Hi everybody,
We hope you’ve all had a good summer. Nette and I had a great time on the Isle of Man Jazz Weekend. We’ve just about recovered now… Thanks to our good friends Rolf and Silke for making the whole thing happen!
This month we will be performing a tribute to the great Charles Mingus on Sunday September 27th: The Complete Mingus Ah Um at the Hampton Hub Club with Chris Biscoe, Nick Mills, Kate Williams, Larry Bartley and Gary Willcox. Starts 7.00 pm.
And on Friday 30th October the Way Out West Collective will be doing a tribute to Tony Bennett at Jazz Cafe Posk.
November will be a particularly busy month for us with gigs in the EFG London Jazz Festival, and also my band the Tony Woods Project will be playing @ St. James Church, Twickenham. See gig listings below…
For those of you interested in playing jazz don’t forget to scroll down and check out my Chippings from the Woods Shed at the bottom of the Newsletter.
If you enjoy my music please do like and subscribe to my Youtube Channel. It is absolutely free to subscribe – just click on the Subscribe Button…
“Always beautiful and uplifting…”
“Paul Desmond ideas…”
“Captivating and steamy! That vibe should come with a 15 certificate at least”
“Haven’t heard anyone swing like that for years – best thing,real,swing”
“Had the good fortune to be present. A virtuoso performance. Bravo”
“Great playing…”
“Light and lovely…”
“Very cool”
“Great music”
” Great solo, a lesson in how to start sparse and build intensity”
“The word ravishing comes to mind!”
“So soft and gentle one wants to dream…. Such a pleasure to listen to Tony”
“Music full of warmth and joy”
“Soo cool”
“A wonderful and uplifting gig”
“Beautiful”
“Just been sent into another world again – Beautiful world….”
“Brilliant musicians and brilliant music!”
“Oh my goodness, another wonderful ‘ Project’, so exciting the build up, then the gentle ending, the flame gone out! Fantastic”
“I was lucky enough to be at this gig and see Tony and the band… wow amazing performance from all. Truly magical !!!”
“Yet another excellent gig. Great music and musicians”
“Absolutely brilliant!”
“Tone! Killer performance.”
“Wow!! Just fabulous…”
“Superb”
“What an amazing solo”
“Fantastic sound!”
“Awesome”
“What a way to start the day – had me dancing round my third storey”
“Story telling and space is the way to go . Lovely stuff “
“Can’t stop listening, spellbinding”
Upcoming Gigs:
September:
Sunday September 27th: The Complete Mingus Ah Um at the Hampton Hub Club
October:
Friday 30th October: the Way Out West Collective will be doing a tribute to Tony Bennett at Jazz Cafe Posk.
November:
Friday 13th November: Way Out West presents a Short History of Jazz at Riverhouse Barn, Walton for the EFG London Jazz Festival
Thursday 19th November: Dave Jones Nonet @ Bulls Head, Barnes for EFG London Jazz Festival
Sunday 22nd November: with Nette Robinson and Meredith White @ the Login Lounge, Camberley
Friday 27th November: Tony Woods Project @ St James Church, Twickenham
Sunday 29th November: Kenny Wheeler Tribute @ Login Lounge, Camberley
December:
Friday 4th: Stars, Snow and Firelight Nette and Tony @ Dorich House, Kingston.
Friday 11th: Way Out West Presents Jazz on a Winter’s Eve @ Jazz Cafe Posk
Wednesday 16th:Tony Woods Project @ Jazz 825, Palace Hotel, Southend
Other News:
Way Out West gigs continue at Jazz Cafe Posk (the Polish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith):
Friday 30th October the Way Out West Collective will be doing a tribute to Tony Bennett at Jazz Cafe Posk.
The Way Out West gigs continue in 2026 at Drayton Court Hotel, West Ealing, usually the third Wednesday in the month:
Wednesday 23rd September: Meredith White Trio. Pianist, singer and composer Meredith White leads this all-star trio with a selection of jazz arrangements and original compositions. Featuring:
Meredith White – piano and voice
John Jones – bass
Paul Cavaciuti – drums
And our good friend Chris Biscoe is playing @ Jazz Cafe Posk on 16th October:
Wobbly Rail Five: Chris Biscoe and Pete Hurt – saxes; Liam Noble – piano; Steve Watts – bass; Sophie Alloway – drums
https://www.eventbrite.com/
concert is also on the website: www.jazzcafeposk.org
The Woods ShedI run a Jazz Workshop and Jam session at the Village Centre, Englefield Green on Monday nights. New members always welcome…
More info here.
Chippings From The Woods Shed:
I mentioned previously (Chippings June 2025) that it is important to “sing” through one’s instrument. At our recent Isle of Man Jazz Weekend we started each day with some group singing as it is a natural instinctive way of making music, and good fun!
Get used to using your voice- singing songs, and tunes. Sing along with favourite solos, sing arpeggios of the tunes you are learning, sing guide tones etc etc. (Having said that, it is important also to spend time listening to music on a deep level – and NOT singing along!)
As an exercise start simply with one note – play it on your instrument, then sing it. Then sing a different note. Try and find that note on your instrument – try and build the connection between your voice and your instrument. Then sing an interval (two notes), play those two notes, then an inverted interval (higher note first) then a short phrase etc etc. Alternate between singing and playing. You may find this quite challenging so keep it simple!
