I couldn’t ever imagine Leonard Cohen, say, or Thom Yorke of Radiohead being married to a woman called Joy. But drummer, vintage jazz nut Richard Pite is. And I’ve been talking to her and to Richard about the “Kings of Swing / Chamber Jazz 1927-1940” gig at Cadogan Hall next Thursday 16th.

Tickets are going well, but Richard and Joy like the LondonJazz blog, and they’ve offered a pair of tickets for LondonJazz readers to next Thursday’s gig.

It will be compered by Russell Davies, who is steeped in the history and will make it interesting and accessible. There are bands playing small band arrangements of Joe Venuti and Artie Shaw.

It sounds a lot of fun. The evening will feature six bands with contrasting sounds, and the whole thing will build to a roasting climax of “C-Jam Blues” and “Don’t mean a Thing.” These gigs always have a lively atmosphere

The line up includes ebullient Enrico Tomasso on trumpet, fleet-fingered and classy Alan Barnes on saxes and clarinet, ex – buddy Rich sideman Jay Craig honking a bass saxophone….

If I wasn’t in Krakow, I would be going…not least to hear a superb period specialist guitarist Martin Wheatley who I was bowled over by – see my review of the Gene Krupa gig.


This question for a free pair of tickets to next Thursday. (I’ll draw the winner out of a hat when the Cardiff test match finishes.)

Who is the fifth Mrs Artie Shaw, Hollywood actress, in the picture above?

Email the answer and a phone number to sebastianscotney@gmail.com