Coronavirus Update In line with Government advice, all meetings and group sessions have been cancelled until further notice ******************************************************************************************************************** If members find themselves requiring assistance as a result of not being able to go out, they are invited to contact Linda Patton on 01455 556996 or by email on ken.patton@btinternet.com or Roy Maiden on 01455 550058 or roymaiden3@gmail.com who will endeavour to find suitable support. Alternatively, members can contact lutterworthchurch.org/crisis Any members who are willing to assist should similarly get in touch with Linda or Roy.

SHOWCASING LUTTERWORTH U3A

October 1st 2020 Wycliffe Rooms Lutterworth 09.30-12.30

Unfortunately, we are not able to hold our U3A Day on June 3rd as originally intended. It is to be held on October 1st instead. Please continue to think of ways to represent your groups on this day while we are not able to meet.

If your group would like to offer something to the day e.g. display/video/performance, please contact us as soon as possible. Let us know what your group would be prepared to do, and resources needed e.g. tables/space/IT June Clayton Tel 01455 209545/07903522205 Linda Patton Tel 01455 556996 Lynne Grindlay Tel 01788 860567

NEWSLETTER

Issue No. 209 May 2020

WRITING COMPETITION

We are having our Annual Writing Competition during the period of isolation. You can write a story that is uplifting with up to 1000 words and/or a poem that will make us feel happy. Please email entries to Linda Patton by Friday May 15th and she will pass them to a judge, who is not part of Lutterworth U3A. Please add a pseudonym although your real name will not be passed to the judge. You can enter as many times as you like.

Linda did email all members with these details for whom she had email addresses so, hopefully, you will have had some time to plan what you want to write.

There will be a £10 prize for the winner of each of the two categories and Roy has donated one of these, so get those little grey cells busy.

Linda

As you know, we do not meet in the Wycliffe Rooms on the second Tuesdays in July and August. We have a day out trip in July and a picnic in August. We have been kindly invited by Liz and David White, once again, to hold our picnic in the garden of their home. More details will follow.

This year our day out trip on Tuesday July 14th is to Crich Tramway Museum. This is a fascinating place where we can see a large collection of trams, travel on some of them and visit the letterpress printing museum amongst many other interesting things. I am sure that it will be a very enjoyable day for us all. Please let me have your name if you would like to join us. The cost is £22 per head and the coach will leave from outside the Wycliffe Rooms at 9.30 am.

Linda

ANNUAL WALKING QUIZ Lutterworth U3A 2020 Village walking Quiz is planned for Wednesday 19th August. Hopefully there will be more information and booking forms in our next Newsletter

GARDENS GROUP OUTINGS Sadly, we could not go to Hidcote on April 6th due to the Coronavirus lockdown. All who paid to go on this trip will have their money returned as soon as we can meet again. It is safely in our Social Account bank account. No money had been spent on the coach hire or on entry for those who are not members of the National Trust. The NEC has been changed into a Nightingale Hospital and Gardeners World Live has been cancelled this year so, unfortunately, this day out has also had to be cancelled. Similarly, no money has been spent on this trip and all will be reimbursed as soon as I can do so. The holiday to Harrogate has also had to be cancelled, as RHS Harlow Grange will not be open to the public. I have forwarded the £25 deposits to Great Days, the company that was arranging this trip. They have told me that they will be refunding the deposits to me in due course and these will, of course, be returned to you all.

I am very sorry that I cannot send you the money owed to you at this time as I could only do so by asking for the money to come to me from the bank account and then send you individual cheques and I do not have enough cheques in my cheque book to do this. At the present time, I have not cancelled the day out at Elton Hall, as we do not know when it will be safe to go out again.

RHS Malvern Spring Festival has been cancelled but in case you would like to view the festival remotely this year, go to rhsmalvern.co.uk. Many of you do join us on Garden Group outings, which we have, unfortunately not been able to take this year so far.

Please keep yourselves safe and follow the government advice until we can meet again. Linda

POETRY WEBSITE

During the coronavirus isolation, a website has been set up to keep older people visible in a positive light as well as to create a free library of poetry for all to enjoy. It shows older people reading a piece of poetry each day. It is mostly ordinary people but Sir Tony Robinson and the poets Ruth Padel and Bernard O'Donoghue have also contributed. They are actively seeking new submissions and wondered whether our members, a partner, relative or friend may be interested in contributing. The website is www.poetrygeneration.co.uk to see the videos. They are also on Twitter (@poetryg2020), on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (@poetrygeneration) All of the submission guidelines can be found at: https://poetrygeneration.wordpress.com/about/ I hope that you are keeping safe and are not too bored. Remember, we have Quiz groups, a Reading Group, History Group, Music Appreciation, Bird-Watching and Jazz Group which are all trying to come up with ideas for their group members and even if you were not a member before the shut down, their leaders will be happy to include you in their activities. Please either contact the leaders of these groups to see if they can send you a quiz or information or myself. If you are living alone and simply want someone to talk to, just give me a ring. Carmel is willing to give anyone a call, as are other members. We will keep you up-to-date with any changes as they occur about days out etc. but also look at the Stop Press on the website. Linda

