Oxford University Jazz Society
The Oxford University Jazz Society, also known as JazzSoc, is the focus of jazz music at the University of Oxford, England. Formerly known as the Oxford University Jazz Club, the society now provides the main arena for student players to interact musically, whilst also encouraging a non-student contingent.
History
In 1951 Oxford University Jazz Club held meetings in St Michael's Hall every Saturday at 8pm. This consisted of two sessions of live Jazz presented by the Club's musicians, a record interlude, and often a recital by a guest soloist. In 1953 the club started to hold its meetings on alternate Fridays in the Green Room of the Kemp Restaurant where the Club's resident band would perform.
In the 1960s, there were two different jazz clubs at the University: the larger Oxford University Jazz Club, which met at the Carfax Assembly Rooms and had dancing, and the Modern Jazz Club which met in seated venues at the Wheatsheaf Inn on the High.[1]
The columnist and bass player Miles Kington, then a trombonist, was a musical organiser of the Modern Jazz Club in Trinity Term 1962.[2] Performers in the Michaelmas Term 1962 included Dickie Hawdon(trumpet), Alan and Jimmy Skidmore, and the Fat John Band OU Modern Jazz Club Membership Card for Michaelmas Term 1962.
In 1963, the OU Jazz Club started the Big Night, initiated by Marcus Wigan on the OU Jazz Club Committee, and hired the entire Johnny Dankworth Big Band for what was a huge financial risk, but in the end turned out to be a successful event. The controlled capacity of the Carfax Assembly Rooms was strictly observed, and counters were allocated to check people in and out of the dance and performance hall itself during the evening to maintain these numbers. To the great chagrin of the organisers, with a huge profit in a queue extending well back through Carfax, the University Proctors came in and stopped any more tickets being sold... nevertheless, the night was a financial success and became an annual institution overnight for as long as the OU Jazz Club continued.This first Big Night was held on 4th Feb 1963. Shortly after Marcus Wigan presented a massive (for the time) cheque for the Big Night, Mr John Dankworth gave a talk to the very different Modern Jazz Club (where Marcus was also on the Committee): the Pat Crumly Quartet, the Ronnie Ross plus Trio and Art Themen plus the Pat Crumly Quartet all presented OU Modern Jazz Club Membership Card for the Hilary Term 1963
In the 1970s, the OU Jazz Club organized weekly gigs in the first floor of the former Roebuck public house in Market Street, central Oxford, presenting well-known British jazz musicians such as Lol Coxhill, Harry Beckett, Alan Skidmore, Don Rendell, Art Themen, Kenny Wheeler and Barbara Thompson as well as Oxford-based jazz bands including Pat Crumly's 'Edge' and the Oxcentrics.
After a period of inactivity in the 1980s, in 1994, the OU Modern Jazz Club was reformed as the Jazz Society and is now colloquially known as "JazzSoc".[3] Between 1994 and 1997 it hosted a weekly jam session at Po Na Na on St Giles'; from 1997 to 2004 the session was once again at the Wheatsheaf pub on the High Street, where the jam session regularly attracted an audience of up to 100 students.
In 2004, JazzSoc returned to its original home at the Roebuck, known until 2006 as the 'Market Tavern' (after then it was transformed into a 'Wagamama' restaurant). From 2006 until 2008, JazzSoc took place at the 'Blue Bar' in the cellar of the Cock and Camel pub on George Street. This has also since transformed into restaurant, and is now owned by Jamie Oliver. In 2008, the society briefly held its jams at the Purple Turtle bar, before having no fixed venue for a short period during which the jams were held in various college bars on various days, depending on availability. At the end of 2008 the jam eventually settled at the 'Thirst Lodge', before another change in 2009 to Bar Copa [4] During this period the weekly event consisted of a set performed by a house band of student musicians before opening the stage for a jam. However, once a term JazzSoc presented a 'spectacular' featuring an internationally renowned jazz act, playing either with their own band or with a local rhythm section. Past spectaculars featured Nigel Hitchcock, Soweto Kinch, Julian Arguelles, and Jim Mullen.
As of October 2013, the jam runs every Tuesday night at The Mad Hatter. At this time JazzSoc began to host professional acts several times a term, ending the termly 'spectacular' trend. In addition, student bands hosting the jam began to more often be established student ensembles rather than a house band.
Events
JazzSoc runs a weekly jam currently held on Tuesday nights from 8.30pm at The Mad Hatter on Iffley Road, Oxford. The jam typically opens with a house band set featuring either an up-and-coming jazz ensemble, student or otherwise, or a more widely renowned professional artist. The floor is then opened to everyone and anyone with a desire to jam.
Notable recent performances include Escape Hatch (Ivo Neame, Andrea Di Biase, Dave Hamblett), Adam Waldmann (of MOBO winning Kairos 4tet), Gareth Lockrane, David Newton (pianist), Tina May, and BBC Young Jazz Musician Of The Year 2014 winner Alex Bone.
JazzSoc primarily sends information about its events to its members via its Facebook page "JazzSoc - Oxford University" and its mailing list, hosted by the university IT services.
See also
References
- ↑ The debates that, y'know, drive me mad, The Daily Telegraph, 30 November 2004.
- ↑ Guardian ArticleOU Modern Jazz Club Membership Card for Trinity Term 1963, Dark Blues, UK.
- ↑ , University of Oxford, UK.
- ↑ Bar Copa, Oxford, UK.