The Golden Age of Jazz

The Golden Age of Jazz – At Whittington Church on Saturday September 20th

Nick Dewhurst and Jim Wynn had been described as “an extremely talented duo” in the advertising for this event, and it was certainly proved true, demonstrated in enthusiastic applause, as well as comments from the audience as they left.

Nick is known locally as a trumpeter, but is also a talented guitarist, and this concert included both instruments (with further variety provided by flugelhorn and mutes) as well as Jim’s keyboard. “The Golden Age of Jazz” marked the last weekend of the summer by including the Gershwins’ “Summertime”; the wide-ranging repertoire also included music by Fats Wallah and Charlie Parker, and associated with Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Billie Holliday, as well as much less familiar pieces.

One of the merits of the better-known pieces, such as “Autumn Leaves”, “All of me”, and “Honeysuckle Rose”, was that it enabled those members of the audience less familiar with jazz to identify and appreciate Nick and Jim’s improvisations on the melodies, in a way that Suny Rollins’ “Sunnymoon for two” did not. They created a comfortable atmosphere together and with the audience, with chat about the music between the pieces, and, indeed, in the music – Nick’s reference to a forthcoming Christmas concert led to a few bars of “Jingle Bells” in the next number!

St Giles Church, Whittington, was an ideal venue, with excellent acoustics, and a pleasant area for refreshments created by recent renovations: many thanks to the church for allowing its use. LFF members attending were supplemented by a substantial number of newcomers (Whittingtonians? Fans of Nick?), whom we were delighted to welcome: please come again!