OUR MARVELLOUS MEMBERS

Rita Nicholls

We are pleased to be able to share the following article about Rita Nicholls MBE who has led the Birdwatching Group throughout its long existence. Rita's knowledge about all things to do with birds has been greatly appreciated by all who have had the privilege of going out with her in all weathers. No such thing as bad weather, Rita would say, just the wrong clothes. We are indebted to the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust at Brandon Marsh, where Rita is a volunteer, for allowing us to print this article, which appeared in their magazine.

https://www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/magazine

Alan Shean

John Franks Amongst Lutterworth U3A, we have some remarkable members and I should like to tell you the story of one of them, John Franks. John was born on 29th June 1942 during WWII and grew up in Leicester. He enjoyed Saturday morning pictures and the heroes of the Wild West films like Hoppy and Roy Rogers. He also followed the escapades of the heroes of his Commando comic books. He loved anything to do with the military and it was his ambition from an early age to join the Royal Marines, He couldn't sign up until he was 17 years of age and after leaving school he joined John Bull Rubber Company where his parents worked. He worked in printing and retail and then as a draughtsman at Dunlop Ltd until he could enlist. It was whilst working at Dunlop that he met Dee who was to become his wife. In November 1959, he joined other new recruits at Deal and became part of 733 squad. The training was tough; he continued his Infantry training, then seamanship on HMS Vanguard, Landing craft at Poole followed by Commando training at ITC Lympstone in Devon. In 1960, John passed for duty with 733 Kings Squad and achieved his ambition to wear the coveted Green Beret. He was drafted to 40 Commando in Malta and served in the Mediterranean, seeing service in North Africa, Italy and Sicily. After this posting, he returned to the UK to 43 Commando Royal Marines at Plymouth where he was promoted to Corporal as a section commander. He married Dee in April 1963 and continued his training in mountain warfare in the Arctic snow of Norway followed by exercises in France, Belgium and Holland. He took part in the Royal Tournament to the music of Ravel's Bolero and the 1812 overture. Sadly, Dee was diagnosed with TB and John was given special dispensation and taken off a draft to HMS Zulu, a Gulf frigate. He remained at Stonehouse where he took up boxing, canoeing and other sports and when Dee was given the all clear, he was posted to Singapore with the family for two and a half years. Here he ended up serving in the Special Boat Services under the command of Paddy Ashdown. They served in Borneo, Malaya and Indonesia followed by a three-month duty in Australia. Whilst in the Far East, he competed in the Navy Championships, winning the Shot Putt title and going on to compete for the combined services. Tug-of-war became another sport for Paddy's athletes during this period. John had planned to remain in the Royal Marines on his return to the UK but the arrival of his second and third sons caused a change in plans. He completed his service in the corps as Provost Corporal at 41 Commando RM Bickleigh in Devon and then joined the Leicestershire Constabulary at Leicester central division but due to a lack of accommodation for his family, they moved to Hinckley. When John finished his probationary period, he was attached to the CID and soon promoted a full Detective. The family then moved to Lutterworth where John was stationed. John continued to play sport, this time it was rugby for the Vipers and Market Bosworth and then Lutterworth where he played a permanent second row Forward for the 1st team. He also became an instructor with the Marine cadets at TS Tiger in Leicester. Work interrupted the rugby and instructing with high profile murder enquiries, which hit the headlines with the murder cases of Lutterworth schoolgirls, Lynda Mann and Dawn Ashworth. These were the first murder cases solved with the use of DNA evidence and required many hours of intensive investigation by the officers. In 1986, John became a Crime Prevention Officer and in due course completed his police service. After retirement from the Police force, John joined Holman security systems as Sales Manager and took the company to national recognition. When he retired from this employment, John became involved with the Royal Marines Association Coventry and District ending up as their Chairman. Both John and Dee became involved with Quilts for Injured Servicemen, a charity that makes quilts for our badly injured troops. Hundreds of these quilts were distributed to the servicemen at Headley Court in Surrey and other Military recovery homes and centres nationwide.

Last year, John and Dee were invited to Westminster Abbey for the memorial service of Paddy Ashdown. As they were about to enter the Abbey, they were approached by a TV reporter from West Country News. Although they have not seen the coverage, a couple from Lutterworth did see the report and recognised them. The invitation was an honour for a man who, if you were to ask him to sum up his life would say categorically that he was a Royal Marine from the day that "he was brain-washed in 1959" to the present day. ONCE A ROYAL MARINE ALWAYS A ROYAL MARINE. Linda

Do you know of any other marvellous members?

We would like to invite our members to tell us the stories of other marvellous members, as, until they tell us their stories, we don't know about them!

As you know, we do not meet in the Wycliffe Rooms on the second Tuesdays in July and August. We have a day out trip in July and a picnic in August. We have been kindly invited by Liz and David White, once again, to hold our picnic in the garden of their home. More details will follow.

