Jada front liners, Dave Jack (clarinet) and Dave Powdrell (trumpet and vocals) stepped up first and were joined by new committee member, Iain Clark (tenor sax) for a few numbers.  Then, after a break, the ever-enthusiastic Andrew Leachman stepped up on baritone and Rupert Winter took over the drum kit.  It was great to have Rupert back at a club gig and judging by the smile on his face, he had a good time, too. Meanwhile, Chris Harris, who has recently arrived in town, drove home and got his trumpet and treated us to some magnificent solos complete with clever and amusing use of the mute.

I know it was a cold night and many of you clearly chose to stay in by the fire, but those of you who did missed another good one in the lovely ambience of Bar Berlin.

Later in the evening, Steve Hainstock arrived and treated the musicians and audience by sitting in with his double bass adding to the great night with a terrific solo in the Yardbird Suite.  All in all a great night that Nelson will be sorry they missed! Make sure you get to next week eh!

Thanks to all the musicians who made it a worthwhile and enjoyable event.

Review comments and photos submitted by Mike Murphy, Deb Knapp and Tony Bowater

See you all there

BB poster june 22

Hi Jazz Club Jammers,

As you will have noted, this Wednesday evening, 16 May, is Jazz Jam night at Bar Berlin from 7:30pm.  The rhythm section is sorted (although not closed to sit-in participants) and all soloists and singers are invited to come along and enjoy a real jazz club evening.  Bring your charts, instruments and voices and join in what is sure to be a fun evening.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Proudly presents

Nelson’s Premier Jazz Band

Playing live

Friday 11th May. 7.30 – 10.pm.

Enjoy a relaxing meal with indoor/outdoor dining, wonderful sea views and great music.

The Latin jazz workshop that Kevin Clark presented today was excellent. I spoke to most participants and all said that they had advanced their knowledge and skills, and had a good time doing so. I certainly enjoyed it as a privileged spectator.

Doug Stenhouse organised the use of the music facility in G Block at NMIT, which is equipped with a drum kit, back line equipment and a PA. It also has similarly-equipped practice rooms attached although all 14 participants stayed in the main room and played the assigned pieces together.

It was great to see Kevin build each session, as you would expect, from the rhythm section up until everybody was involved with the horns and piano taking solo turns. The programme included Brazilian and Cuban forms with the latter proving particularly challenging but everybody appeared to have immense fun getting it together.

I hope that we can present similar workshops in future, particularly with the availability of the superb performance facility at NMIT.

Best regards,

Mike Murphy
546 7297
mbmurphy@clear.net.nz

The Bar Berlin gig last night was excellent with Urgent and Marlo telling me that it was exactly what they wanted to compliment the warm jazz club/cocktail bar atmosphere they have created – a nice mix of standards led by Cass on vocals and Andrew on saxes with solid support from Martin (guitar), Trevor (bass) and Chris Pierson (drums).

Deb and I enjoyed great pizzas, a couple of nice drinks, the music and the good company of several of the club regulars. Our hosts have offered us a wonderful opportunity to truly be a jazz club and I want to encourage you as strongly as I can to come along on Wednesday evenings.

Freewheelin’ are on next week and I have heard that there might just be a special sit-in guest available to join the front line. More on that when I send out a reminder early next week.

Best regards,

Mike Murphy
546 7297
mbmurphy@clear.net.nz

The committee addressed quite a long agenda at the meeting, including items concerning the following matters:

1.     The committee is enthusiastic about the new relationship with Bar Berlin, which launches this Wednesday evening, 18^th April. Discussion centred round encouraging club members to support this excellent opportunity. We hope that you will help make it a success with regular attendance at the gigs and the jazz jam that is planned for every third Wednesday from mid-May.

2.     Stuart Hebberd of Prices Pharmacy has made a generous donation towards the prizes that we will be awarding at the Youth Jazz Band Competition to be held at The Honest Lawyer on 24^th June. The committee has written to Stuart to express its appreciation of his kind gesture and please consider adding to that appreciation if you happen to be at Prices Pharmacy.

3.     The continuing relationship with The Vic Mac’s Brew Bar was discussed and this seems like an appropriate point to remind club members of the support The Vic has provided the club bands for many years and through several owners. Although gig numbers have been reduced for the winter period, you will receive the usual reminders of when they are and which band is playing. Again, we hope that you will help those gigs to be a success for all concerned by attending as often as you can.

4.     Amanda Ryan presented a comprehensive report on the club’s financial situation and is clearly on top of the tasks involved in being Treasurer with a proposal that we subscribe to a software service that will significantly reduce the time, effort and cost of preparing accounts and conducting a range of transactions. With that and the recent switch to Internet banking, we appear to be leaping into the 21^stcentury!

On behalf of the committee, I wish you an enjoyable month until our next report and I look forward to seeing you at the Tuesday and Wednesday evening gigs.

Regards,

Mike Murphy

Secretary

Nelson Jazz Club

I am sure that those of you who were there will know why I litter what I write below with superlatives. The first gig of our new relationship with Bar Berlin was truly fantastic. I could hardly believe how good it was and I remarked to Trevor Hunter, who, like me, had beamed with delight throughout the evening that if either of us had smiled any more our faces would have fallen off.

MINT began the evening with some deliciously-arranged standards and compositions as the audience gradually grew in numbers. The entire first set was delivered at the high standard these guys displayed at their last gig and the bar’s owners, Urgent and Marlo, were clearly delighted with it.

Then, for the second set, Craig Walters, who had been at the National Jazz Festival in Tauranga and has been briefly visiting Nelson, joined the band and helped to lead a truly exceptional performance that they all sustained for the rest of the evening. At one point I remarked to Smiley that I had not realised that we needed to be set up to record the gig. I wish we could have.

As expected, the venue is ideal and the first Jazz Club gig confirmed that it is an appealing place to go and play, and listen to, and enjoy jazz. It has a cosy atmosphere, the staff are friendly, the drinks and meals are reasonably priced and there is a good selection of both. It was good to see the number of club members who came and who were rewarded with a wonderful evening of jazz, but I have to add that there was room for plenty more.

On behalf of the club, I want to thank Urgent and Marlo for inviting us into their lovely venue and for supporting our musicians. I can hardly wait for next Wednesday.

Best regards,

Mike Murphy