Welcome to BlueJazz land, the home of my recordings. The first few are tracks made in France at Tristan Mailliot’s Jazz Summer School.
A big thanks to all the musicians who accompanied me, and especially to Rob Barron who played piano on Skylark.
There is also a video of the whole performance of Swansongs and Stories, which was part of the Stroud Jazz Festival in 2019. This was an accidentally unrehearsed adventure focused on telling the story of how each of the songs came to be, followed by a performance of the song backed by an excellent group of local Jazz Musicians.
Some Summer Songs
Bluebird’s Blues – by Brian Kirk © 2017
Vocal and parlour guitar tuned in 5ths
If I Had You – by E.Shapiro, J. Campbell, R. Connolley © 1928
Made popular by crooner Bing Crosby in the Swing Era
Skylark – by Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer © 1942.
Thanks to Rob Barron on piano and Sara Coleman for vocal coaching
Once Upon A Summer Time by Michel Legrand
Played at JASS France 2019 in memory of the Composer (RIP)
Lullaby in Ragtime – by Sylvia Fine © 1958
As The Years Go Passing By by Deadric Malone : at SVA 2019
Let’s Fall In Love by H Arlen & E Koehler 1933 : at SVA 2017
Here’s That Rainy Day – by J. Burke & J. Van Heusen © 1953. This is a video of my first public singing in about 45 years! I was so incensed by another bass player’s “pub singer” rendition of this wistful song the previous evening I decided I should try to give the song the respect it deserved. Thanks to the (very ill) Matt Light on Bass Clarinet and oh-so-patient Markus Kraeber on Spanish Guitar for being accomplices.
We should have been called the Accidental Trio!
The Swan Songs and Stories Concert
Here is the live concert recorded at the Imperial Hotel in Stroud. It is split up into individual songs so you can choose the ones you like. The show was conceived by me to tell the story of how the song came to be and then a performance of it in that context. It was brilliantly publicised by my son Peter, who also designed the Poster. The filming and editing were done by the amazing one man film crew Geoff Johnson.
The musicians are:
Andrew McKenzie – Guitar and ultra modest Band Leader
Graeme Owen – Double Bass
Paul Boniface – Drums and humour
Here are the videos (also on YouTube on channel bluejazz42), the Programme and the Poster, designed and ably fly posted by Peter.
The lighthouse warns you of danger and gives bearings to safe harbour