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| All
text content on
this
site © SJGS. |
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| Photographs
© Martyn Gingell |
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Club
history |
Reprinted
from the October 1996 Newsletter |
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Early
in 1993 Brian White and Bill Pritchard started a regular
Tuesday night gig in the Mouldy Fig bar at the Concorde
Club, Eastleigh (guest players welcome). They,
in particular Brian, then thought there was potential
for a club or society, within the Concorde Club, dedicated
to the Jazz Guitar. Brian discussed this with
Cole Matteson the owner and it was agreed to try and
set up a Society. |
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A
'Launch of Jazz Guitar Society' event was arranged for
Tuesday 9th March 1993 featuring Gary Potter and his
Quartet. The evening was well attended,
and very successful, and an inaugural meeting of the
Society was held in the Mouldy Fig on Tuesday 27th April.
A committee was elected, and a lively discussion took
place regarding the aims of the Society, future programme,
rules etc, with meetings to be held on the last Tuesday
of every month. |
So
thanks to a lot of work, by Brian in particular, the
Society was up and running. Meetings were
held in May, June, July and August but unfortunately
it became obvious that Society meetings could not be
held in an open room situation. You can imagine
the problems if we tried to hold our meetings in the
bar downstairs at the Abbey Hotel. |
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The
Concorde Club, although supportive in the principle
of the Society, could not offer a private room on
an assured regular basis, and we had to withdraw the
meetings. Unfortunately, after a few more weeks,
Brian and Bill lost their regular Tuesday night spot.
At this time we had 14 members and we tried to find
another suitable venue, but either because of costly
hire charges, or not acoustically/atmospherically
suitable, this proved impossible.
A
couple of newsletters were issued to keep things simmering.
In March 1994 Terry Cole with Bill Pritchard started
a regular Monday night gig at Knockers Wine Bar, Wickham,
and a newsletter was sent out suggesting we use that
as a base for getting together. A few of us
did attend, which just about kept the Society ticking
over. Membership was not renewed in 1994 but
the funds we had were kept in hand.
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Early
in 1995 I found out that the Southampton Classical Guitar
Society met in Romsey, at King John's House, and I contacted
their Secretary, Julia Norman, to see if we could in
any way use that venue. Julia suggested the Abbey
Hotel might suit our needs better (correctly assuming
we all like a drink). They had used the upstairs
room on occasions when they had been double booked at
King John's House.
Even
though I live in Romsey, and had used this room for
a private meal, it hadn't dawned on me it would be suitable
or available at the right price. A visit to the
landlord confirmed both suitability and price.
The committee agreed to use the funds held and book
the room for three meetings -March, April and May to
see if the Society could be resurrected.
A
members update newsletter was sent out in February.
Response was very good, the room (and bar) proved to
be ideal, and an AGM was held on the 23rd May meeting,
a committee was elected, basically as before. |
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New
membership was taken up by 12 people, mostly previous
members, and over the year 95/96 increased to 24, and
I think you will all agree we now have a successful,
viable Jazz Guitar Society, and we are now 3 years old. |
Mike
Hecken (1996) |
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