Past events gallery

The brilliant idea of bringing Jazz to Odiham originated with Tricia Stephens, when she invited the then Basin Street Six to perform at the opening of the Neurofibromatosis Association Charity Shop in 1998. Tricia , who began fundraising for the NFA after the tragically early death of her daughter Sarah, affected by NF, aged only 24  has worked indefatigably ever since, not least through the annual Jazz Weekend.

Of course, it wasn’t always a Weekend, but great Oaks from little acorns…

The first “Jazz Party and Picnic” was held in August 1999 in the lovely garden at Heron House, North Warnborough. The Basin Street Six performed two sets, with an interval spot on sax from a local 13yr old Schoolboy from nearby Robert May’s - one Richard Shepherd. The evening was a great success, and ended with a firework display. The hundred or so patrons begged for another event, so the following year there was another, this time to over 200 people in the gardens of Clevedge House, North Warnborough. This time there was a small marquee for the musicians, The Basin Street Six, and Richard Shepherd played a whole set.

In the Spring of 2001, Richard produced the Charity CD “Playing in the Garden” with help from the illustrious Trio of Dave Newton, Andrew Cleyndert and Steve Brown. The CD raised £5000 for the NFA, and raised awareness of the Jazz Picnic further afield.

By the time the 2001 event was planned, demand for tickets was such that the event moved again – this time to the setting of Chris and Clare Griffin’s delightful gardens at Garden Cottage, Winchfield. The Basin Street six had become a Septet with the addition of the elegant Trumpet/Flugelhorn of leader Phil Brown’s son Lester. They alternated sets with The Richard Shepherd Quartet, featuring Nick Weldon, Piano, Felix Weldon, Drums, and Bass Legend Jeff Clyne. The sell out event was opened by NFA Patron Julie T. Wallace, actress and star of “Life and Loves of a She-Devil” by Fay Weldon. (The author is, coincidentally Mother to Nick, Piano, and Grandmother to Felix, Drums!)

The Basin Street Six at The Chalkpit 2003

By 2002, the event sold out well in advance to an audience of 300 plus, (indeed some disappointed people even set up a picnic table outside by the road), it was beginning to look as if nothing could go wrong. Blue skies had prevailed every year. There was a marquee and a stage, professional PA manned by Glenn Weston of the Musician’s Union. The thunderstorm that evening was ferocious! The bands - The Phil Brown Septet, and The Richard Shepherd Quartet with Guest Vocalist Kerry Hodgkin - played on, avoiding contact with microphone stands, leads etc, and an undaunted audience opened their brollies and munched their soggy sandwiches. A group of young students found a ground sheet and held it up above themselves as they danced in front of the stage, while the irrepressible Tricia Stephens in T Shirt and rolled up trousers gave us her version of Gene Kelly’s dance from “Singing in the Rain”!

Each year more and more money was raised and there was a greater demand for tickets. A bigger venue was required. In 2003, The Jazz Party and Picnic moved to The Chalkpit Farm by kind invitation of Eileen and Ted Pither and family. Nearby RAF Odiham became involved, providing light and power, flood lighting the chalk cliffs and creating a wonderful ambience for the event. The Basin Street Six, now called The Phil Brown Swingtet performed for the first half, while after the interval The Richard Shepherd with his Quartet was proud to present guest vocalist Kerry Hodgkin and Special Guest his friend and mentor, the great saxophonist Alan Barnes.

The event saw the first performance of the beautiful “Sarah’s Song” written for two saxes by Alan Barnes and performed by him and Richard to mark what would have been Sarah’s 30th Birthday. The original manuscript, autographed by the composer, was presented to Tricia to commemorate the occasion and in recognition of all the work she had done in getting the jazz Picnic to the success it had become

Sir John Dankworth and The Richard Shepherd Quartet

2004

The following year, 2004 The Richard Shepherd Quartet, with Malcolm Edmondstone on Piano, performed to a sell out crowd with their special guest vocalist, the delightful Miss Jacqui Dankworth. Now for a bit of Jazz Picnic history – Jacqui had been due to bring a fellow musician, a trumpeter, to perform with her, but due to an indisposition he was unable to come. Unwilling to let the event down, she rang to say that she’d “got her Dad” to fill in. Imagine the face of local sax star Richard when he realised that he would be playing with Jazz Legend Sir John Dankworth. The surprise and delight of band and audience alike when he arrived was palpable. It was a fabulous evening and a record amount was raised for the charity. A new support worker was now in Place at the Southampton Hospital and funded mainly by the Odiham Jazz event. The Jazz Party and Picnic was a fixture on the local calendar, with demand for tickets ever increasing.

In August 2005, to satisfy this demand and in order to offer a more eclectic programme, the Jazz Party became the Jazz Weekend, still run by the same handful of local volunteers, lead by the ever enthusiastic Tricia Stephens. Richard Shepherd, now in London and his reputation on the up, was able to attract guests of the highest calibre and standing in the Jazz World. The Hook and Odiham Lions provided invaluable service marshalling all the vehicles on the Saturday whilst Basingstoke Unicorns did the same on the Sunday. Peter Fountain Odiham’s larger than life town manager suggested helpers for transport, stage building etc, and with RAF Odiham providing light, power, and a fantastic Sunday lunch - everything was set. On the Saturday night, with excellent sound/stage lights thanks to the efforts of David Eden, the cream of British Jazz including Alan Barnes, Jacqui Dankworth, Mark Nightingale and Steve Waterman performed with Richard Shepherd and his band Quartet giving the crowd the best of contemporary Jazz. Sunday lunchtime went with a Swing with the Phil Brown Swingtet giving everything from Dixie/Trad to Duke Ellington. The new “Weekend” was a huge success, catering to 1000 people in all, and raising £15,000 for the NFA

The Weekend 2006 was sold out within 2 weeks of tickets being on sale. The weather was great, the marquee and stage magnificent, and gazebos and tables all around. The Saturday evening’s performance was given by leading international Jazz Pianist Dave Newton, with Simon Thorpe, Bass and Steve Brown Drums. Richard Shepherd, finalist in Young Jazz Musician of the Year, performed with them alongside special guests Vocalist Lee Gibson and Jazz Legend Vocals and Latin Percussion Frank Holder. Frank, who had been the first singer with The Johnny Dankworth Seven back in the day was a huge hit with the crowd, and has been invited back to every event since!

2007 marked the 25th Anniversary of the NFA as a Charity. To celebrate this milestone RAF Odiham baked a wonderful cake which was shared with all the people who came. The event was a sell out not least because most of the leading musicians who had appeared before came to help celebrate. A Sousaphone band with Peter Clancy was added to the Fabulous Phil Brown Swingtet on Sunday. On Saturday night an amazing line up of Stars - Dave Newton, Simon Woolf, the late great Allan Ganley, (Tubby Hayes’ Drummer, who sadly passed away a year ago) Alan Barnes, Richard Shepherd(Saxes), Mark Nightingale,(Trombone) Steve Waterman,(Trumpet/Flugelhorn) and a welcome return from the fabulous Lee Gibson and legend Frank Holder played so many encores that the event finished late!.

This was to have been the last Jazz Weekend. It couldn’t get any bigger. The handful of volunteers who had run it up to this point now had other commitments in addition to the fundraising. There was no event in 2008, but the demand was still there. What to do?  NFA approached the Odiham Cottage Hospital Charitable Committee (Ochre) and invited them to join them in staging a Jazz Weekend 2009. Happily, they agreed, Bates Solicitors became involved – a new committee has been formed, a website designed, flyers put out, musicians booked,  A new “acorn” has been planted and the next pages of the History of Odiham Jazz Weekend start here…