SPJC Newsletter OCTOBER 2019
It’s a bit like Marmite, October. Some people love it, all those crunchy leaves and crisp mornings, and others hate it because it brings a whiff of winter. Here at Splash Point Music we love Marmite (oh my goodness, those Marmite roasted cashews! And Marmite Flatbreads!) but we’re split down the middle with October. And then of course at the end of the month there’s Halloween to enjoy… or endure… The one thing we’re unanimous about is that we’ve got some cracking gigs coming up this month.
FIRSTLY A REMINDER: Neal’s “Not King Cole” concerts are in the 2019 London Jazz Festival, Sunday 17/11/19 (3pm and 7pm) at the fabulous Crazy Coqs in Piccadilly:
https://www.brasseriezedel.com/live-at-zedel/neal-richardson-not-king-cole-2019?date=195804416
Tickets are selling ALREADY so please BOOK NOW to avoid being turned away!
OK, fanfare please from the back of the room, because here come The October Listings!
Wednesday October 2nd , Seaford
Our Seaford venue at The View, Southdown Road, BN25 4JS, is always popular, and rightly so. You can eat before or during the gig, there’s loads of free parking right outside the door, an astonishingly varied raffle (fights have broken out over some of these prizes folks), and before the light fades you can watch bunnies hopping about over the golf course.
Oh yes, and there’s always a super-special guest with Neal’s trio. This month please come along and welcome alto sax player Matt Wates, a stalwart of the UK jazz scene since he won the Rising Star award in the 1997 BT British Jazz Awards. Matt’s Sextet won the Best Small Group award in 2001 and are still going strong. We think he might have another job on the side writing the jokes for Christmas Crackers – so we’re lucky to get him at this time of year (you’ll have to come on October 2nd to understand that remark…) Also playing will be Nigel Thomas (bass) and Sophie Alloway (drums). The music starts at 7pm, on Wednesday October 2nd , tickets are £10, on the door on the night or in advance from WeGotTickets.com. (booking fee applies).
Friday October 4th, Hastings
Maxine’s Bar and Restaurant at Bannatynes Hotel & Spa, Hastings (Battle Rd, St Leonards-on-sea TN38 8EA) is the place to hear Neal playing solo piano for their monthly Jazz & Gin night. You might want to dress up a bit for this one, it’s a beautiful venue and Neal will definitely be wearing a jacket, at least to start with. Possibly also a tie. Maybe spats. Possibly trousers. Nice menu to choose from, gins-a-plenty and jazz likewise. The music starts at 7pm, and both parking and gig are totally free (you should probably buy at least one drink though… just a thought…)
Saturday October 5th, Alfriston. * * NEW NEW NEW * *
We’re delighted to announce that those lovely people at the newly 4*rated Deans Place Country House Hotel have been so knocked out by Neal’s newly-refurbished piano there, that they’ve invited us to supply live music every weekend from today (Sat 5/10/19) 😃 It’s excellent fine-dining in an informal and intimate atmosphere in their beautiful Dining Room restaurant, with (usually) Neal providing the dinner jazz. Music starts at 6.30pm
This is a try-out, so please do go along, and when you book mention that you’re going because of the live music! – Thanks! Book a table on 01323 870248.
Sunday October 6th, Alfriston
What could be nicer than Sunday Lunch Jazz at Deans Place Country House Hotel, in the company of your favourite musician? Well, we tried, we really did, but inexplicably neither Jamie Cullum nor Stevie Wonder were available.
However, we were able to secure the services of the wonderful (you’ve guessed it…) Neal Richardson! Lunch is served at 12.30pm, look on their website (www.deansplacehotel.co.uk) for the menu; book a table on 01323 870248
Wednesday October 9th, Bristol
Sue Richardson will be at St George’s Hall, Great George St, Bristol BS1 5RR with Alex Webb’s fabulous show ‘Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall‘, starting at 8pm. This show just keeps rolling, people really love it, Billie’s legacy living on. Maybe you have family or friends living in Bristol? Or treat yourself to a couple of days away, there’s Brunel’s SS Great Britain, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and loads of other great stuff so you’ll easily fill the daytime.
