We had a packed night at the Brunswick for last Tuesday’s Jazz Jam.  Many people came along to wish Renee Ansell a happy 88th birthday.  The place decorated with ballons and banners, after blowing out the candle on her cake, she launched into some beautiful songs from her era and entertained us with little anecdotes such as her singing to the troops as a youngster.

As well as great instrumentalists such as Wayne McConnell, Simon D’Souza and Rob Leake, plenty of singers turned out such as Bernadine who treated us to the lovely “It could happen to you”, Jenny Jane “Black coffee”, Tracy Jane Sullivan giving a sumptuous “Fever”, Ela Southgate singing the Portuguese lyrics to “A felicidade” and Heather Cairncross wowing the crowd with “You’d be so nice to come home to”.  Some visiting Hungarian musicians commented on the community feeling and warm atmosphere of the evening.

The night was aptly finished off with the lady of the evening Renee, singing a tune she saw Judy Garland sing live back in the day – Over the Rainbow!

It’s the last one next Tuesday 3rd May before the festival, then commences again 31st May.