This year our day out trip on Tuesday July 14th is to Crich Tramway Museum. This is a fascinating place where we can see a large collection of trams, travel on some of them and visit the letterpress printing museum amongst many other interesting things. I am sure that it will be a very enjoyable day for us all. Please let me have your name if you would like to join us. The cost is £22 per head and the coach will leave from outside the Wycliffe Rooms at 9.30 am.

Linda

WALKING QUIZ Lutterworth U3A 2020 Village walking Quiz on Wednesday 19th August. Hopefully, there will be more information and booking forms in next Newsletter

GARDENS GROUP VISITS Sadly, we could not go to Hidcote on April 6th due to the Coronavirus lockdown. All who paid to go on this trip will have their money returned as soon as we can meet again. It is safely in our Social Account bank account. No money had been spent on the coach hire or on entry for those who are not members of the National Trust. The NEC has been changed into a Nightingale Hospital and Gardeners World Live has been cancelled this year so, unfortunately, this day out has also had to be cancelled. Similarly, no money has been spent on this trip and all will be reimbursed as soon as I can do so. The holiday to Harrogate has also had to be cancelled, as RHS Harlow Grange will not be open to the public. I have forwarded the £25 deposits to Great Days, the company that was arranging this trip. They have told me that they will be refunding the deposits to me in due course and these will, of course, be returned to you all.

I am very sorry that I cannot send you the money owed to you at this time as I could only do so by asking for the money to come to me from the bank account and then send you individual cheques and I do not have enough cheques in my cheque book to do this. At the present time, I have not cancelled the day out at Elton Hall as we do not know when it will be safe to go out again. Please keep yourselves safe and follow the government advice until we can meet again. Linda

INTEREST GROUPS AND EVENT REPORTS

Always check online for possible timing variations. Check with the group leader if you are not sure. A number of groups have room for more members. If you wish to join any of them, please contact the Group Coordinator

READING GROUP Co-ordinator: Linda Patton Tel: 556996 As we could not meet personally in April to discuss "Different Class" by Joanne Harris. Members were invited to forward their views on the book to me so that I could then share these with the other members. This was a very complicated book, which ranged over a period of 20 years and had many characters who all seemed to have at least two names but we worked hard and eventually made sense of it. We will not, however, be choosing another Joanne Harris for the foreseeable future! The choice for our May discussion was "The Garden of Evening Mists" by Tan Twan Eng. Many members sent in reviews, which were shared with all members by email. Some were not keen but the majority did enjoy the book, It is the second English-language book by the author and both books were listed for the Man Booker prize, It was turned into a film which was released in January this year. The author wanted to write a story about a girl who had been interned by the Japanese in a prisoner-of-war camp in Malaysia but it was not until he met the Emperor of Japan's gardener at a reception in South Africa that he found the character against which she could be set. We learned about the conditions in the camp, the design of Japanese gardens, tattooing, archery and the tea-growing industry as well as the history of Malaya at this time. It was not

always an easy book to read as it covered a period of 40 years and the chapters moved to and fro but it was an interesting story especially if the part about the Golden Lily was true. In June, we shall be discussing electronically “A Thousand Roads Home" by Carmel Harrington or "Charles, the Misunderstood Prince" by Sally Bedell Smith if preferred. Linda HISTORY GROUP Co-ordinator: Linda Patton Tel: 556996 As we were not able to meet in March, I sent a history quiz to members relating to a period prior to 1066. I shall send out another quiz dating from 1066 out this month. I have ideas for visits we can make when the lockdown is over and hope that it will not be too long before we can meet again. Keep safe and, if you want to contact me regarding any ideas that you have that we can share, please do so. Linda

BIRD WATCHING GROUP Coordinators: Rita Nicholls Tel 557412 Ann Fletcher Tel 07495-935447

As we have not been allowed out to see birds in the feather, quizzes have been flying around instead. In one quiz, there were photographs of birds to identify. Some were easy and some not easy at all. The two photos attached will give you an idea. Another challenge was in the familiar question and answer format. Again a couple of examples:- 1. What is the collective name for a flock of snipes? 2. What is the only British bird to go extinct since records began? It's amazing what we don't know!

Alan Shean

JAZZ GROUP Coordinator Graham Ruff -Tel: 556985

Jazz Group virtual Meeting

As everyone is aware, our meetings have been curtailed. However, in April I sent out to members a CD containing 19 pieces of music from the 1920's up to the present day.

Track 1. Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five playing

“Cornet Chop Suey” recorded 26/2/1926 in

Chicago with Kid Ory trombone, Johnny Dodds

clarinet, Lil Armstrong piano, Johnny St Cyr

banjo. This track is a tour de force for Louis.

Here he was still playing cornet as he had done

since arriving in Chicago in 1923 to join King

Oliver. He would later swap to trumpet with its

brighter sound and go on to international fame.

