Chris Pratt Concert September 1 2001

Concert for Chris Pratt, St George's, Ashtead
Saturday September 1st, 2001
photo credits: Haslam & via Boniface: please allow time for page to load as there are many images.
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'Thanks for concert and all that jazz'
Leatherhead Advertiser, Thursday
September 20th 2001

A letter from Christopher Pratt

"Two weeks ago I went to play in a concert given by the Therfield Stompers."

"This jazz group was founded three years ago when I was the head of the music department at Therfield and has gone from strength to strength under the inspired leadership of Timothy Boniface, who is an outstanding young jazz musician."

L-R: Alex Head, Tim Boniface

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"Tim was kind enough to let me play my trombone in his group in spite of the obvious generation gap with the rest of the band."

"I have subsequently had to seek early retirement from my post at Therfield due to ill health, but have retained my contact with The Stompers."

"The concert, held at St.George's Church, Ashtead on Saturday September 1, was, so I thought, to mark the "parting of the ways", as most of the members were leaving Therfield to begin their further education."

"I had no idea that it had been organised by the students in my honour and, in addition to The Stompers, featured performances by the Therfield School Choir and the Swing Band, all of whom had given up two days of their summer holiday to rehearse."

"I would be most grateful if you would allow me to thank publicly everyone who attended the concert, either as performers or as audience, for such a moving and joyous occasion."

Ben Newton presents a gift

The Stompers' website says: "Many thanks for all who came to the concert on the 1st September 2001.
We raised well in excess of £900, which will be going towards Hope HIV, supporting children in Africa with Aids."

Stompers not easy to photograph on the night: here at the Therfield Summer Cabaret 2001, (top) Tom Early, (below) Tom Marshall : (R) Ben Newton in an art shoot - click on Ben's picture for the Stompers as you've never seen them before!