Thursday October 10th , Brighton
If you haven’t yet been to the latest SPJC Brighton venue (The Walrus, 10 Ship Street, BN1 1AD 01273-025749) you really should give it a go. The music is in the downstairs room, which has a great jazz club feel about it, and a dedicated basement bar and staff so you haven’t got to keep trekking upstairs for your drinks. And the food there is very good indeed, waiter service straight to your table. Special guest for October is the wonderful Nigel Price (guitar). It’s impossible not to bring out the superlatives when talking about Nigel, he really is top-drawer, world-class, super-talented, multi-award-winning. Never before has a SPJC guest needed so many hyphens. You really don’t want to miss this one. Neal‘s trio for the night features Dan Sheppard (bass) and Eric Ford (drums).
The music starts at 7.30pm on Thursday October 10th, tickets are £10 (which includes your first drink), and you can buy in advance from thewalrusbrighton.com/#bookatable or on the door on the night.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 11th, 12th + 13th, Alfriston * * NEW NEW NEW * *
Rod Hart is at Deans Place Country House Hotel for Dinner Jazz (see above, 5th), while Neal is working in Holland.
Friday/Sat music starts at 6.30pm. Sunday lunch 12.30pm. When you book a table (01323 870248) please mention that you’re going because of the live music – thanks!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 18th, 19th + 20th, Alfriston * * NEW NEW NEW * *
Rod Hart is at Deans Place Country House Hotel for Dinner Jazz (see above, 5th), while Neal is working in Devon.
Friday/Sat music starts at 6.30pm. Sunday lunch 12.30pm. When you book a table (01323 870248) please mention that you’re going because of the live music – thanks!
Friday October 25th , Chelsea
The inspiring new show Get Getz, with Sue Richardson (trumpet and vocals) and Katie Jungmann (sax) is appearing at The Pheasantry, Chelsea, on Friday October 25th. Tickets are £20, the music starts at 8.30pm and as The Pheasantry is a Pizza Express LIVE venue you can probably guess what’s on the menu.
We know you love Sue, surely you must like Stan Getz, and who doesn’t fancy a pizza now and again? Book yourself a table immediately.
https://www.pizzaexpresslive.com/whats-on/get-getz-the-music-of-stan-getz
Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 25th, 26th + 27th, Alfriston * * NEW NEW NEW * *
Neal is at Deans Place Country House Hotel for Dinner Jazz (see above, 5th).
Friday/Sat music starts at 6.30pm. Sunday lunch 12.30pm. When you book a table (01323 870248) please mention that you’re going because of the live music – thanks!
Wednesday October 30th, Eastbourne
And so we find ourselves in Eastbourne at The Fishermen’s Club (Royal Parade, BN22 7AA), where the band for October is the Nigel Thomas Quartet. Now of course we all know bass player Nigel, he’s appeared at many a SPJC gig – but this is his own, very fine quartet, which features the mighty line-up of Paul Booth (saxophones, bass clarinet, flute), Mark Edwards (keyboard) and Winston Clifford (drums). Really?? All of them on one gig?? Ever heard a bass clarinet before??… The Quartet’s recent album ‘Hidden’ had great reviews and it’s probably safe to say that some of the tracks will be featured on October 30th.
Doors open at 7.15pm on Wednesday October 30th 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 and drinks at club prices.
Wednesday October 30th, Battle – BATTLE FESTIVAL SPECIAL
Meanwhile, over at The Bull Hotel, Battle (27 High Street, TN33 0EA) Neal will be showcasing his Not King Cole Trio as part of the Battle Festival. If you missed the gig in August at Eastbourne (why??why??) this is another chance to catch Neal, Ciyo Brown (guitar) and Miles Danso (bass) doing their wonderful Nat-thing. This gig is free to diners (though you’ll need to book in advance on 01424 775171 to be sure of your table). The music starts at 7.30pm on Wednesday October 30th and is a featured highlight of Battle’s 2019 Arts Festival.
AND FINALLY, the nights are starting to draw in and apart from Strictly there isn’t a lot on the telly, so here’s a suggestion of how to pass the time in a legal and perfectly innocent way. If you replace the letter ‘L’ in Love, with the letter ‘H’, you get the word Hove. Apply this to song titles and you get some pretty interesting results… Some of our favourites are: ‘Hove For Sale’, ‘What Is This Thing Called Hove?’, ‘Like Someone in Hove’, and one for everyone familiar with travelling along the A27: ‘At Long Last, Hove!’
Have fun and let us know your favourites!
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.
@splashpointjazz
#splashpointjazz