Some jazz purists felt his later work, with too

much singing, demeaned his talent but I still

think his trumpet playing was always true to his

great ability.

Track 2 Bix Beiderbecke Orchestra playing

“Jazz Me Blues” recorded 5/10/1927 in New

York. This band was composed of white

musicians who had heard the sounds of New

Orleans and Chicago jazz from the likes of the

white players in the Original Dixieland Jazz

Band (ODJB) as well as the black musicians

like Armstrong and Oliver. I have mentioned

New Orleans and Dixieland and you may

wonder what is the difference, not much is the

answer, except that white musicians tended to

use the term Dixieland. Dixieland refers to the

area south of the Mason Dixon Line and is now

generally used to indicate the southern states,

which supported slavery

In the Orchestra were Beiderbecke cornet, Bill

Rank trombone, Don Murray clarinet, Adrian

Rollini bass sax, Frank Signorelli piano, Howdy

Quicksell banjo Chauncey Moorhouse drums.

Beiderbeck's playing was less high register

than Armstrong and more restrained, owing

more to his upbringing with western classical

music. Nonetheless, he was a great player in

his own right and almost certainly would have

gone onto great heights. Unfortunately, he

died in 1931 aged 28 from alcohol poisoning.

Track 3 The Benny Goodman Quartet from a

film in 1937 playing “I got a heartful of music”

Benny Goodman clarinet, Teddy Wilson piano,

Lionel Hampton vibes, Gene Krupa. At this

time, there were still strict rules about racial

mixing in the USA. It is to Benny’s credit that

he ignored this as much as possible. In this

group, Wilson and Hampton were both black.

They could play together but they couldn’t eat

together or share the same entrance to the

theatre they were playing in and their

audiences would be segregated.

Track 4 Art Tatum Piano solo playing “Begin

the Beguine” in 1940. Tatum was regarded as

one of the great jazz piano innovator and was

acclaimed for his virtuoso technique. Tatum

drank large quantities of alcohol when

performing, and although it did not negatively

affect his playing, it did damage his health.

Unlike others of his generation, he was not

known to take drugs. The brilliant technique

and harmonic sophistication of Art Tatum

inspired young musicians, including Charlie

Parker and Bud Powell. In his early days in

New York, Parker held a job washing dishes at

an establishment where Tatum had a regular

gig. Tatum died in November 1956 aged 47 in

Los Angeles, from uraemia. The previous

August he had played to the biggest audience

of his career over 19,000 gathered at the

Hollywood Bowl.

Track 5 Billy Holiday singing “All of Me” in 1941

with the Eddie Heywood Orchestra which

included on tenor sax her lifelong friend and

confidante Lester Young. They were both to

die in their 40’s, within a few months of each

other. Billie had a tragic life including an

attempted rape at age 11 and her mother’s

descent into prostitution. Several abusive

husbands caused her drinking and heroin use

to escalate and she finally died aged 44 from

cirrhosis while under arrest in hospital for

narcotic possession.

Track 6 Charlie Parker introducing his

“Scrapple from the Apple” from a broadcast in

Boston in 1954.

Parker was the leading light in the development

of Bop or Bebop in the early 40’s, along with

trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Bebop developed

as the younger generation of jazz musicians

expanded the creative possibilities of jazz

beyond the popular, dance-oriented swing style

with a new "musician's music" that was not as

danceable and demanded close listening. As

bebop was not intended for dancing, it enabled

the musicians to play at faster tempos. Bebop

musicians explored advanced harmonies,

complex syncopation altered chords, extended

chords, chord substitutions, asymmetrical

phrasing and intricate melodies. “Scrapple

from the apple” was written by Parker in 1947,

commonly recognized today as a jazz

standard. The song borrows its chord

progression from “Honeysuckle rose” a

common practice for Parker, as he based many

of his successful tunes over already well-

known chord changes. While the A section is

based on "Honeysuckle rose", the B section or

middle eight comes from the rhythm changes,

which are based on Gershwin’s "I got Rhythm".

Bebop was to influence many of the young

British players who having heard the 78’s then

joined bands like Geraldo’s orchestra, which

played on the transatlantic liners. On the stop

over in New York, they frequented the jazz

clubs, particularly on 52nd Street, which had

about 10 and just round the corner on

Broadway was the famous Birdland named

after Charlie Parker

Parker had, like many jazz musicians, a

nickname; his was Bird or Yardbird. It is said

this derived from when; the ever hungry Charlie

chased a chicken round the car park at a road

stop while on tour. He was yet another of the

great players to fall under the influence of

alcohol and hard drugs. Parker died, watching

TV, on March 12 1955, in the suite of his friend

and patron Baroness de Konigswarter at the

Stanhope Hotel in New York City. The official

causes of death were pneumonia and a

bleeding stomach ulcer, but Parker also had

advanced cirrhosis and had suffered a heart

attack. The coroner who performed his

autopsy mistakenly estimated Parker's 34-year-

old body to be between 50 and 60 years of

age.

