Tarka Real Ale Trail

We had a wonderful night last night on the Real Ale Train from Exeter to Barnstaple and back again.

The train was full and everyone got into the mood. We had people dancing - In fact one young lady got quite carried away with Graham!

It was so good to see so many Jazzers on board - How did we know? Many people had the Devon and Cornwall Jazz Diary sticking out of the pockets!

Paul the bar man from the Real Ale Partnership was happy too, just as we were heading back into Exeter he ran out of Ale!

A very friendly man was so busy chatting to people before he departed he missed the Exeter St David's stop - This despite the band getting off and playing on the platform - much the bemusement of the train staff at St Davids and passengers waiting for their train to depart! So we made sure he got off at Central to walk back to his car at St Davids, instead of going to Exmouth!

All in all a great night - The next Real Ale Tarka train line with the Dart Valley Stompers is on Friday 27th July departures from Exeter Central and Exeter St David's to Barnstaple and return usual fare applies - Be there or be square!

1st REVIEW OF THE BANDS 2nd CD - MINNIE THE MERMAID

The band are pleased to announce the release of the band's 2nd CD and are also pleased to be able to share the first review below:-

MINNIE THE MERMAID – DART VALLEY STOMPERS.
Recorded 9.7.06 by David Baker at The Falcon Hotel, Bude.
Total playing time 67m. 13s.

I’ve Found A New Baby; Sweet Georgia Brown***; All Of Me*;
I’ll Always Be In Love With You; Minnie The Mermaid**; Collegiate;
Whose Honey Are You**; Georgia Camp Meeting; Doctor Jazz ***;
When You’re Smiling*; I’m Going To Meet My Sweetie Now**;
Please Don’t Talk About Me*.

Jeremy Huggett – Clarinet, Saxes & Vocals*; Graham Trevarton – Cornet, Trumpet & Vocals**; Ron Milford – Trombone & Vocals***; Ron Berry – Drums; John Whitlock – Banjo & Guitar; Tony Mann – Bass & Tuba.
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This is The Dart Valley Stompers second C.D. recorded almost exactly a year after their formation and what a tremendous birthday present they have prepared for their, now legion of, fans throughout the South West and beyond.

Again the tunes selected and, more importantly the interpretation and presentation of those tunes, is confirmation that the band do produce the genre of Jazz to match their objective to play top class New Orleans and Traditional Jazz.

There are twelve tracks on this C.D. each one an entertaining foot tapping experience with many excellent solo instrumental and vocal renditions throughout. Also, not surprisingly, the ensemble playing is superb.

I thoroughly enjoyed this C.D. with, as far as I’m concerned, twelve tracks that defy me to pick out a favourite, they’re all great.

A very impressive second C.D. from a band that is becoming very popular and busy, don’t miss an opportunity to see them live. If you’re not able to see the band then listen to them on this excellent C.D. Minnie The Mermaid that is recommended as a good buy,
especially if you like happy foot tapping entertaining Jazz.
Telephone 01884 35563 to order a copy.
George Giles

!!!!KEEP MUSIC LIVE!!!!

Please support LIVE music and join in and sign this petition http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing/sign Over 11,400 people have signed the live music/licensing petition on the Number 10 website. At the time of writing it stands at number 8 in the list of nearly 3,000 petitions and is likely to climb higher today.The petition was backed by Libby Purves in The Times on 6 February http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article1336496.eceIn the last few days the Number 10 petition website has attracted widespread media coverage due to the petition opposing the government's road pricing proposals. See today's online Guardian, for example: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0Ministers, and some in the press, have cast doubt on the value of such petitions. But one thing is clear: a successful petition does raise public and media awareness about an issue, making it more difficult for politicians to ignore.In the next few weeks, the Live Music Forum will present its Recommendations for improvement of the Licensing Act to ministers.Please consider signing the petition if you haven't already done so. If You have signed, encourage friends to sign. Points to remember about the new law:# For the first time, private performances raising money for charity are illegal unless licensed.# School performances open to friends and family are licensable - they count as public performances.# The unlicensed provision of even one musician is a potential criminal offence - although some places are exempt, including places of public religious worship, royal palaces and moving vehicles. Max penalty: £20,000 fine and six months in prison.# The rationale is to prevent noise, crime and disorder, to ensure public safety, and the protection of children from harm.# But broadcast entertainment, including sport and music, is exempt no matter where, and no matter how powerfully amplified.# In the transition to the new regime in 2005, bars with jukeboxes, CD players etc were automatically granted a licence to play recorded music; but their automatic entitlement to one or two live musicians was abolished.# Under the old regime all premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises were automatically allowed up to two live musicians (the 'two in a bar rule').# Last December, DCMS published research confirming that about 40% of these have lost any automatic entitlement to live music as a result of the new Act: 'Very few establishments that wanted a new licence were denied it, and many who were previously limited to 2-in-a-bar now have the ability to stage music with 2 or more musicians ... This contrasts, of course, with the fact that 40% of establishments now have no automatic means of putting on live music (i.e. they would have to give a TEN).' ['Licensing Act 2003, The experience of smaller establishments in applying for live music authorisation', December 2006', paragraphs 6.1.1 and 6.1.2 'Conclusions', p54; Caroline Callahan, Andy Martin, Anna Pierce, Ipsos-MORI] 'TEN' stands for Temporary Event Notice - in effect a temporary entertainment licence. Only 12 are allowed per premises per year. They cost of £21 each. See the full MORI reports on this site: http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference _library/Research/research_ by_dcms/live_ music_exec_summary.htm

NEW CD RELEASE

The Dart Valley Stompers are pleased to announce the release of their 2nd CD entitled Minnie the Mermaid. Recorded Live at Bude Jazz Club in 2006 it captures the audience reaction to the band and will soon have your feet tapping.
Tracks are:- At the Jazz Band Ball - Going to New Orleans - Bourbon Street Parade - Sweet Lorraine - Ain't Misbehavin' - Muskrat Ramble - Down by the Riverside - Shine - Lily of the Valley - My Blue Heaven - Just a Closer Walk with Thee - Panama Rag.

The front cover of the CD shows off the beautiful coast of Bude and we even found a mermaid sitting on the shore!

CD's can be ordered via the web site at www.dartvalleystompers.co.uk or at any of the band's gigs.

MILL ON THE EXE EXETER

Please note that the Mill on the Exe have now cancelled the gig on February 11th due to a family emergency - We apologise for the lack of notice.

Mill on the Exe Exeter

The Mill on the Exe has decided to cancel Jazz on a Sunday from March. The February date will go ahead but that will be the last gig at the Mill.

Despite a petition in November 2006 to keep Jazz alive which the owners listened to. Many of those customers that were there in November did not attend in January. Therefore the decision has been made by the owners to stop Jazz at the Mill.

Petition against Government Road pricing policy

This could be the end of live music!! Recently I was sent an email with an epetition against the Government proposed Road Charges for any Car/Motor Bikes. I thought this subject so important that I have decided to put it on our site - If you want to keep MUSIC LIVE please sign the epetition......

The government's proposal to introduce road pricing will mean you having to purchase a tracking device for your car and paying a monthly bill to use it. The tracking device will cost about £200 and in a recent study by the BBC, the lowest monthly bill was 28 for a rural florist and 194 for a delivery driver and a non working Mum who used the car to take the kids to school paid £86 in one month. On top of this massive increase in tax, you will be tracked. Somebody will know where you are at all times. They will also know how fast you have been going, so even if you accidentally creep over a speed limit you can expect a NIP with your monthly bill. If you care about our freedoms and stopping the constant bashing of the car driver, please sign the petition on No 10's new website http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/traveltax/