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/

Stables 40th anniversary concert.

John Dankworth

It is with incredible sadness that I write about the death of John Dankworth.

John died yesterday afternoon at King Edwards hospital in London aged 82.

Last night was the Stables 40th anniversary concert which we were performing in with some of the campers and a host of celebrities. Cleo and the rest of the Dankworth family sang and played incredibly (I don't know how!) as John would have wanted them to.

The campers didn't know John had died until the end of the show when Cleo announced it but I couldn't have been prouder of them. The camps flag was flown with great pride last night, and I know John and Avril would have loved it.

40th anniversary.

Plans are afoot for fortieth year celebrations.

The first of these is a little inclusion in the Stables fortieth anniversary concert on 6th Feb.

We have gathered together a small group of (mainly local) campers to take part in a couple of numbers to pay tribute to Avril, the Stables, and forty years of wonderful music making. If anyone else would like to take part, places are really tight, but we could possibly fit a couple more in. It would involve a couple of rehearsals in Milton Keynes too. Send an Email to Graeme at the Stables, and ask him to pass on to me. Be quick! it really is first come first served.

Happy Christmas!!

Just to send warm Christmas wishes to all Music Campers and staff. Dont forget the Stables fortieth anniversary concert in February that we will be playing a small part in.

With love from Mary (pictured). the Angel to my left is Alison Tumber!.

Desert Island discs!!

I have been asked to do "Desert island discs" for the Jazz matters series at the Stables Wavendon. It would be much less embarrassing, if people were actually in the audience, so I'm hoping someone will turn up. Among the recordings, there will be a LIVE WORLD PREMIERE by that famous harmonica player Chris Shrimpton, of one of my newly published pieces " To the Sublime". Its at 11 30 am, in "Stage two", and only costs a fiver.

Keep blogging!

I am going to take a couple of weeks break from posting while I recover from three weeks of music camp, but I have been given lots of really interesting things to upload, so the blog will continue. There will also be updates about the fortieth anniversary, so please keep checking, and put the site in your favourites.

Please join as followers so I know who is logging in, and PLEASE leave comments. ( Its actually quite easy, just click on "comments" at the bottom of each post).

The blog has had nearly 4000 hits during the three weeks of camps!.