Track 7 Count Basie’s Kansas City 7 a group

that was part of Basie’s larger14 piece

Orchestra. This features Lester Young on

tenor sax playing his own tune “Lester Leaps

in”.

Big bands came to the fore in the late 30’s.

There had been Big Bands in the 20’s notably

Paul Whiteman’s orchestra for which Gershwin

wrote and performed his Rhapsody in Blue.

The main 30’s and 40’s Big Bands were

somewhat racially divided. The mainly white

bands were those of Benny Goodman, Glenn

Miller, Woody Herman, The Dorsey Brothers

and Stan Kenton. The black bands were those

of Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Cab

Calloway, Jimmy Lunceford, Chick Webb and

of course Duke Ellington. These bands offered

a feel good factor in the depression and were

heavily featured on the proliferating number of

local and national radio stations. The

introduction of the Wurlitzer Juke Box in 1933

also got their music to a wide audience. Much

of this music was designed for dancehalls

where new dances evolved, like the Lindy Hop

and the Jive This jazz style became known as

Swing. Most of these bands also featured

vocalists like Billie Holiday.

Track 8 Ella Fitzgerald singing “The very

Thought of You” with the Nelson Riddle

Orchestra recorded in 1962 but very much in

the swing era style.

Ella made her most important debut at age 17

on November 21, 1934, in one of the earliest

amateur nights at the Apollo in Harlem. She

had intended to go on stage and dance, but

opted to sing instead. She sang and won first

prize. She also won the chance to perform at

the Apollo for a week but seemingly, because

of her dishevelled appearance, the theatre

never honoured that.

In January 1935, Fitzgerald won the chance to

perform for a week at the Harlem Opera House

She was introduced to drummer and

bandleader Chick Webb, who was looking for a

female singer. After a trial date, she met with

approval by both audiences and her fellow

musicians and joined Webb's orchestra, going

on to become a huge star in her own right. Ella

continued to perform until 1993 when her

diabetes caused her to need both legs

amputating below the knee. She died in 1996

aged 79

Track 9 Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers playing

“Are You Real” from 1958.

Small groups were put together from the

personnel of the Big Bands. These were more

economical to run and helped supply the

growing record industry. Probably the most

famous jazz record label was Blue Note

records first formed in 1939 it was at the

forefront of recording small group jazz. In 1951

they issued their first 10-inch LP .The LP

allowed musicians to stretch out their

performances being no longer confined to the 3

minute time limit of 78 records. The drummer

Art Blackey was renowned for finding new

young talented players, many of whom went on

to become leaders and stars in their own right.

Track 10 Gerry Mulligan Quartet playing

“Cherry” recorded in 1953. Mulligan became

one of the main leaders of a style, which was

more laid back and “cooler” than the bebop

style; this was known as West Coast Jazz.

This track feature trumpeter Chet Baker in a

piano less group with Mulligan on baritone sax.

Cool jazz came about with Miles Davis’s

Nonet’s famous album “Birth of the Cool”

Originally recorded in 1949 and 50.Some

tracks were issued on 78 but the full album with

Gerry Mulligan and Lee Konitz was not issued

until 1957 .Canadian pianist Gil Evans was

involved with Miles and did a lot of the

arrangements for the recording.

Track 11 Miles Davis Sextet in 1959 playing

“Blue in Green” written by Davis and pianist Bill

Evans the group also had John Coltrane and

Julian “Cannonball” Adderley on tenor and alto

sax. This is from the album “Kind Of Blue”

which is said to be the best selling Jazz album

ever.

Davis had now moved away from his Bebop

roots and introduced what was termed as

modal jazz. Davis himself described it as

follows “No chords ... gives you a lot more

freedom and space to hear things. When you

go this way, you can go on forever. You don't

have to worry about changes and you can do

more with the [melody] line. It becomes a

challenge to see how melodically innovative

you can be. When you're based on chords,

you know at the end of 32 bars that the chords

have run out and there's nothing to do but

repeat what you've just done—with variations.

I think a movement in jazz is beginning away

from the conventional string of chords ... there

will be fewer chords but infinite possibilities as

to what to do with them."

Bill Evans recalls that Miles had only given the

band sketches of scales and melody lines on

which to improvise. Once the musicians were

assembled, Davis gave brief instructions for

each piece and then set to taping the sextet in

studio. While the results were impressive with

so little preparation, the persistent legend that

the entire album was recorded in one pass is

untrue. Only "Flamenco Sketches" yielded a

complete take on the first try.

Track 12 John Coltrane with Johnny Hartman

“My one and only Love” from 1963.

Coltrane was to become one of the originators

of the free or avant garde style of Jazz. This

was an approach to jazz that developed in the

1960s when musicians attempted to change or

break down jazz conventions, such as regular

tempos, tones and chord changes. Musicians

during this period believed that the bebop and

modal jazz that had been played before them

was too limiting. They became preoccupied

with creating something new.

