Author Archives: Serge Bardot

Matt Warnock’s Play Jazz Study Group…

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It is two years ago today that I joined this group and began studying jazz with Matt Warnock…….and what a two years it has been. I believe I have learnt more in the last two years with Matt’s guidance and the support of this group than I did in the previous twenty. Every aspect of my playing has changed for the better, the way I hold my guitar, the way I think about music, the way I listen, everything. I am a different player.
I have gone from being a player that could maybe bluff an easy jazz tune to a player who has an abundance of options over any jazz tune. The way Matt breaks things down and explains them makes learning jazz easy. The exercises and challenge Matt sets are fun, and give you things you can use in your playing straight away. The Monday works shops are motivational. The study guides are packed with jazzy goodness. I am more motivated to play, and more in love with music than I have ever been.
“Thank you Matt for all that you do for us. Thanks for your fabulous teaching and leadership. Thanks also to all my friends in the group for the camaraderie and support. It’s a pleasure to share this jazz journey with you all”……

Nicked!

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Here is my recreation of a TV series theme tune from the 70s (UK). This was a great series, way ahead of it’s time. Now, don’t mention the name of the series…..but tell me how many seconds it took you to sus it, and leave me a line from the series in the comments box!

Championnat Regional VTT

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Yep, I’m still at it! I won the Regional VTT Championship at Cublac in the Correze 60+ Veteran category. It was a fabulous circuit, and I was really up for it. Gotta tell you though…..the strongest man didn’t win on the day, but the most determined did!

I rode hard off the line and found myself in the lead! Not part of the plan, but happy to be first into the single-track. I knew there were riders on my wheel, but there was no way they could sit close enough to draft. On to the first climb, and I had opened up a gap, but by the top of the climb I had been caught by one chaser. We pushed on. He was stronger than me on the climbs, but I could get back to him on the flat and through the technical sections.

We rode the rest of the lap together, on the last climb up to the line he’d opened up a gap of about 10 seconds. I soon closed the gap, my plan was to just stay with him for the next lap. The climbs were agony, as I tried to maintain contact. Just over halfway round and we’re onto a tough rooty climb. I’ve lost about three bike lengths. He slips on a root, he’s off and pushing his bike. The climb eases, and I’m expecting him to remount, he pulls his bike to one side and looks at me as if to say ‘go through’. Down the next tricky descent I opened up a gap. As we dropped out onto the fire road I’d got a nice gap. It was game on!

I rode like a man committed! If I could hold him off on the big climb up to start the last lap I was in with a chance. Going out to start the last lap I had about 20 seconds lead. Through the technical sections I made it count, on the climbs I rode as hard as I could. I worked hard to get out of sight. I dared to look back, he was still there, but I seemed to be getting away. Onto the last climb, he’s nowhere to be seen. I take the win! I get to wear the Regional Champions jersey for the year!

I had not raced this hard in a long time! 

For Sale – 1982 Dan Smith era Gold on Gold Strat (in Europe) SOLD

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1982 Gold on Gold Stratocaster with original case, and all important whammy bar with gold tip. Plenty of marks/mojo! This is a player. All original as far as I can tell. Note that she carries the controls from ‘The Strat’. I contacted Fender, they told me this was quite possible.

1982 Gold on Gold Stratocaster

This guitar has the pickups and controls of Fender’s ‘The STRAT’ which means….. A hotter lead pickup (branded the X-1) with a much stronger output than the standard Stratocaster pickup (various X-1 pickups tested were between 6.0 and 8.5 ohms). *a new wiring circuitry delivering 9 different basic tones: a twin mode rotary selector switch replaced the bottom tone control which when used with the five-way pickup selector switch allowed not only for your standard 5 Stratocaster positions(tones) but also 4 “new” tones never before or since available on a Fender Stratocaster : neck and middle pickups in series – humbucking middle and bridge pickups in series – humbucking neck and bridge pickups in parallel neck and bridge pickups in parallel, with the middle pickup in series. Thus, the STRAT delivered nine (5+ 4) different basic pickup tones by combining the 5-position switch with the twin rotary selector tone knob. Otherwise the STRAT was fitted with the standard 250k ohm audio taper pots and the “master” tone control carried a regular .05 MFD capacitor. This unique wiring design delivers many tones not usually associated with a Fender Stratocaster and makes the STRAT one of, if not the most, versatile of any era Stratocaster produced by Fender prior to the recently introduced S-1 switching system.

Boxing Day Jazz n Blues

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Last Boxing Day’s Jazz n Blues session was the last ever one run by me. I’d been running the monthly sessions for 5 years. It was becoming very time consuming, I felt I’d done my bit and it was time to quit. Boxing day was the Grande Finale. I stood there and told the packed house that this was the last one. I even had special souvenir posters done.

Some other musicians decided to take it on, and after a shaky start the sessions continued. But then when it comes to Boxing Day this year, they can’t do it……and can I help out because they don’t want to let people down!!!

Boxing Day Jazz n Blues

 So I did it! Pulled it together in a short space of time. Invited some top musos. On the day the place was packed, standing room only. We had a great time. Never say never eh? 🙂

A couple of people over on FB asked me what kind of stuff we play. Here’s a copy of the set-list from the day. As you can see, it’s a real mix, and some of it not strictly Jazz or Blues. Well that’s OK because we are there to have fun. Jazz is a big umbrella! 🙂

Bennettis Jazz n Blues set list

If you’re in the area next Boxing Day, then……. 🙂