Splash Point Jazz News June 2019
Aah, lovely June! Our favourite month at SPJC because to us JUNE means CAKE. We have no less than THREE Splash Point birthdays within a week (Lemon Drizzle anyone? [plant-based of course]) so we take a little time out from jazz club duties to slice up and share out the jammy, fruity, yummy confections that come out of the SPJC kitchens. But rest assured that as soon as we’ve licked the last crumbs off our fingers (not near the piano please…) we’re back to business.
And here, the results of our cake-infused deliberations, are the highlights of a jazz-packed month.
First and foremost, we’ve got not one, but TWO pieces of exciting news this month!
*** Our New Website is up and running, all bells and whistles and some fancy technical wizardry – check it out at www.splashpointmusic.com. Have a good look round – you’ll find all our leaflets on the Events page – and do let us know what you think! Looks good on your mobile too. There’ll be more pages added as we go, but we hope you like it. (www.splashpointjazz.club also takes you there).
A BIG thanks to Mark at www.design-m.co.uk for his excellent work on this – and the BEST EVER award-winning picture of Splash Point in a storm too – see if you can find it…
*** New Venue! We have moved SPJC Brighton by popular request to a cracking new venue in the city centre. The Walrus, at 10 Ship Street, is a gorgeous pub with a dedicated function room, an excellent food menu, and some really lovely staff. We’re excited about the move there, and would of course love you to come along and help us to make it a vibrant, buzzing club – as only you can. We’ve booked some absolutely top-drawer guests, see below for our opening night gig. WE NEED YOUR HELP with this one, jazzlovers – please support this new gig so it gets off to a great start – THANK YOU ❤️ P.S. All the NCPs do an evening rate from 6pm now 🙂
Here are the June gigs, in date order and all their jazzy splendour:
Sunday 2nd June, Alfriston
Neal picks up the piano cudgels (?) to start the month playing and singing for your delight at the regular jazz lunch in The Dining Room, Deans Place Hotel, Alfriston from 12.30pm. A very classy restaurant in a beautiful setting – book a table on 01323 870248.
Gosh, Sunday lunch out! When was the last time you did that? What a treat… take a friend, or take us all with you!
Wednesday 5th June, Seaford
You know the venue, it’s the aptly-named View (Seaford Head Golf Club, BN25 4JS) famous for its fabulous picture-postcard panorama, but also featuring good food (book in advance if you want to eat: 01323 890139) and masses of free parking on the doorstep.
Now, Neal is away for this month’s gig due to one of the afore-mentioned birthdays… BUT you will be in the exceedingly good hands of Terry Seabrook (piano) with his Latin/Brazilian London band T-Rio. With Davide Mantovani on bass and Tristan Banks on drums. We GUARANTEE this will be a superb gig!
The music starts at 7pm on Wednesday June 5th. Tickets are £10, buy on the door on the night, or in advance from WeGotTickets.com/splashpointjazz (booking fee applies).
Friday 7th June, Hastings
At Bannatynes Hotel & Spa, Hastings (Battle Rd, St Leonards-on-sea TN38 8EA) you will be able to hear Neal playing solo piano/vocals for Jazz & Gin night in Maxine’s Bar & Restaurant. It’s a free gig in a sophisticated place with fine dining, lots of gins, and plenty of on-site parking at Bannatynes too. So really no reason not to go!
Wednesday 19th June, Glasgow International Jazz Festival
A little further afield, Sue Richardson will be blowing her own trumpet in the opening show of the Glasgow International Jazz Festival (www.jazzfest.co.uk ). Sue’s again in David McAlmont’s “Bille Holiday at Carnegie Hall” concert, staged by our friends at Copasetic Productions ( copaseticfoundation.org )
Thursday 20th June, Brighton
Our inaugural SPJC gig at The Walrus, (10 Ship Street, BN1 1AD 01273-025749) features the incredible, world-class vibes maestro Roger Beaujolais as special guest with Neal‘s trio. Roger was a founder member of hugely successful jump/jive band “The Chevalier Brothers” and subsequently with pop band “Fairground Attraction” before jazz claimed him. Along the way he became a Professor of Music at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance and played on sessions with the likes of Robert Plant, Paul Weller, Morrissey, Kirsty MacColl, Alexander O’Neal, Neneh Cherry and far too many others to cram in here. Unbelievably, Roger is entirely self-taught – just goes to show what determination and a LOT of practice can achieve… tell your kids and grandkids… And your grandparents – e.g. Neal taught a gentleman jazz piano who started aged 79!
Neal’s Trio for this gig features Nigel Thomas (bass) and Eric Ford (drums).
The music starts at 7.30pm on Thursday June 20th, tickets are £10, and you can buy in advance from thewalrusbrighton.com/#bookatable or on the door on the night.
Wednesday 26th June, Eastbourne
Two highly regarded jazz musicians, always in great demand, leading a classic straight-ahead jazz quartet – this is what you’ll find at The Fishermen’s Club (Royal Parade, BN22 7AA), when the Mark Crooks/Colin Oxley band hit town. Mark(sax/clarinet) has worked with a hugely diverse range of musicians, from Spike Robinson to Simon Rattle, Elaine Delmar to Lady Gaga and John Dankworth to John Wilson. Colin (guitar) is a real musician’s musician, a fabulous accompanist and a brilliant soloist. The band is completed by Simon Thorpe (bass) and Matt Home (drums). Sure to be a popular gig, you may want to consider booking in advance for this one.
Doors open at 7.15pm on Wednesday June 26th and the music starts at 8pm, tickets are £10, on the door on the night or in advance from WeGotTickets.com. (booking fee applies).
Free parking on site, drinks at club prices, great sound (thanks Andy!), and a really friendly atmosphere at the Club. WeGotTickets.com/splashpointjazz
Wednesday 26th June, Battle
If you live closer to Battle than to Eastbourne you might want to check out The Bull Hotel Battle (27 High Street, TN33 0EA). This is a lovely venue, small but beautiful, and staffed by some of the nicest people in the business. This month Nealwill have as his special guest a man who’s not only a great musician but also a great entertainer. Just back from a Tour of the Far East, Jeff Williams (trombone/vox) is lively and fun – in other words he’s a very good foil for Neal! (Ha bl**dy ha – Ed.]
The music at The Bull is free to diners but you are advised to book in advance (01424 775171) to avoid disappointment – Jazz Wednesdays have become very popular and we don’t want you to get there and find it’s all sold out. You can see the menu on their website (thebullinnbattle.co.uk). The music starts at 7.30pm on Wednesday June 26th and what with the music and the food you’re in for a really good night out.
Saturday 29th June, Eastbourne International Tennis Tournament
Jazz & Tennis! For the TWELFTH year running, The Neal Richardson Band is the warm-up act for FINALS DAY at the LTA Intl Tennis Tournament! It’s a great occasion – champagne and picnics on the lawn right before the match… Buy a finals day ticket or even just a stroller and come and enjoy sunshine(hopefully), jazz and balls flying about…
One more thing – THANK YOU for all the lovely feedback about these Newsletters (a monthly wordfight between author Annette Keen and spoilsport Neal!)… Please do fwd this Newsletter to all yr friends and encourage them to come, and to sign up – through our NEW WEBSITE (did we mention that?! 😂)
One more once… Feedback from the May newsletter put us in our place as one reader found an extra Spring song in the title quiz. It was ‘Blue Spring Shuffle’ by Kenny Dorham and well worth your while to check it out. Well done sir, we owe you a drink!
We genuinely look forward to welcoming you to our jazz clubs, and hope to see you again very soon. Keep supporting live jazz in Sussex!
The Splash Point mob.