Here however Coltrane is in lyrically mood

accompanying the little known Johnny Hartman

whose singing owes more to the crooning style

than pure jazz singing. The great exponent of

crooning was Bing Crosby who actually started

in a singing trio with the Paul Whiteman Big

Band

Track 13 Art Pepper’s “What is this thing called

Love” recorded in 1978.

Pepper was a white musician who had

absorbed the music of many alto sax players

being influenced by both swing musicians,

especially Benny Carter, and bop-era

musicians such as Charlie Parker and Lee

Konitz. He played alto saxophone with a

brilliant, pure tone, stating even small note

values with clarity.

He again led a troubled life being imprisoned 4

times and spending nearly 8 years behind bars

for Drug related offences. His very frank

autobiography was ironically titled “Straight

Life”. He mentions in his book being stationed

in England during WW ll where he visited

Feldmen’s club in London and sat in with the

band,one night a teenage John Dankworth

asked if he could sit in too. Again, like so many

of these artists, Art Pepper died too early of a

stroke in 1982 aged 56.

Of all the people mentioned so far he is the

only one that I heard live in1980.

Track 14 “The Cave of Montesinos” from the

album Windmill Tilter, a suite of tunes inspired

by Don Quixote. Recorded in London 1969

This is basically the Johnny Dankworth

Orchestra led by trumpeter Kenny Wheeler

who wrote the piece. Incidentally, in this band

were bassist Dave Holland and guitarist John

McLaughlin, both of whom were spotted in

London by Miles Davis and persuaded to go to

America, where they have become great stars.

As we can hear, jazz travelled quickly around

the world, mainly by American recordings being

freely available. Jazz in other countries would

later reflect some of the sounds from those

countries. There is very identifiable South

African Jazz influenced BT township music,

Brazilian Jazz with overtones of samba, Nordic

jazz has a cool ethereal quality and even

Scottish jazz has the lilt of the pipes’

Track 15 “The Girl from Ipanema” sung by

Joao and Astrud Gilberto with the liquid sax of

Stan Getz. A well-known example of Latin

Jazz from 1963.

American saxophonist Stan Getz came to

London often to play at Ronnie Scott’s Club in

London. He was a lovely player but according

to British pianist Stan Tracey, who played with

him, a very difficult man. Tracey said, “he was

a great saxophonist but not a nice guy. One

night my wife was in and while I was playing a

solo Getz went up to my wife and told her his

hotel and room number, then came back to the

bandstand. I’m afraid I couldn’t tap my foot to

that one. Ronnie Scott also said “I got a

slipped disc bending over backwards to please

Stan Getz”

Track16 “Pen Pals” This part of a suite written

by Stan Tracey based on Dylan Thomas’

“Under Milk Wood” originally written in

1965.This version from1976 features extracts

voiced by Donald Houston and the wonderful

sax playing of Art Themen, who in real life was

a consultant orthopaedic surgeon.

Tracey is sometimes referred to as the

Godfather of British Jazz. He survived the drug

habit he got while working for 7 years every

night at Ronnie Scott’s in the 60’s. He

continued to tour, write and record until late

2011.He finally succumbed to cancer in late

2013 shortly before his 87th birthday. During

his long life at the top of British jazz, he was

awarded an OBE and a CBE.

Track 17 Is the sound of French Gypsy jazz

with the violin of Stephane Grappelli playing

”Fascinating Rhythm”. I am not sure of the

date of this but probably 70’s.

Grappelli first appeared in the 30’s alongside

guitarist Django Reinhardt in the Quintette du

Hot Club de France. He continued playing

concerts around the world well into his 80s. He

famously played with Yehudi Menuhin although

Menuhin never sounded comfortable in the jazz

style. Grappelli died in this home town of Paris

in 1997 aged 89

Track 18 This is Scottish Jazz from Trumpeter

Colin Steele with ”Fanfare for Cafe Graffiti”

You can’t mistake the Scottishness of his

sound. This dates from 2001 and at last, we

have someone still alive and now playing

regularly despite his embouchure problems.

He described these in an article “In 2011 I took

the decision to try to improve my playing

technique. I had always felt that my range was

limited but more than that every time I played

my mouth would get badly cut and was taking

longer each time to heal. I decided to take

lessons over the internet from a highly

recommended American trumpeter. This

decision proved disastrous. I was persuaded

to completely change my trumpet technique, I

was reluctant to do this but I was reassured

that within a month I would be playing stronger

and better than ever. Over the following

months I worked really hard but my muscles

were becoming increasingly confused,

eventually my throat muscles were going into

spasm even when I took a breath, leaving me

incapable of playing at all. I had to cancel all of

my gigs; there really seemed no way out of the

mess. A friend put me in touch with Mark

O'Keefe, principal trumpet player with the BBC

Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Mark offered to

teach me for free, giving me as many lessons

as I needed until eventually I was able to begin

playing again”. Colin didn't record for nearly 10

years but has made two very well received

albums lately

Track 19 “Touch her soft lips and part” Is by my

all time favourite singer Norma Winstone with

German saxophonist Klaus Gesing and Italian

pianist Glauco Venier. This is the theme from

Olivier’s Henry V by William Walton and lyrics

by Norma. This track also has Mario Brunello

on cello. It was recorded in 2018.

