Less than six months ago, Phil Donkin was part of Gwilym Simcock’s trio at the Proms in front of a packed, ecstatic Royal Albert Hall . Live on BBC 2. Profile as […]
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Review: Trinity College Jazz Ensemble/Earle-Smith/Ronnie Scott’s
It was billed as a prizegiving for student composers; but by the end of the evening at Ronnie’s, you knew you’d attended a celebration. A noteworthy feature of the gig was the […]
What time does a gig start?
This is a first canter round a subject where input is welcome… In symphonic music the way sound comes out of silence is highly ritualized. Not one but two sets of applause […]
Jazz in a recession
Two lines linking the J-word and the R-word reverberate in my mind. -One good friend of mine often re-iterates the opinion that “jazz is in permanent recession.” That’s too bleak. -The romantic […]
One of the great free- yes FREE- gigs
One of the first things I look out for when Jazz in London comes out, is Simon Carter’s free Sunday night gig at Boaters in Kingston. Well, the February edition of Jazz […]
Interview with Claire Martin
I talked to Claire Martin about her forthcoming five-night residency with Sir Richard Rodney Bennett at the Pizza on the Park from Tuesday Feb 10th until Valentine’s Day. What are the origins […]
This Sunday night. Guaranteed good time for people who hate jazz
I hadn’t yet put in a gig this weekend. So I’m putting in one which it is totally impossible not to enjoy. Hate jazz? You’ll love this. Brass Volcanoes. Dragon Hall, Stukeley […]
Grammy Nominee in Deptford and Greenwich- 18 Feb
The mainstream media mostly work with the press releases they receive. I always have the suspicion, or rather the certain knowledge, that a lot goes on below their radar. One has to […]
A tale of two Americans
Frank Griffith Bob Martin How lucky we are as Londoners: this city is a magnet for fine musicians from just about anywhere in the world. I’m writing this on the eve of […]
Video: Tim Garland’s Lighthouse Trio
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A surreal giggle at the Pizza thanks to Ian Shaw
During Ian Shaw’s solo set at the start of the evening on Thursday. He’s having problems with the mic over the keyboard. It keeps slipping downwards. He stops playing. Decides to fix […]
Who should be the patron saint of jazz clarinettists?
One gig which has really caught my eye is the appearance of the 80-year old Bob Wilber at- I’m not kidding – Pinner Parish Church. The Rev. Stuart Nattrass and Peter Vacher […]
Julian Siegel- the word’s getting out
The buzz about Nottingham-born Julian Siegel has finally got going in the past year. And about time too. Julian WORKS. Hard. Woodsheds. Hard. Drives himself. Hard. And the results in his playing […]
What’s happening to Brecon??
I was appalled when I read in a number of places that after 25 years, the Brecon Jazz Festival might not happen this year. The company promoting the festival, is in administration […]
