Thursday, February 25, 2010

Inspiration from Victorian grandeur!

I have just got back from Blackpool.
I went for creative inspiration to an amazing Victorian hotel I visited as a child. The building portrays a Blackpool that was, and I still find its size and grandeur really exciting. I spent a couple of interesting days exploring a Blackpool that not many appreciate or even know exists.

These are picures of the inside of the hotel, just as I remember it.





My Great Uncle used to make props and scenery for the Grand theatre. I went in to try and find a dedication plaque that had been put there when he died ( about forty years ago). Sadly new fund raising plaques have replaced the old ones, Oh well, the Arts must survive.


















The High spot of my trip, has to be my cup of tea and cheese roll at the Blackpool tower ballroom. Not only was the interior breathtaking (designed by Matchum who also did the interior of the theatre and the Winter garden) but I felt nostalgic listening to the organist and watching the dancers. (Incredible!!)












I took this picture of the cafe in the ballroom. Note the silver teapots, and below, the pork pies!














It made me want to cry!






















Radio two broadcast.

The Stables anniversary concert is on radio two tomorrow. (excerpt from website below)

Next on:
Tomorrow, 19:30 on BBC Radio 2
Synopsis
Radio 2 remembers Sir John Dankworth with highlights of the 40th anniversary concert recorded at The Stables on the day he passed away (6 February 2010).
John Dankworth was a pioneer of modern jazz in Britain; a superb instrumentalist; a leading composer of film music; a champion of musical education; and the husband of Dame Cleo Laine, with whom he founded The Stables in Milton Keynes.
The first performance at The Stables took place on 6 February 1970 and and through its 40 year history, Sir John provided ongoing support for the genre-spanning music venue and its educational programmes. On the day of the anniversary concert, John was in hospital but it was hoped that he would have recovered sufficiently to appear as part of the celebrations. Sadly, John passed away the same afternoon but it was decided, in true Dankworth tradition, that the show should go ahead without him.
The anniversary concert featured Dame Cleo Laine, son Alec Dankworth, daughter Jacqui Dankworth and granddaughter Emily Dankworth; as well as performances from Rod Argent, Iain Ballamy, Lorna Dallas, Emma Johnson, Dominic Miller, Paul O'Grady, Martin Taylor, Sarah Watts and the National Youth Music Camps Choir

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Stables 40th


After the events of the weekend, and Johns death, it is important to remember the anniversary of the Stables theatre the result of John and Cleos dream. this is an article taken from the Jazz FM website.


The weekend saw the passing of British jazz legend Sir John Dankworth, but it also marked the 40th anniversary of the charity and venue he founded.
Wavendon Allmusic Plan is a registered charity that was founded in 1969 by Dame Cleo Laine and the late Sir John, with the aim of providing a centre of musical activity for different types of music and to also help introduce music to a wide range of people, regardless of age or social background.
The vision was realised with the development of The Stables Theatre in some outbuildings at their home as a venue for concerts and education activities.
In October 2000, the new theatre opened a new 398 seat auditorium which currently presents over 200 concerts and 200 education sessions every year.
The venue has hosted some of the most acclaimed musicians in the world including: Joan Armatrading, Courtney Pine, Bill Wyman, Dave Brubeck, Nigel Kennedy, Nils Lofgren, Antonio Forcione, Thea Gilmore, Suzanne Vega, Cerys Matthews, Kate Rusby and Nerina Pallot.
The diverse range of concerts and events has made it one of the most popular and respected venues in the UK, providing performing opportunities for emerging artists through initiatives such as the Jazz Forum, Bob Harris Presents…, and the BBC Radio 2 broadcasts of “Live From The Stables”.
Over the past few years “Live From The Stables” has been a platform for artists such as Gwyneth Herbert, Jamie Cullum, Lemar, Jamie Scott and Clare Teal to perform with the Dankworth Big Band and on the same platform as Curtis Stigers, Craig David, Beverley Knight, Marti Pellow, Alison Moyet and Chrissie Hynde.
Saturday was the day of a special gala concert that marked 40 years of performances at the Stables featuring: Rod Argent, Iain Ballamy, Lorna Dallas, Tim Firth, Laurie Holloway, Emma Johnson, Jenny Linden, Maureen Lipman, Dominic Miller, Paul O’Grady, Prunella Scales, Martin Taylor, Sarah Watts and the National Youth Music Camps Choir, Timothy West and Victoria Wood.
When he died a few hours beforehand, it would have been understandable if his widow, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, had called the event off. Instead, the show went ahead as planned with Dame Cleo and the couple’s children, Alec and Jacqui (also jazz musicians) taking part.
Just before the final song – Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” – Dame Cleo mounted the stage at The Stables venue to announce the sad news of her husband’s passing earlier that day.
Monica Ferguson, the chief executive of The Stables, said Dame Cleo had already broken the news to the artists before the concert:
‘She felt it was really important to go ahead. She wanted to maintain a sense of the concert being a celebration, because Sir John had put a lot of thought into it. I think the audience had a great sense of shock. There were a lot of gasps and people I spoke to afterwards were visibly moved by it. The sheer grit of the family, to go on in those circumstances, was astounding. They were incredibly brave.’
The concert thus became a tribute to John as well as a celebration of the charity and venue he had helped create.
For more information on The Stables venue and the Wavendon Allmusic Plan visit their website at http://www.stables.org/

Saturday, February 6, 2010

John Dankworth




It is with incredible sadness that I write about the death of Sir John Dankworth. We have been playing at the Stables tonight, all the cast knew the news before the concert. Cleo Jaqui and Alec played and sang incredibly ( I dont know how), and Cleo announced the news at the end of the concert to a very shocked audience. Can't quite believe it at the moment.

Friday, February 5, 2010

What ever happened to Mosschops?


I found a clip on YouTube of a kids programme I played the bassoon for a few (quite a few) years ago. It was quite nostalgic to see Mosschops again, but I have to confess not being able to understand it any more than I did the first time. Have a listen (that's me!).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jFV8Mx5XZw