Woman Who Is Leading The Guildford Jazz Boom

Published on: 6 Oct, 2019
Updated on: 6 Oct, 2019

By Dave Reading

Nine years ago Marianne Windham had a high-powered job as director of an IT consultancy. But there was a bigger passion in her life – the double bass. And so she gave up a lucrative career for the sake of her music.

Double bass player Marianne Windham who is leading the Guildford jazz boom.

Marianne is now at the centre of a thriving jazz scene in Guildford. As leader of Guildford Jazz, she and her fellow jazz lovers are bringing some of Britain’s finest artists to local audiences in an intimate club atmosphere.

US pianist Phil DeGreg and saxophonist Alan Barnes at the Jazz Café at Guildford’s Electric Theatre.

The Jazz Café, held on one Tuesday a month in the bar of the Electric Theatre and at the Guildford Rugby Club Pavilion on the second Wednesday of each month, has been hailed by some fans as ‘the Ronnie Scott’s of Surrey.’ In fact many of the musicians who frequent the London club have also played at the Guildford venues.

I asked Marianne why she decided to take up the double bass – in some people’s minds very much a male-dominated musical field. “As a teenager I played the cello,” she said. “I gave it up for a while but then returned to it, and from there it was just a hop to taking up the bass.

“I started playing electric bass in a covers band and the singer, Wendy, suggested we go on a jazz weekend at South Hill Park in Bracknell. I was hopelessly out of my depth but I loved the way the tutors were so encouraging, and the music was just wonderful. So that prompted me to start listening to jazz and I bought a double bass soon afterwards.”

The Matt Wates Sextet on stage at the Jazz Café at the Pavilion, Guildford Rugby Club.

Marianne added: “After the jazz bug bit and I started to get serious about playing bass, I took the rather weighty decision to leave my career in IT consultancy so that I could focus on learning to play.

“At the same time a friend introduced me to the landlord of a local pub, the Freeholders in Farncombe, who was looking to put on some jazz gigs. As soon as I saw the venue I thought that it would make a perfect jazz club, so I started running a monthly jazz night, inviting all my friends to come and hear some of these great musicians I was getting to know.”

Guildford Jazz was originally started in 1982 but was revived in under Marianne’s leadership. Since that time  they have welcomed nearly 800 musicians and more than 14,000 music lovers to about 250 gigs, organised more than 40 workshops and 40 jam sessions, put on several jazz events in support of the Guildford International Music Festival and the Guildford Spring Music Festival, and raised £36,000 for charity.

Events to watch out for:

Wednesday, October 9: Dave O’Higgins and Rob Luft play Monk and Coltrane at The Pavilion, Guildford Rugby Club.

Tuesday, October 22: Gabrielle Ducomble at the Electric Theatre. Gabrielle sings an inimitable blend of French chanson, tango and bossa.

Wednesday, December 18: Christmas Concert at St John’s, Farncombe, with Jazz Vocalist of the Year Ian Shaw.

End of March 2020: Guildford Jazz Fest 2020, a whole weekend of jazz hosted at the Electric Theatre, Guildford.

More information: www.guildfordjazz.org.uk

Responses to Woman Who Is Leading The Guildford Jazz Boom

Stuart Barnes Reply

October 7, 2019 at 8:40 am

Interesting for those who like bebop and other forms of avant garde music.

However what about those who like the genuine article of New Orleans jazz? For instance there is a club in Bookham at the Old Barn where such jazz has been presented for many years and an article about that and other places giving such music would be interesting.
- Simon Bates Reply
  
  October 8, 2019 at 8:56 am
  
  What an incredibly small-minded comment from Stuart Barnes. There are many sorts of jazz, but to reduce Guildford Jazz’s amazing programming to ‘forms of avant-garde music’ is like referring to the Beatles as a hip hop act! Jazz has evolved from its roots in New Orleans into a wonderful varied art form. Granted, avant-garde jazz exists as a category, but I doubt he will hear any at Marianne’s clubs and bebop was first heard in the late 1930’s so I’d hardly call that modern!
  
  Let’s just celebrate the wonderful work that Marianne and many others do to keep this wonderful, under-represented music genre alive. And perhaps if Mr Barnes bothered to find out what’s going on at Guildford Jazz’s venues, he’ll realise that they present all styles of jazz including his precious New Orleans!
  
  Congratulations Marianne. Long live Guildford Jazz!
  - Stuart Barnes Reply
    
    October 12, 2019 at 6:09 pm
    
    Mr Bates’ comment seems to me to be rather small-minded.
    
    I am not opposing those who like bebop and other forms of avant-garde music or derivatives thereof.
    
    I am merely proposing that some publicity might also be given to real New Orleans jazz which still can be heard in pubs and clubs in the local area. If it is true that Guildford Jazz does present such music I shall be interested to hear about it.
Penny Peters Reply

January 18, 2020 at 4:32 pm

Whatever anyone else thinks, the gig played by the Gabrielle Ducomble quintet at the Electric Theatre Guildford last October was the best jazz music event I have ever been to!