Southport Melodic Jazz Club
Committed to bringing the best in live Jazz to Southport
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Alec Dankworth

Jazz on a Winter's Weekend 5-7 February in Southport

 

After ten full house concerts, a record breaking sixth Jazz on a Winter's Weekend concluded very late on Sunday night with a gloriously informal session in The Royal Clifton's Chatsworth Lounge. The sad news of the passing of jazz legend Sir John Dankworth had come on Saturday evening through a phone call from vibraphonist Jim Hart who had rushed from his gig at our festival to appear at the 40th anniversary concert at Wavendon after which Dame Cleo Laine made the announcement of her husband’s death. Their son, the masterful double bass player Alec Dankworth was scheduled to play in our headline finale on Sunday evening in the Steve Waterman All Star Tentet. Always a delightfully unassuming and consummate professional, Alec followed his mum's example and surely his late father's wish that ‘the show must go on’ by turning in a great performance in the concert and the later jam session. The audience at both gave him a fantastic welcome and much deserved applause.

 

The event was not without its dramas. These things were sent to try us and they surely did.

 

 Pianist David Gazarov's flight from Berlin was cancelled without notice and it proved impossible to reschedule in time. UK piano star Robin Aspland's last minute substitution in the piano trio concert created one the weekend's most impressive performances. Vocalist Cleveland Watkiss turned in a well received and virtually acoustic set after his complex electronic mixer failed ten minutes prior to the gig. 

 

Despite all that we had a ball. Nobody complained. All eleven sets were hugely applauded. The event sold out. Promoters from no less than ten other jazz club/ festivals came along. The BBC recorded two gigs for Radio 3 Jazz Line Up. The workshops were packed and the Jazz Shop and exhibitions were busy. The hotel was filled to capacity and the specially ordered Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Black Sheep bitter didn't run out until Sunday evening. 

 

Altogether something of a triumph, thanks to the hard work and planning of Southport Melodic Jazz Club's team of volunteers, the superb support of the hotel's management and staff and a fantastic audience. Thanks to all who came, especially the 80 great musicians who made the whole thing possible.

 

Geoff Matthews

Southport Jazz

(Photograph by Paul Bentley)


Our 'webmaster' who maintains this site is club member Jamie Matthews of Bombcircle Design. www.bombcircle.net 


book

 

  SOMETHING NEW

Signed limited edition hard back book of superb photographs taken at SMJC gigs and festivals by Paul Bentley ARPS to celebrate the forthcoming 10th anniversary of the club. Ideal Christmas present. To view Paul's work go to www.apb.nildram.co.uk

£25 + £1.50 p&p (UK)

[cheques payable 'Southport Melodic Jazz' to 
8, Lord Street, Southport PR8 1QD]


 

 

Falling Snow
falling snow
 

"Jazz on a Winter's Weekend" Theme Tune "Falling Snow"

Commissioned by Southport Melodic Jazz
Composed in 2007 by Alan Barnes
Played by Mike Hall (tenor sax) and Dan Whieldon (Piano).
Recorded August 2009
Duration 3 minutes. To listen, click the Play (>) button below.

 

Gig dates at The Royal Clifton Hotel - The Promenade - Southport

 

 NEW EMAIL ADDRESS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EVENTS

matthewsjazz@sky.com

The Royal Clifton is the home of Southport Melodic Jazz Club. Top class modern/mainstream jazz gigs are presented once a month on Sunday evenings except in JULY. The club also promotes a major weekend festival in early February. The hotel owner has backed the club by purchasing two Steinway - Boston pianos and Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery in Bolton are supporters of the "Jazz on a Winter's Weekend" event. The Royal Clifton Hotel offers an amazing value accommodation package of
£37.50 p/p  Dinner B&B on Sunday jazz nights. 

 'Jazz on a Winter's Weekend 2011' will take place Friday 4th to Sunday 6th February. The Royal Clifton Hotel is now taking reservations.
 Room prices may vary from the 2010 schedule

The programme will be published on this site in June and 'weekender' tickets go on sale to club members on July 1st and generally on August 1st.

hotel

  

 For more about Southport, location, wining, dining and other events in the town go via our links page to www.visitsouthport.com

Southport is linked by regular rail services to Manchester International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport (bus ride to and from nearest Merseyrail station), both Liverpool and Manchester city centres and Wigan (on the Euston-Glasgow West Coast mainline). For more information go via our links page to www.northernrail.org and www.merseyrail.org 

There is a map of how to find The Royal Clifton Hotel by road on the site. Click on 'contact' and then the map icon.

For satnav purposes the gigs are at  PR8 1RB

Don't forget our new email address

matthewsjazz@sky.com 

GIGS

Southport Melodic Jazz Club's gigs for 2009
are listed below. Details will be added through the year. For a printed programme you can
 
Write to SMJC 8 Lord Street, Southport PR8 1QD
Ring 01704 541790
 
Be sure to give your postal address. You can also be added to our email list on request.

Sunday 17th January 2010 at The Royal Clifton Hotel
Simon Spillett

Sunday matinee jazz

The first of four sessions featuring our own 'Swingshift' Big Band with guest soloists.

Guest Simon Spillett on tenor saxophone
Simon is one of the UK's leading jazz tenor players and he has delighted audiences by bringing the music of Tubby Hayes to a new genersation of fans.

A programme of music arranged for The Tubby Hayes Big Band.
Simon has had unique access to this collection of revered charts performed by Tubby's Big Band in the 1960's. There are few recordings and the band rarely toured 'North of Waftord'. Swingshift has played some of these before with Simon but this gig will include some gems new to the band.

Doors, bar and sandwich stall open 12 noon
First set starts 1.00 pm
Scheduled to end at 3.30 pm

TICKETS £10 each

 

 

 

4-6 February 2011 'Jazz on a Winter's Weekend'

The programme for this event will appear in June 2010 on this site. 

If you are a service provider or promoter and wish to reserve an exhibition space in the 2011 'Jazz Shop' or advertising space in the printed programme you can do so now by calling 01704 541790

 

 

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correction Marlene VerPlanck gig Sunday 21 March

Please note Marlene will be accompanied by Dan Whieldon's trio

Dan Whieldon- piano
Gavin Barras- double bass
Marek Dorcik- drums 

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