Norma was born 23 September 1941 in

London. In a career spanning more than 50

years, she is held internationally in high regard

for singing with small groups, big bands and

orchestras and also for her remarkable ability

to improvise. She is a jazz singer and lyricist

well known for her English singing voice. She

is best known for her wordless improvisations,

and has appeared on many classic British jazz

albums from the 60’s to the present day.

She was awarded an MBE (Member of the

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in

2007 for services to music.

I hope there is enough here for you to enjoy my

personal ramble through jazz from the 20’s up

to the present day. I think I have chosen items

that are easy to listen to but give an indication

of the multiple forms that Jazz music

encompasses.

Stay well and trust we meet again soon in a

corona free country.

PS Don’t forget to have a cuppa and a cake

half way through!

Graham Ruff

PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP Co-ordinator: Alan Shean Tel 283512 This month has not been a complete wash out for the Photography group. Photos were circulated electronically with close up images of everyday objects in the home. It can be frustrating and interesting trying to work out what it is you're looking at. The group was invited to practise their skills by taking similar pictures. Some attractive close up images of spring flowers in the garden were also circulated. Alan QUIZ GROUP Co-ordinator Sue Jones Tel: 556192 With kind contributions from Sue, Linda, John and Marilyn so far, there have been a number of quizzes sent out to Quiz Group members while the group has not been able to meet. Quiz Group Diary Watch this space! We are a group who enjoy giving our brains some exercise in enjoyable and friendly competition. Members take turns to host the quiz afternoon in their homes. We have welcomed some new members to our group recently and at present, we are unable to accept any more. We welcome anyone to join us when attending pub or charity quiz evenings and if you would like me to keep you informed of these events let me know. Sue Jones

MUSIC APPRECIATION GROUP Co-ordinators: John Peverley 553614 Tony MacDonald 553910 April 2020 Music Appreciation was to be at Alan and Linda’s today, so I had not worn my decorating clothes and put on something more sartorial. Glenys was in her finery too! It was something to look forward to, lots to learn, good music, interesting pictures to look at and lovely coffee and cake in the interval. (In our imagination). However, we did have the best seats in our own home listening to a lovely programme about the happy Mendelssohn. Although a short life, he composed from an early age some wonderful, tuneful music. For all members Alan had generously compiled a CD of his own choosing with his notes to illustrate some of Mendelssohn’s output: - octet, oratorio, overture, symphony, sonata, concerto and rondo, all beautiful to hear on a sunny morning. What a shame not to have our “host” telling us about it. However, the group lives on! John Peverley CHARITY CORNER

Postcards for MAF:- Please remember to save your postcards and let Brian Fowler have them, either by post to him at 16 Roman Close, Claybrooke Magna LE17 5DU, or at any General Meeting Stamps for the ‘Medical Alert’ Charity Please remember to save your used postage stamps for Liz White, who is collecting these for the charity. Knit and Stitch needs volunteers like you to join us at Lutterworth Methodist Church on the first Thursday of each month between 2pm and 4pm to help make Linus quilts (for children in need of a hug) or to knit items for charities and good causes. All equipment and help is provided. Knit and Stitch is also looking for donations of cotton fabric, threads, wadding and knitting wool. Just turn up to a meeting or for more information ring Sue Turner on 01455 554455 RECYCLE YOUR EMPTY COMPUTER TONER CARTRIDGES

Liz White has some envelopes to enable you to send your empty inkjet toner cartridges to Recycle 4 Charity, which will donate money to Medical Detection Dogs. Please either let Liz have your used cartridges or help yourself to an envelope. They will be on the bar at the back of the hall at the monthly meetings.

NOTICES AND MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

WE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS HOPING TO JOIN LUTTERWORTH U3A? If any members have friends who are interested in joining us, please give details of their address, telephone number and email address to our membership secretary, Alan Shean Tel: 01455 283512

Current Committee Members

Post Name Number

Chair Roy Maiden 01455 550058

Vice-chair Brian Poulter 01455 557537

Secretary Minutes Secretary

Gwen Edwards 01455 209649

Treasurer/ Membership Secretary

Alan Shean 01455 283512

Social Account Treasurer Kate Ayres 01455 209074

Newsletter Editor Carmel Kerslake 01455 553790

Online Coordinator Barbara Maiden 01455 550058

Programme Secretary Margaret Foster 01455 553258

Groups Coordinator Linda Patton 01455 556996

Committee Member Theresa Phillips 07788 130339

Committee Member Lynne Grindlay 01788 860567

Co-opted member Mick Barrows (Equipment Organiser) 01455 556570

Co-opted member Peter Sneath 01455 553254

Co-opted member June Clayton 01455 209545

MONTHLY MEETINGS Currently suspended FORTHCOMING SPEAKERS Currently suspended NEWSLETTER BY POST; E-MAIL or ONLINE If you change your e-mail address, please let me know so that you do not miss out on your newsletter. The newsletter is available on our website: https://u3asites.org.uk/lutterworth

Please contact the editor if you need a newsletter posted or e-mailed.

