| Millennium Eagle Jazz Band |
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| Millennium Eagle News NOV 2009 Another year nearly over, but the Eagle flies on despite the occasional pocket of air-turbulence. The worst was last month when Peter Brown suffered a bad car accident in Somerset and needed to be cut free. Amazingly he has just completed a three gig tour with us as his comeback, and his musical and verbal fluency seem unimpaired. Tough bunch, these trumpet players: Les Harris of the Blue Mags has made a magnificent recovery as well. The first Venture Away gig of the year was at the Weymouth Riviera, where we enjoyed the clifftop wildlife and the congenial company of John Shillitoe. The jazz wasn’t bad, either! Then Andy Craddock brought his remarkable bass technique ( and “rocker’s” dress-sense ) to the band while depping for Brian Lawrence down in Darkest Devon and Cornwall. This is Amy Roberts territory, of course, and Matt Palmer looked suitably paternal as he duetted with her; meanwhile Gordon Stafford appeared at the Smugglers to renew the old Eagle front-line partnership. Before April was out we’d had the pleasure of the company of Gordon Whitworth and Roger Myerscough – the latter regaling the Boston Spa audience with his tale of a violent interruption during a ballad: up flew a hatch and a loud Yorkshire voice announced: “T’pies av coom!” May began with the funeral of Mike Turner. The Midlands will take years to get over it, and the huge crowd of musicians that day was a fitting tribute. Then came a Northern tour at Gateshead ( the patch-up-the-bass-with-a- After Kirkcudbright and all its friendships we did a London tour, finishing at the splendid Farnborough Jazz Club in Kent, and during the day sampling the delights of Docklands, Central London and leafy Twickenhamshire. A gig with Pat Halcox in Leicestershire – what a great guy! – and a highly congenial round of friends at Upton rounded off June. More Festivals followed, plus a burst in East Anglia and three visits to the South Coast. Deps for Peter were generous and numerous, ranging from the splendid Denny Ilett to the youthful but highly competent Jamie Brownfield – at last, someone nearer his own age for Jack Cotterill to talk to…. And so, leaving Edinburgh with its elegant dancers ( and well cut skirts! ) we reflected on the business of trad jazz touring in 2009 with petrol at 20p. a mile. Is it worth it? Well, maybe… if you like each other’s company enough, and know how to enjoy the towns en route. Try Roa Island to Rochdale via The Golden Mile! Keep visiting! |
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