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It’s a mighty long way down rock n’roll from the Royal Festival Hall, The Barbican and the Montreux Jazz Festival to… St Mary’s Church in Wivenhoe.

Blimey.

That’s the exact musical path however that local chap Chris Allard is about to take, with a homecoming concert arranged at the church for the 8th October.

I really wanted to catch up with Chris for a Wiv Chat recording as his story seems just perfect for what I am trying to capture for this project. Plus it’s not everyday that you get a personal rendition in your own kitchen by one of the country’s leading jazz guitarists.

Chris doesn’t have to play St Mary’s to help pay the bills. In fact I very much doubt that the rather generously priced £10 ticket for the St Mary’s show will cover all of the overheads involved in bringing an all star jazz band to little Wivenhoe.

Chris explained during our conversation how:

“I’m fond of Wivenhoe and I have just moved back here. We did a gig at Snape Maltings and it made sense for the band to come and stay over. They were very impressed at how lovely Wivenhoe was. We’ve been friends for ages and I just suggested that we organise a gig.”

That “we” just happens to be Jacqui Dankworth, described by The Times as “one of our finest Singers regardless of category” and Charlie Wood - nominated by Downbeat in the USA for Best Blues Album 2010 and a former keyboardist for Albert King.

Splendid though Even Song is at St Mary’s, I can’t see it competing with the appearance of an all star jazz band for one night only.

But there is so much more to the personal journey that Chris has taken leading him back to Wivenhoe, the town where he was born and grew up. Our conversation covers Millfields and the Colne schools, character building gigs in Clacton and Colchester and then the progression to the prestigious concert stages such as the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican.

After fifteen years of the bright lights of London, Chris now finds himself settled in Wivenhoe, being able to carry on his career from his hometown base.

We also explore during the chat the logistics of a church gig. The altar area will act as a stage, the pews are perfect and the acoustics should work. What is impressive is that Chris is working with local people for promoting the show, as well as sound and events management on the night.

I have always believed that there is an appetite for jazz within Wivenhoe. The concert may just be the springboard to help resurrect the Wivenhoe Jazz Club.

Listening back to the recording for editing purposes (not a great deal to be honest) and I was struck with the absolute technical and creative brilliance of the personal performances I was privileged to be able to experience - LIVE and DIRECT from downtown Wivenhoe!

If one man and his guitar can produce such an uplifting musical delight whilst sitting in a Park Road kitchen, imagine what is possible at St Mary’s with the support of an all star band.

The concert will also feature Dudley Phillips on bass, who’s toured and recorded all over the world with artists including Bill Withers, Womack and Womack and Mark Knopfler.

Once again it really worth repeating: THIS IS COMING TO WIVENHOE!

Tickets for the show are available now at the Bookshop, priced at £10. If you are from out of town and can’t get to the Bookshop before 8th October, you can reserve them over the phone on 01206 824050. There is also a gig coming up at the Arts Center in Colchester on 13th November.

But for now, Wivenhoe can look forward to a very special night. The Royal Festival Hall, The Barbican the Montreux Jazz Festival… St Mary’s Church.

Nice.

To the Quay on Sunday afternoon for a quaff and some quartal and quintal harmony. Far *too* clever, Jase - yer trying too hard.

Tell It Like It Is:

OK, Comrades - Jazz on the Quay and BOOZE.

Blimey.

With New Orleans weather gracing Wivenhoe, what we needed was some respectable Regency style regalia - a parasol perhaps, an ankle length dress and a double G & T if you don’t mind.

All present and correct, Bandmaster.

The mighty fine Backwater Band returned to Wivenhoe for one afternoon of trad jazz and tales. There is a lot of twaddle written about jazz in general - it’s all about feelin’ it, folks. Which the fine chaps from the Backwater Band most certainly did after three hours out in the estuary heat.

It was standing room only around the Rose and Crown. The quayside boozer pretty much dines out on the location alone during these summer months, but it seemed that a lot of folk had come out especially to see the Backwater Band.

I was included in this category, along with the splendid company of Mayor Needham. You know you’re doing something right when the Mr Mayor makes a remark on the loudness of your shirt. I uttered something in reply about all that jazz, baby. I blame it on the freestyle foot tappin’ meets Johnny Cash, as was the case mid-set.

Come late afternoon and a selection of the Regency ladies came close to some jive. Feet were tapped, hips were wiggled and eyes were averted.

“It’s like Wivenhoe’s very own Glasto,” as a drinking friend observed.

Oh Lordy.

There was a tinge of regret late in the afternoon when the old timers from the Backwater Band wished Wivenhoe a fond farewell for yet another year. Is there the appetite for a revival of the Wivenhoe Jazz Club?

The Folk Club seems to thrive on the Open Mic policy, always offering up local artists that live on the periphery of the wider folk umbrella. Jazz covers many sub-genres in itself - any booming jazz club would need to diversify.

But whereas a floor spot at the Folk Club can be filled by a bloke and a battered guitar - and rather wonderfully it must be said - it’s not quite as simple turn on, tune in and feel the jazz for the more sophisticated genre.

I’d be up for monthly jazz sessions locally, but could we source the talent?

Jazz isn’t dead - it just smells funny, as the great quote goes. Wivenhoe would do well to inhale once again.