That’s it Folks
After 25 Years the Leeds Jazz Committee decide to finally put their feet up.
Denis Dalby, Mike Short, Peter Nix, Dave Gadd, Dave Hatfield, Pete Robinson
Taken after their last ever gig on 26th Nov 2009.
December 27, 2009
Posted in: Concert, Memories, News, Post, iCalEvent 
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Roots at the Headingley Club
Roots
The next “Roots” gig at The New Headingley Club on February 26th features “Waldo’s Washboard Wizards” playing jugband blues.
Event details
- Begin: February 26, 2010 at 20:00
- End: February 26, 2010 at 23:00
- Add to your calendar: Download ics file
- Place: Headingley Club, Leeds
February 4, 2010
Posted in: Concert, News No Comments
Tonight, Last Gig at the Puzzle Hall Inn, Tuesday, 26 January, 2010
CHRIS FLAHERTY QUARTET
Tuesday, 26 January, 2010
Guitarist Chris Flaherty will be performing a vibrant collection of original compositions and standards, infused with the flavours of guitar giants like Pat Metheny, Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Jim Hall. Encompassing styles from funk and fusion through to bebop and latin, the band promises a night of diverse jazz textures, holding a cool contemporary vibe throughout. Flaherty is supported by Martin Davies (Drums), Bruce Reid (Bass) and Mike Conliffe (keys).
Details here
This will be the last gig of one of Yorkshire’s longest running and best gigs.
After almost 17 years, 850 gigs, 3,500 musicians, supporting many jazz musicians on their way to excellent careers – lots of great music, people and memories, that was JazzLive! at the Puzzle Hall and, indeed, in other venues too, Geoff Amos Looks Back:
It is with regret that we announce the end of the weekly jazz series held at the Puzzle Hall Inn. The last gig to take place will be Chris Flaherty on the 26th January 2010. Which is quite apt really – Chris, a new kid on the block, is / was making his first appearance at the venue.
Audience attendances have been falling for sometime now so, due to the resulting lack of business, the licensee has decided that he can longer financially support the series.
Apart from a gap during the first six months of 2008, the weekly series ran for over 16 years, the only time a gig was missed was if the date fell on Christmas eve/day, or New Year eve/day.
We’d like to thank all the people – musicians and audience – who played their parts in making the series so utterly memorable:the night when Hession Wilkinson & Fell turned up with their magnificent brand of free-improv, resulting in a) the band being voted as the loudest band ever to play the venue, the ‘award’ being especially delicious when you think that the only amplification they had was a 50w bass amp; and b) half the people in the pub screaming for more, the other half baying for blood – wonderful; (the half wanting blood, actually never stopped talking about the gig for the next 6 months or so, now that’s making an impression!
the night when Trevor Watts’ Moire Music played for about three and a half hours, neither Trevor, or the audience wanting the music to stop;
the night when Evan Parker brought a band including Barry Guy, who, at the height of one his solos, elicited this comment from one of the barroom regulars:
“bloody ‘ell, have yer seen that bloke in there – ‘e’s all but fuckin’ that bass.”the night (not a Tuesday) when, at half an hour’s notice, we cleared out all the tables and chairs and ran a full-scale Cuban Dance workshop;
the guy who during a lovely solo by saxophonist James Hunt (where is he now, by the way?) whipped out a recorder and started to “accompany” him, it was so out of tune that the band almost stopped playing – the only time in Geoff’s life that he played the role of ‘Jazz Policeman’ and asked the guy to ‘please put that instrument away’ – or language similar to that!
So many memories, so much great music, thank you all, and remember the mantra – Use It or Lose It.
Best wishes, Pete (Martin), Geoff (Amos) & Graham (Paisley)
January 26, 2010
Posted in: Concert, Memories, News, Post No Comments
Petition the Prime Minister to stop criminalising live music with the Licensing Act
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop criminalising live music with the Licensing Act, and to support amendments backed by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, and the music industry, which would exempt most small-scale performances in schools, hospitals, restaurants and licensed premises.
So runs the petition submitted to the Prime Minister by Phil Little of the Live Music Forum.
The petition has about 14 000 signatures at the moment. You can sign the petition here. Please also contact your MP.
If you are interested in the sheer insanity of the present legal campaign against live music, you may like to read any of the following:
Live music must not be silenced
In November last year, Britain’s Got Talent finalist Faryl Smith performed a song for her fans at an album signing at HMV in Kettering, Northamptonshire. The local council immediately threatened HMV with criminal prosecution because it hadn’t applied for a licence.
Tim Clement-Jones (Guardian)
In a comment on this article Steve Hill sums up the present situation:
… A pub can be open for all night drinking and all the noisy “conversation” that entails, but be in breach of the performance license requirements if it lets two people sing Happy Birthday unaccompanied to their mate. I’m not making this up.
It is however not in breach of the Act if it wants to plug a Sky TV football broadcast, or any recorded music source, into a 20,000 watt sound system. (Your remedy in that case is to ask the Council to use its environmental health powers, which could take months).
Meanwhile if John Williams drops in with his classical guitar and says “anyone fancy a tune?”, you (and he) are stuffed.
Pub pianos only ‘theoretically innocuous’ claims licensing minister
‘Although live music campaigners often talk of the criminalisation of theoretically innocuous activities, such as putting a piano in a pub, it should be remembered that some premises are very close or even adjacent to private residences and even such supposedly harmless activities can cause noise nuisance. The Licensing Act 2003 does not prevent live music taking place, but it does ensure that some consideration is given to how local residences and businesses might be affected by it.’
Hamish Birchall Bulletin (The Live Music Forum)
School show scrapped after head warned of fine and jail
A Northamptonshire school had to scrap its big musical production after its head was told he could face a £20,000 fine and possible imprisonment if it went ahead.
January 15, 2010
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