The fabulous Four Horseshoes in Sherfield is an integral part of our community, a real focal point of village life. All events from the Village fete, VE day celebrations, family BBQ day to Christmas Carols owe a debt to the pub as they wouldn’t be the same without it. The Four Horseshoes is a place for a quiet drink, a lovely meal, a cracking quiz, a meaty steak, all of which come complete the condiments of cracking company through the friendly hosts. The pub itself is also the place for the villages jazz contingent. Jazz nights are a mainstay at the Four Horseshoes and the house band for those unaware are the brilliant Equinox.
CommunityAd had the pleasure of speaking to the band’s guitarist, John Clarke to talk, Equinox, Life, Jazz and Lockdown.
Before Equinox there was Loose Change, was that your first band John?
No, I had a rock n’ roll band at school (we are still in touch!), got into jazz a bit with a University Jazz Band, and started to play the type of jazz we play now with a band I formed with a pianist friend in South London in the late sixties. I have only played jazz since then except for the couple of years in the seventies with Loose Change which played jazz influenced rhythm and blues music led by the pianist/vocalist Andy Fernbach.
How different was the music and values of Loose change in comparison to Equinox?
Same values but quite different music. Andy plays jazz as well as being as singer/songwriter and did jam with us a lot back in the late eighties.
So, John, for those readers whom are not regulars at The Four Horseshoes, who are Equinox and how would you describe your musical style?
We play melodic jazz, typically of the type of jazz which evolved in the second half of the 20th century. About every third month at The Four Horseshoes we have a vocalist. Their repertoire is usually from what has become known as ‘The Great American Songbook’ but occasionally includes songs recorded more recently and made famous by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Diana Krall, and Amy Winehouse.
How long ago and why did Equinox form?
We have known each other, and played together individually, since the 1980s/1990s. We formed Equinox as a regular band about 10 years ago at about the time we all retired and with a view to gigging more regularly.
The band’s name is captivating, could you explain its origin?
We didn’t want to call the band, say, The XYZ Jazz Quartet because that would imply the band being led by XYZ and we wanted to present it as a quartet of equals. ‘Equinox’ is a tune very well known by those who like our kind of jazz having been written by one of the most famous jazz saxophonists, John Coltrane.
Any particular favourite gig that stands out in the memory?
We were fortunate to be the support band at The Reading Jazz Cafe some years ago when one of the UK’s top jazz group’s The Clark Tracy Quintet played there. More recently our gigs at The Four Horseshoes where we have had guests who are professional jazz musicians stand out.
What would be the bands dream gig? Probably any with a live audience at this current moment?
A gig at a major Jazz Festival would be great! As you infer, any gig right now, not just for us but for nearly all musicians, would be a dream! People don’t understand how devastating the impact of the lockdown has been on the livelihoods of professional musicians and those who run the pubs, clubs and restaurants where they perform.
How has the pandemic and lockdown affected the band? I’ve read articles of some bands never being closer, speaking everyday etc? Any Facebook live gigs? Zoom calls?
We’ve kept in touch, of course, and on a positive note shared some ideas for new tunes to play and worked on these individually. I know two of us have held music education related Zoom calls with other musicians. With the latest lockdown restrictions coming into force we are considering holding a garden-based rehearsal. We had a very nice email today from one of our regulars at The Four Horseshoes saying how much he and others he knows are missing our monthly gigs there. Here is a quote from his email. “…..those great evenings spent listening to the band were truly the highlight of the month for me. The ‘guest’ singers and musicians enhanced those evenings of superb jazz”.
Have you learnt anything collectively as a band or as a solo musician during this time of corona-forced reflection?
I think we have all been practising, learning new tunes, and working on the considerable technique and skills needed to play good jazz.
If Equinox were stranded on a desert island and were permitted only three singles to be able to listen to… firstly, would you be able to agree? And secondly, what would they be?
No, I think we would disagree, but amicably! If you would allow four, that would be one favourite each, and would then be a very balanced programme. We all like broadly the same type of jazz but within that spectrum there is as much variation of styles as there is in our sets at The Four Horseshoes.
If you could have anyone join the band dead or alive who would it be and why?
Similar answer to the one above since we would all have different preferences. It would have to be an instrument none of us play, so probably one of the great jazz pianists.
Are there any plans to perform for our readers this year?
As soon as The Four Horseshoes opens again and is able within the Government’s rules to run jazz events there we will be playing.
Finally what makes this part of the world such a pleasant place to call home?
We all live in North Hampshire and are blessed with lovely countryside and towns with all the facilities we need, whilst at the same time having easy access to London on the one hand and the coast on the other. Oh, and there’s a Waitrose!