Regular readers will know this: I’m looking forward to the gig at Ronnie’s next Monday 3rd August, when Gareth Lockrane will direct his big band for which he will have composed the charts…and play piccolo, flute, alto flute and towel rail* (above.) Here’s his Myspace with video clips of the septet. And here’s my review from March. I won’t review Monday, I’ll just enjoy it!

Not yet a subscriber of our Wednesday Breakfast Headlines?
Join the mailing list for a weekly roundup of Jazz News.

This should be a proud moment for the Stoke-on-Trent diaspora, in which case one of the country’s leading culture commentators , also from the potteries, might turn up too. Why bother? Because Lockrane is massive: e.g., in his modest way he has, in just the past two years also clocked up no fewer than fourteen film scores…

This is not just for Big Band fans, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis fans, or Eddie Harris fans. It’s for anyone with ears. The centre block has now sold out.

(*) bass flute