A few thoughts on the 2004 gathering - and beyond.

First and foremost - a most grateful thank you once again on behalf of Dove Jazz Club to our visitors, old and new, and to the great bands who put in so much to entertain us all, and to yet another great band, our band of ever loyal sponsors - without you all there would be no " small friendly Festival with the BIG names" !

So - it very soon comes and it very soon goes so to speak. I still find it incredibly difficult to grasp the fact that we’ve been at it for over thirteen years already - magical times to remember. Of course I’m very much wiser now, in many varied fields. Some of the early ideas did not have much street cred, to be honest with you. I mean who dreamed up the idea of having a real ale bar on the carpet tiles in the Lounge in the Community Hall with only World War Two linoleum for protection ?!  Could the resulting sticky, smelly mess have led to our first jazz weekend being our last ? The positioning of our inaugural marquee on the end of the hall rather than the front was not a "Churchillian" strategy. Are we the only Jazz Festival who booked a Rock and Roll Band ? But there again some people reckon that I’m not entirely clanger free even today. Re - who chose the green colour for this year's T-shirts ! People can be terribly cutting with their remarks, but the list does seem to be endless. On the other hand, does it really matter ? Isn’t this all part and parcel of the attraction of our inimitable gatherings ?

The response to the latest Festival has been very positive - reinforcing once more our faith in the correctness of our policy to stick to the tried and tested pathways that lead to the most popular highways. Our two "local" bands, the Harlem Hot Stompers and Ged Hone's Big Four, blew their socks off to avoid being overshadowed by, what were on paper, more powerful outfits. Their sterling efforts were rewarded by the most favourable set of crits from the multitudes that I’ve ever heard after a Festival. Very well done to all concerned, you didn’t let us down, in fact quite the opposite. Are us natives guilty of not recognising and giving our local bands appropriate accolades ? Is the grass always thought to be greener on the other side of the fence ? Or is it that the entertainment on offer is heard and seen in a different light at a Festival than at a normal Saturday night gig ?            

 

 The reason we don’t ring the changes too much at Dove was highlighted by the outstanding and memorable sets performed by the Mason, Evans and both Bennett outfits. They are professional yet adaptable people, who give the wonderfully genuine impression not only that they really want to entertain us but that they enjoy doing so. They also represent, some would say, a dwindling band of bands from this country that are capable of grabbing hold of an audience from the first note that they play, and holding them until the last note of the set has died away - casting them off at the end and setting them aside for re-use like a favourite pair of well worn wellington boots that have just enjoyed a couple of hours in their favourite patch of garden.

Our Church service was blessed with the presence of  New Orleans Heat, showing why they are one of the leading Gospel and Spiritual bands in Europe today. For some people the most memorable moment of this year's event was the enchanting sound of Gwyn Lewis’ voice in Church - for others the almost endless mirth, laughter and innuendo generated by that friend of Polar Bears and Turtles, and star of the Glastonbury fringe, Dove’s very own musical maestro - Jolly Jock - you haven’t heard the last of him I can assure you of that !

For me it was the knowledge that our modest village had, once again, witnessed a jazz happening that it could be proud of, that was an equal amongst all the others in the Country, and one that had given great enjoyment to those remarkable and wonderful people, the jazzers and musicians from near and far. I think that the odd villager may have enjoyed it also !

Well - that’s it - 2005 is already on the way. As ever, early booking is strongly recommended, and the order form is just a click away !

Hope to see you next July - or better before at our great line up of monthly gigs - with the new all season Dove Community facilities caravans are now welcome overnight at these too, so why not enjoy another " jazz weekend " or two through the year in our beautiful corner of the land !

Roger

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