Post 496: JAZZ CLUB ON ITS LAST LEGS?

Let me tell you about a visit I made recently to a jazz club here in England. It was interesting because it said a lot about the state of traditional jazz in the United Kingdom – and probably about the state of jazz in many countries.

The 'Club' itself was actually a sub-section of a Social Club which has existed for almost 40 years. It is housed in an impressive building. The hall used for entertainments is large and well equipped with tables and comfortable chairs. It has a decent full-width stage with a permanent and very good P.A. system. There is a bar selling drinks and light refreshments.

The club puts on a traditional jazz night once a month but I learned from posters that there were other kinds of entertainment (bingo and solo artists mainly) at other times.

On the night when I attended, the performing band was a well-known six-piece group from 40 miles away. It was hard-working and played two sets of an hour each, mixing classics from King Oliver, Armand Piron and Jabbo Smith with well-known standards and even a couple of comic numbers for light relief. Three members of the band provided vocals.

The performance began punctually at the advertised time - 8.30pm. It ended a few minutes after 11pm. 

The band's programme was efficiently prepared: there was hardly any delay between tunes. In all it played about 12 tunes in each set. 

The audience paid £7 each for admission (£6 for club members) and there was a raffle with a prize draw during the interval.

Talking with some members of the audience, I discovered they were serious traditional jazz lovers, genuinely interested and knowledgeable. 

So far, so good. But here are some points of concern.

The audience consisted of only 27 men and 22 women and it seemed to me that all of them were above the age of 65. In fact, most appeared to be closer to 80. There were a few couples but mostly they were people who arrived on their own. My guess is there were quite a few widows and widowers among them. I suppose the club provided an escape from loneliness. They could enjoy a drink and a chat with friends and listen to some gratifying music. 

And what about the band? The audience was told it was formed in 1986, and there had been changes of personnel with the passage of time. The musicians were in the same age group as the audience. One or two of them were probably over 80. 

I could not help wondering what the situation will be in 10 years from now. With no sign of young blood re-invigorating either the audience or the band, will such concerts be a thing of the past? 

I also noticed that by 10pm some in the audience had their eyes closed and their heads were drooping. It seemed to me that two or three might even have been asleep! This was in spite of the fact that the music was lively enough. Around 10.15pm, a few stood up, put on their coats and headed for home, even though the concert was scheduled to continue until 11pm. 

This particular club is in the middle of a built-up area and I noticed that most arrived on foot. Obviously they lived close by. Only a few came by car. Even so, the dozing and the early-departing people reminded me of a point I have often made before. I think it is much more sensible for such jazz clubs to hold concerts in lunch hours, when the elderly audiences and the musicians are not yet tired and much more willing to be out.

It is all very well for the Frenchmen Street clubs of New Orleans to be in full swing at midnight. But the situation is totally different there. The audiences are young, on holiday, and looking for a good time. The musicians, too, are young and accustomed to the nocturnal life-style.

Midnight on Frenchmen Street

But where jazz is provided in such venues as this one I recently went to in England, the audiences are elderly and the club is in effect providing a social service. I think it makes more sense to have lunchtime or afternoon concerts, with good hot meals on sale as well.

If the performance really must be in the evening, I think the start and finish times should be earlier. Elderly people would be happier starting at 7pm and ending by 10pm. For the musicians, too, tired at the end of the gig, this would reduce the amount of late-night travel.

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 390: JAZZ IN LUNCH HOURS! AS IN DERBY.....

Why don't more clubs, pubs and venues put on traditional jazz in the LUNCH hours? After all, our audiences are mostly retired, elderly people who heartily enjoy going out for a good reasonably-priced lunch at a place where they can also be entertained by some music.

Many of them have told me this is better for them than going to jazz clubs that operate till late at night. They are simply unhappy about having to walk or drive home at around midnight. 

Well, I'm pleased to report that the message is getting across here in the English Midlands. I know of six pubs providing lunchtime jazz.

Let me give you the story behind a successful example.

In the beginning, there was a defunct building (The Coronation Hotel) for sale in Baker Street, Alvaston. This is on the south-eastern edge of the great city of Derby. Here's how it looked from the back:

The hotel was acquired in 2015 by The Steamin' Billy Brewing Co. Ltd., which then renamed it simply as The Coronation and carried out an extensive re-furbishment. Here's the front entrance as it appears today. It has a decent-sized car park.

Here is one of the bars:

Excellent food and drinks are available at reasonable prices.

The stone-baked pizzas are a speciality:

Best news of all, though, is that the management strongly supports traditional jazz. They invited Dave Harmer (the popular trombonist and manager of Leicester's New Orleans Hot Shots) to bring along some of his friends every Wednesday lunchtime to play for the diners.

So, starting on Wednesday, 9 December 2015, Dave provided a quartet.

Word soon got round and the audience grew to a good size, with quite a few 'regulars'. And there has been traditional jazz from 12.30pm until 2.45pm at The Coronation every Wednesday since then. 

If you would like to sample the music at The Coronation, CLICK HERE or CLICK ON HERE. In this latter, Dave himself provides the vocal. Better still, if you live in the Derby region, why not go along on Wednesday for some free traditional jazz and maybe have a good lunch too?
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Important Footnote: I can confirm that, from 19 March 2020, the jazz lunch-hours at this pub have been discontinued because of the corona virus pandemic.