The winner of Brecon’s (Kind of) Blue plaque is…..

the fifty-two year old Concorde Club in Eastleigh. Band On The Wall in Manchester came second, and Ronnie Scott’s third.

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First with the news were BBC Wales, and here’s the link to their story.

The Concorde Club began as a one night a week venture at the Bassett Hotel in Eastleigh. . Ronnie Scott played at the club the night before he opened his club in London. Will Bill Davison, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Buck Clayton & Memphis Slim also appeared.

The club’s website says: Manfred Mann (Manfred Sepse Lubowitz) started out at the Bassett and many of Pops Hall of Fame including Cream, Slade (as Ambrose Slade), Rod Stewart (with the Soul Agents and Steam Packet), Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames (still a regular fixture in the Concorde’s diary), Alan Price, Shakin Stevens, The Free, Elton John (when still Reg Dwight with Bluesology), The Nice, Joe Cocker, Robert Plant, Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton & Alexis Korner Blues Incorporated (including Dick Heckstall-Smith & Zoot Money) held a residency in the 1960s.

The club moved its current site in Eastleigh in 1970. It also has an Ellington Lodge Hotel. , superbly placed for Southampton Airport.

Malcolm Creese tells me it was packed to the gills for the Allan Ganley Band a few weeks ago. I’m down there on Wednesday for Vic Ash’s 80th birthday celebration, and will report back. Congratulations to the Concorde. A glass of champagne please.