so I don't know whether they charge for admission or not - you can phone the contact on the webpage if necessary. The Richmond does good food and sells Holts beers, which were in good condition when I was last there a month ago. I'll do a report after I've been to this music night.

Paul Jones & Digby Fairweather

Southport Arts Centre Sunday 17th May 2009
Southport Arts Centre was the venue for a great concert of jazz and blues music featuring the talents of Digby Fairweather and his band, the Half Dozen. An apt description of this Digby is that he is a most affable of jazzmen and superb trumpet and cornet player, has been in the music business for over thirty years. This was to prove to be the truth as Digby and his band put together a wide ranging performance of jazz standards.

Added the mix was Paul Jones, who I guess is still best remembered for his vocals with Manfred Man and the Blues Band. Many will remember the late George Melly with whom Digby played for many years. Paul Jones has taken over from the great man with the same a real love for the music, plus a very wide range of musical styles, everything from Jimmy Witherspoon and Duke Ellington to his own self-penned music and of course hits from Manfred Man. Paul is also a great jazz/blues harmonica player.

Each member of the band was given plenty of space for solos and all played with great style and enthusiasm. It was a great concert and a fine start to what will no doubt be a great Southport Jazz Festival 2009

Words: Pete Rimmer....Photo © and courtesy of Barry Jones

Love Music Hate Racism ~ so enjoy jazz!

This short video (just over a minute long) is worth a look: LMHR video. I think it's self-explanatory.

As for this weekend, I've been enjoying some of the jazz festival, especially those acts in real ale venues.

Jazz Festival ~ real ale gigs

I have perused the Jazz Festival programme and have picked out the following gigs that take place in venues with real ale. There are plenty of other events, many of them free ~ go to Southport Jazz Festival for a full downloadable programme and any programme changes. Apologies for any mistakes or omissions.

THURSDAY 28th
3pm Brady and Shaw, FREE, The Falstaff
8pm Festival Pub Quiz, FREE, The Falstaff

FRIDAY 29th
12.30pm Emily Remembered, FREE, Baron’s Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel
8.30pm Frank Garner at the Piano, FREE, Knight's Cocktail Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel (real ale in Baron's Bar).

9.30pm Tony Judge Trio, FREE, The Falstaff

SATURDAY 30th
12.30pm Emily Remembered, FREE, Baron’s Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel

8pm Perfectly Frank, £22.50, Southport & Birkdale Sports Club
8.30pm Frank Garner at the Piano, FREE, Knight's Cocktail Bar, Scarisbrick Hotel (real ale in Baron's Bar).
9.30pm Des Hopkins Original Guinness Jazz Band, FREE, The Falstaff

SUNDAY 31st
3pm Annie Long Quartet, FREE, The Falstaff

8pm Although not officially part of the festival, a blues night with Tom Doughty at the Bothy Folk Club, Park Golf Club, Park Road West. Admission charge applies.

Southport Jazz Festival

Advance notice of the Southport International Jazz Festival, which will take place from 28 to 31 May in various venues in the town centre. Many of the events are free. For more details and a programme you can download, go to: Southport Jazz Festival, where you can also buy tickets for those events that need them.

If previous years are anything to go by, there will an eclectic mix of music.