LAST Monday, Bury Jazz Society took on a Christmas theme when members played their own particular favourites.

Irving Berlin wrote the song White Christmas for the film Holiday Inn, and Louis Armstrong performed it.

Miles Davis and Frank Rehak recorded Blue Xmas with Bob Dorough singing the vocal chorus.

Sixty-years ago last week, Glenn Miller took off in the fog for Paris and was never seen again. It Happened In Sun Valley was a suitable tribute to his popularity in happier times.

An up-tempo version of Bachs Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring by the Jacques Lousier Trio was followed by A Christmas Love Song, a tune composed by Johnny Mandel for an album called Big Band Christmas by Rob McConnel and his Boss Brass Orchestra.

In 1957, the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra spent Christmas working at the Peacock Lane club in Hollywood. The leader's high note trumpet playing was a feature on Christmas for Moderns.

In 1949, club owner John Nevine decided that it would be worth-while to open a jazz club at Hermosa Beach, California, just one hour's drive from Los Angeles. He called it the Lighthouse Club and even today, some of the west coast's mot famous jazzmen can be seen performing there, including trumpeter Chet Baker, and pianist Russ Freeman on Winter Wonderland.

The National Youth Jazz Orchestra was formed in 1965 as a London schools orchestra and has, for almost 40 years, provided an incomparable training ground for dozens of the country's top musicians. The success of the NYJO - the only full-time big band operating in Britain today - is due entirely to its founder, Bill Ashton, who has devoted his life to it. He has encouraged and published many fine young composers and has produced many excellent recordings, such as Hark the Herald Angels Swing on their recent Christmas album.

The evening ended with a Latin beat on Jingle Bells Mambo by trumpeter, Pete Rugelo's Band.

Bury Jazz Society meets every Monday evening at the Mosses Centre and jazz enthusiasts are welcome to join us.

J.R.