Post 406: RECOMMENDED - LUNCHES WITH JAZZ

The Bell Inn
Historic Pub in Nottingham City Centre

Regular readers will know that I strongly recommend putting on traditional jazz performances in pubs during lunch hours.

My reasons are these. Most traditional jazz fans are elderly people who have the time and appetite (in all senses) to go out for some music, a drink and perhaps a meal at lunchtime. Many of them have told me they much prefer this to going to jazz clubs in the evenings. They candidly say they simply do not like to be out late at night, especially if there is a tricky journey home. And, of course, admission is free at these pub lunchtime concerts.

Also, most members of our bands are themselves elderly and no longer have day jobs, so they too are available to play at lunchtime. What could be better for them than to go and give some entertainment, keeping in practice and sharing their joy in the music? In addition, there's always a good chance of getting younger people interested in the music - those who casually pop into the pub for a drink and are pleasantly surprised by what they hear.

I am speaking of course of the situation here in England but I guess the same is true in many other countries.

So let me renew my appeal to managers of bands and pubs to get together to see what can be arranged.

If a pub manager can make some kind of offer, such as a free drink for the band and a small donation towards their expenses, a tips jar can also be passed round among the audience, who, if they wish, may contribute a coin or two. In this way, the musicians should at least cover their travelling expenses. That is how the system successfully operates at the pubs where I have been present at such performances in recent weeks.

I have observed with pleasure that in my part of Central England there has been a welcome increase in pub lunchtime jazz over the last couple of years. There are at least six pubs within twenty miles of my house where I can confirm the music is being regularly offered at the time of typing.

Lunchtime Pub Jazz

Post 405: CHLOE, ALBANIE; AND 'WHAT A LITTLE MOONLIGHT CAN DO'

One of the loveliest videos I have seen recently was filmed by James Sterling of Florida when he spent a long weekend in New Orleans during June 2016.

Like me, James is a fan of Chloe Feoranzo and Albanie Falletta, so, when he heard that they had recently got together and would be playing with Kaladeva Chandra and John Joyce in a quartet at the dba music club in Frenchmen Street, he eagerly went to see them.

James requested one of his favourites - What a Little Moonlight Can Do. They told him they had never played it together before. However, after a little chat among themselves about how to tackle it and in which key, off they went.

The result is so good that I really must recommend it to you. All four musicians are brilliant and Albanie's singing is utterly charming. Watch the video BY CLICKING HERE.

By the way, What a Little Moonlight Can Do was composed (both words and music) in 1934 by Harry Woods. He wrote it for the movie Road House, which was filmed in England while Harry was working for a brief spell in London. It was sung in the movie by Violet Lorraine.

What a phenomenal contribution Harry made to our music: The Clouds Will Soon Roll By, I Wish't I Was in Peoria, I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover, Paddlin' Madeline Home, River - Stay Away From My Door, Side By Side, That's All There Is - There Ain't No More; Try a Little Tenderness, We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye, When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful, When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain, When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along, - all of these are examples of the songs he composed.

Harry Woods lived from 1896 until 1970. Two sad points about him are these: he was born without fingers on his left hand; and he died when knocked down by a car right outside his house in Glendale, Arizona.

What a Little Moonlight Can Do is a little unusual. Most popular songs of this kind were at the time constructed in 32 bars, usually consisting of four sets of 8 bars. Harry Woods has 'doubled up' in the structure of this song. There are four sets of 16 bars, making 64 bars in total. The first 32 bars have much in common with the second 32. In fact, Bars 1 - 11 are Bars 33 - 43 are identical in melody and chord structure.

As an aide-mémoire for playing the tune on my cornet, I have this sheet in my filofax. I make no claim that's it's 100% accurate. I put the tune in the key of C, as that is comfortable for me. But in the video, Albanie and Co. play it in G, as you may have noticed.