It was about this time last year that I had a call from Bob Wade asking if I was the John Taylor who ran Ashington Jazz Club. I told him that unfortunately, the club had closed. We talked at length about jazz in the North and Bob’s involvement with the South African Jazz Scene. Bob said that we had a lot in common – as he put it synergy.
During the winter I helped Bob and his wife Gill move into their new UK home. Six months after playing in SA I got Bob his first blow with Don Fairley. The rest is history. Bob gave me the motivation to start the club up again.
March saw a great turn out for the reopening of AJC with the Paul Skerritt Band. April was the Mainstreet Jazzmen and June Lickety Split – two gigs for Alan Rudd. Next, we had a summer break.
I had been looking for something new and exciting and that came in the form of Big Muddy in September. By this time Bob Wade was playing with lots of bands and sat in unannounced with Big Muddy in the second half (his first blow at the Elephant).
Gigs for the newly formed Classic Swing followed In October & November & we began to build a new membership up. December saw our biggest turnout this year for special guest Don Fairley with Classic Swing. Great to see Don back on form again making a fantastic recovery from his medical problems:- https://www.facebook.com/jim.
See lots more of the gig on Facebook. Thanks, Jim Fay.
As normal we don’t do anything in January so the first gig in 2018 is on the first Wednesday of February.
Friends in Jazz
John Taylor
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