John Glasscock (BHCHS 1967-74) is keeping busy bringing music to appreciative audiences and helping worthwhile charities at the same time. Seen here with some of his band, John is on the left.
John writes……
I have been running a jazz band since 2003 when a group of us who attended an evening class, ‘Play Jazz’, at a local college formed a band and played at the open day of a local children’s hospice. Since then we have played at local venues in and around Basingstoke including village fetes, birthday parties, weddings, and jazz themed lunches.
I am a member of the Basingstoke Bridge Club and one of the members suggested that we should have a bridge club jazz band to play at the club Christmas party. That was in autumn 2023. Since then we have played regularly for community groups – including care homes, events supporting charities or mental health groups. We use these events to promote the bridge club and the benefits that playing bridge offers for mental health and social well being. We don’t charge for performing but we suggest a small donation for a charity which each of the band members nominates. We have 7 members of the band with a wide variety of experience. However, we all get great pleasure from sharing our enjoyment of playing together.
For me, the most memorable moment was when we played for a group of people who suffered with mental health issues. At the end, one of the carers approached me to thank the band and said that she had been looking after a lady for over 2 years, during which time she hadn’t spoken a single word. But through our performance, she sang along to a number of the tunes that we played (well known jazz standards) which brought a tear to her eye.
So as well as sharing the joy of making music together we all get immense satisfaction from hearing the positive feedback that we receive from each of the groups for whom we play.
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