I joined a Jazz trio! Actually I joined a year ago, but didn’t want to say anything in case it didn’t work out. “Why wouldn’t it work out?”, I hear you ask. Well, because I’m not really a jazz guitarist, and the other two are professional musicians. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to cut it.
However, one year down the line I’m still there. The first few gigs were really tough. I dared not take my eyes of the music sheets (chord chards). But as time went on I started to relax a little. I’ve made a lot of progress and have gone from someone who worried about reading sheets to someone who has a sheet handed to them a few minutes before playing it.

The band is called Jazz a la Carte. Lynn Garner on vocals. Brad Lang on Double Bass, and me on guitar. We do play a lot of Jazz, but we also play classical, R&B, latin, reggae, pop and just about anything that takes our fancy.

Working with Lynn and Brad is a real treat for me. I reckon I’ve learned more about music in the last year than I did in the previous ten years!
Here’s a picture of my with my ‘Jazz’ box…….daddio!!!! 🙂

Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club is 3 years old. To celebrate we are doing a special ‘session’ at La Ferme Saint Michel, Confolens on 3rd April, starting at 5pm.
We’ve got a fabulous line-up of musos. There’ll be the usual suspects but there will also be some world class musicians joining in….I kid you not! You must be there! No need to book, just come along on the day. It’s free to get in (voluntary contribution towards expenses expected). There’ll be limited edition T-Shirts on sale. There will also be a bar.

There will be around 15 to 20 musicians taking part during the 2 hour session. Here’s the kind of stuff we’ll be playing…..
East of the Sun West of the Moon
Nature Boy
River Deep Mountain High
The Letter
Unchain my Heart
Steamy Windows
Tom Thumb Blues
All Blues
Mr PC
Misty
You do Something to Me
Sad Old Red
When a Man Loves a Woman
Besame Mucho
Bad Case of Loving You
Every Dog Has it’s Day

There’s even a “Limited Edition” T-Shirt available….

Finally, the SEO bit….
If you are looking for some Jazz and Blues action in the Haute Vienne, Charente area of France, then Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club could be the place for you. We usuall meet on the last Thursday of each month. All players of all abilities are very welcome, all I ask is that you contact me first so that I can fit you in where you’ll be happiest. Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club is primarily for musicians, our aim is, “to create a warm loving environment in which like minded musicians can meet, play, share, grow, and get hip!”, having said that, all fans of jazz n blues are welcome.

See ya soon 🙂

As usual we’ll be at the Soleil Couchant on Boxing day with Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club. It’s always packed, so if you are thinking of coming along make sure to book in, and get there early. This year we have more musos than ever taking part and it looks like being an epic session. Everything from seasoned professional to debutants. Here is the poster….

…..and here’s the hit list as it stands. There will be quite a few additions on the day…

BOXING DAY hit list….

Ain’t Necessarily So Gm
Blues in the Night Dm
It ain’t the Meat it’s the Motion Bb
Smooth (Santana) Am
Any Way you Want it D

Fly me too the Moon
Summer Wind
You Make me Feel so Young.
Come Fly With Me

Dont Ever Let Nobody Drag You Down, Eric Bibb. A
Texas Boogie, Big Daddy Wilson. 12 Bar in G

Moondance Am
Superstision E

Slipped Tripped C
Still in Love With You F
Every Dog Has it’s Day F
Little by Little

Black Coffee in F
Body and Soul inDb,
C’est si Bon in Bb
All of me in C.

