Tickets still available for the John Ongom Big Band fundraiser
News from the National Jazz Archive
Newsletter 1/2022, January 2022
John Ongom Big Band – tickets still available!
Tickets for the fundraising concert by the John Ongom Big Band on Friday 28 January are selling well, but some are still available.
The outstanding 17-piece big band, directed by Angus Moncrieff, play the classic big band arrangements of Basie, Ellington and more. Catherine Lima joins them to feature songs from the songbooks of Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Sarah Vaughan.
The concert is the third that the band has given for the Archive – both of their previous concerts sold out, so early booking is advised. It’s at our usual venue, Loughton Methodist Church, in Loughton, Essex, starting at 7.30pm.
Tickets are on sale at the Archive (020 8502 4701) or from WeGotTickets, with a small booking fee.
The John Ongom Big Band at the Leytonstone Festival in 2021.
Catherine Lima at her concert at Loughton in July 2019.
Elaine Delmar, singer and actress and a true ‘Weaver of Dreams’, brings along her good friends to conjure many of those dreams from the Great American Songbook, in a fundraising concert for the Archive.
With Elaine will be Barry Green on piano, Simon Thorpe on bass, Bobby Worth drums and Jim Mullen on guitar.
In recent years Elaine has been the star vocalist in touring shows saluting the music of Cole Porter, and a musical celebration of George Gershwin. Her appearances at Ronnie Scott’s are a guaranteed sell-out.
The event will be at our usual venue, Loughton Methodist Church, close to the Archive’s home, on Saturday 9 April, starting at 2.30pm.
Tickets are on sale at the Archive (020 8502 4701) and from WeGotTickets, with a small booking fee.
Mike Pointon
Trombonist Mike Pointon died at the beginning of November at the age of 80. In his will he most generously bequeathed all his jazz-related papers to the Archive, and his remarkable collection of books, journals, photos, correspondence, reviews, posters, programmes and much more, has been collected for assessing, sorting and conserving. Of his books, estimated to number about 1000, about 120 have been retained for the Archive at Loughton and our satellite collection at Birmingham City University, and the others will be offered for sale in the coming months to raise funds for the Archive.
He was a man of very wide interests and enthusiasms (he left his remarkable collection of materials relating to film to the Cinema Museum) and maintained active involvement in many fields, writing books, articles and liner notes, reviewing publications, as well as playing in bands – his own and later those led by Bill Brunskill and Dick Laurie, as well as the British All Stars. He was particularly active in exploring, recording and writing about Ken Colyer.
Obituaries and tributes to Mike have been published in The Guardian, SandyBrownJazz (which includes links to performances), and many other publications. In a fascinating interview with John Petters, Mike talks about his enthusiasm for jazz, with many seminal recordings.
The work on Mike’s wonderful donation of material means that the jazz book sale planned for this month has not been possible. We hope to offer another selection of books for sale next month.
National Jazz Archive appears on The Jazz Show
Robin Phillips broadcasts The Jazz Showevery Friday night on Delux Radio, when he interviews a wide range of jazz personalities. Just before Christmas, he interviewed Paul Kaufman, chair of the National Jazz Archive, and the interview was broadcast on 20 January. Paul took the opportunity to talk about the Archive and what it offers to the jazz lover, as well as its challenges.
The National Jazz Archive holds the UK’s finest collection of written and visual jazz-related material, along with an important collection of oral history recordings. Our website is a window into our work and the vibrant world we celebrate. www.nationaljazzarchive.org.uk
The Archive is looking to grow its friendly and enthusiastic team of volunteers to help with: cataloguing, digitising, transcribing, preservation, website and digital media, exhibitions and running events
The Archive collections, dating back over 100 years, document this ever-evolving musical phenomenon. They also tell the story of social and cultural development, including diversity and integration, fashion, dance, art and popular music. It is a fascinating resource of interest to far more than just jazz fans.
Knowledge of jazz is not a prerequisite for working with us. Volunteers will be able to attend the main Archive in Loughton, Essex. There is also a satellite Archive, based in the city-centre campus of Birmingham City University.
There are also opportunities to work remotely. A degree of training and supervision is provided.
This is a great opportunity to develop and hone skills, either alone or working alongside others.
Please include details of your existing skills, areas of interest, availability in terms of time and location, address and telephone number, and where you heard about this opportunity.