Contact details: Carmel Kerslake - 3 King’s Way, Lutterworth, LE17 4QA Tel: 01455 553790 or 07815410167 (mob)

email: kerslakec@hotmail.com JUNE NEWSLETTER ENTRIES Please ensure group notices and any other news entries are submitted before Friday 29th May 2020 pm

Did you celebrate VE Day by decorating your houses or taking part in a socially distanced street party? Do you have a story to tell or a photograph to share with us about it? If so, send contributions in to the newsletter editor for inclusion in our June newsletter.

LUTTERWORTH U3A GROUP MEETNGS – TIMING GUIDE

GROUP LEADER TELEPHONE FREQUENCY TIME

MONDAY

Buffet Supper Groups Gwenda Jones 01455 556923 1st

From 7.00 pm

Table Tennis Carole Harrington

01455 553438 Weekly 2.00-4.00

Music for Fun - Songsters Bill Tomkins 01455 552864 1st

& 3rd

10.15

Music for Fun - Ukulele Barbara Wilkinson Peter Sneath

01455 553254 2nd

& 4th

10-12noon

History Group Linda Patton 01455 556996 4th 2.15-4.15

TUESDAY

Reading Group Linda Patton 01455 556996 1st

10.00-12.00

Music & Memories 1 Nohline Ruff 01455 556985 1st 2.00-4.00

Strolling Group 1 Gwenda Jones 01455 556923 3rd

am - varies

Strolling Group 2 John Lee 01455 556923 3rd

am - varies

Short Walks Group Fay Goodwin Lyn Foxwell

01455 207822 01455 553492

4th

10.00 onwards

Jazz Group Graham Ruff 01455 556985 4th

2.00-4.00

Line dancing for Beginners Carole Harrington

01455 553438

2nd

& 4th

2.30-4.00

WEDNESDAY

Poetry Betty Wilson 01455 209790 1st

2.00-4.00

Topical/Current Affairs Group Nigel McNeill 01455 641634 1st

10.00 onward

1st

Wednesday Walking Peter and Irene Moore

01455 552594

1st As arranged

2nd

Wed Medium Distance Walking Mike Chapman 01455 209972 2nd 9.30 onward

Play Reading Glenys Peverley 01455 553614 2nd

10.00-12.00

New Age Kurling Group Roy Maiden 01455 550058 2nd

& 4th 2.00-4.00

Scrabble Glenys Peverley 01455 553614 3rd

2.30-5.00

Canasta Group 2 June Hartopp 01455 553418 3rd

10.00-12.00

4th

Wednesday Walking Sue & Peter Creeden

01455 557888 4th

9.30 onward

THURSDAY

Whist Group Glenys Peverley 01455 553614 1st

7pm

Music and Memories 2 Nohline Ruff 01455 556985 1st 2.00-4.00

Art Appreciation

Rae Flowerday Sue Woodhead

01455 556942 01455 558037

1st 10.00-12.00

Quiz Group Sue Jones 01455 556192 2nd

2.00-4.00

Wine Appreciation Group Sue Sharp 01455 556255 2nd

Evening

Music Appreciation John Peverley Tony MacDonald

01455 553614 01455 553910

3rd

10.00-1200

Lively Discussion Dianne and Brian Thorp

01455 209584 3rd

2.15-4.00

FRIDAY

Photography Group Alan Shean 01455 283512 1st 10.00-12.00

Bridge Kathy Scott Simons

01455 559945 2nd

/3rd

/4th 2.00-5.00

Canasta Group 1 June Hartopp 01455 553418 1st 10.00-12.00

Ten Pin Bowling Richard Whittington

01455 209021 2nd

11.00-1.15

Bird Watching Group Ann Fletcher Rita Nicholls

07495-935447 01455 557412

4th

9.30 onward

VARIOUS

New Adventure Group Ken Patton 01455 556996 As arranged Varies

Garden Visits Linda Patton 01455 556996 Varies Daytime

Theatre Group June Clayton 01455 209545 Varies Varies

Jean Williamson 01455 209882

Pauline Harrison 01455 209064

Singles Takeaway Group June Clayton 01455 209545 Varies Evening

Singles Dining Brian Fowler 01455 209336 Varies Varies

Joint Golf Section Peter Moore Ken Patton

01455 552594 01455 556996

As arranged Varies

Always check online for possible timing variations.

Please remember to update your online Group page in order to keep your group members and potential new members informed.

NEWSLETTERS

The newsletter is not currently being printed but if you know anybody who would like to receive a newsletter via e-mail, please ask them to e-mail me with their request and I will be happy to add them to the e-mail list. Carmel Kerslake kerslakec@hotmail.com