See ya Boxing Day 🙂

August is super busy, as usual….I’m really looking forwards to getting stuck into these.
31st July, The Sugaree Band, Auberge de l’Argentour, Nanteuil-en-Vallée, 16700
1st Saturday – Jazz a la Carte – Private function.
2nd Sunday 12noon- Jazz a la Carte – Green Man Inn, Charroux, 86250
7th Friday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – La Petite Fontaine, La Dorat, 87210
8th Saturday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – Bar de la Fontaine, Gouex, Poitou-Charentes
13th Thursday – Jazz a la Carte – Private function.
14th Friday – Jazz a la Carte – La Meteorite, Rochechouart 87600
15th Saturday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – Au Reflet des Limousines, Ecuras 16220
16th Sunday 5pm- Jazz a la Carte – Le Soleil Couchant, Verneuil, 16310
21st Friday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – Le Repos, Lac du Mondon, Cromac, 87
23rd Sunday- Jazz a la Carte – “Grande Braderie”, Ruffec town centre, all day…
11am Place d’Armes, Hotel de Ville
3pm Rue Jean Jaurès/Rue du Chenais
5pm Place Aristide Briand
27th Thursday – Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club – Le Soleil Couchant, Plan d’Eau, Verneuil, 16310.
28th Friday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – Café de le Gare, Gourville 16170
29th Saturday 8pm- Jazz a la Carte – Auberge du Noyer, La Brousse, Londigny 16700
30th Sunday 12noon- Jazz a la Carte – La Charrette, Benest 16350

A Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club special! On the 14th July at the Golf de Saint Junien, starting around 1:30pm. A fabulous selection of handpicked Jazz n Blues hot shots playing whatever takes their fancy! If you only come to one Jazz n Blues session in France this year, make it this one!

The Jazz n Blues session at Le Soleil Couchanton 30th April was one of the best yet. We had more players than ever, really experienced players!
Here’s a clip of one of my favourites from the day…..Joe Cocker’s ‘The Letter’…..

The next scheduled session is on the 14th July at the Golf de Saint Junien, though I might try and organise something before that. As it happens I’m off to the seaside next week to see if I can pick up a couple of gigs on the coast….West Coast that is…can’t get no more jazzier than that! Watch this space! 🙂

A spring Jazz n Blues session on a Sunday afternoon at the Golf Club near Saint Junien. All players welcome.

Bennetti’s Jazz n Blues Club (so named to honour my famous Italian jazz violinist grandad Stephano Bennetti) goes from strength to strength!!! The April session at Le Soleil Couchant was packed with musos and supporters alike. It was a real club atmosphere and all due reverence was given to the music – Not! When was the last time you were at a Jazz club and people banged on the tables shouting for more?

As usual, we were lucky to have ace pro’ photographer Ian Wilson on hand to capture the ‘ambiance’. Here’s Francis, our main man on the Trumpet. Click the picture to see the full set…..

There were 15 guest musos who got up to join the house band at some point or other. It really was a night to remember, and I spent the most part of the following day writing to everyone to took part to say THANK YOU!

I’ve already started working on the ‘hit list’ for next month….after the last minute stress of April!!! So, if you are looking for some Jazz and Blues action in the Haute Vienne, then we’re at the Golf de Saint Junien on the 29th May. All musicians welcome, but if you want to be sure that you’ll get to play contact me so I can pencil you in.

Here’s the skinny, in French!

Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club – Jeudi 29 mai à 20 heures
Entrée libre (dîner possible dans le restaurant)

Jeudi 29 mai à 20 heures, nous accueillons le fameux Bennetti’s Jazz Blues Club (organisé par Steve Bennett) au club house du golf.

Le jazz club est ouvert à tous, ce concept réunit des musiciens de tous horizons ; le but est de jouer ensemble, apprendre les uns des autres, échanger autour d’une même passion. Les morceaux joués pendant la séance sont improvisés.

Il faut le voir pour le croire ! Chaque performance du jazz club est étonnante, leur public les suit où qu’ils se produisent, c’est une expérience à ne pas manquer ! Si vous voulez vous joindre à eux, tenter votre chance et amener votre instrument ou simplement les regarder en sirotant un apéritif au bar, n’hésitez pas ! Ambiance garantie !

Réservez une table « VIP » et dîner tout en profitant du spectacle. Réservez-vous aujourd’hui :

Tél.: 05.55.02.96.96 / Email : emma@golfdesaintjunien.com