The career of Marian McPartland -see a well-made, informative and affectionate video tribute to herabove – was celebrated at Club Dizzy’s Coca Cola (please can someone enlighten me where that name comes […]
REVIEW: Paul Clarvis and Liam Noble/ Vortex

Both Liam Noble and Paul Clarvis are fully equipped and seasoned professionals , at the top of their respective games as pianist and percussionist. They are permanently in demand in any number […]
Diggin’ Wanstead

Digby Fairweather (above left, with me) , a good friend and one of the most generous spirits in British jazz, was on the phone to me. We always talk about all sorts […]
Review: China Moses/ Ronnie Scott’s

LA-born, Paris-raised China Moses is a completely electrifying live performer. I would urge anyone who is unwillingly facing the prospect of a quiet Tuesday evening indoors this week, to head straight for […]
How will you be celebrating Record Store Day?

Ray’s Jazz at Foyles (above)I am alerted by Tom Moon’s“1,000 recordings to hear before you die” site… that it is Record Store Day this Saturday 18th.There is also a piece in the […]
Sounds to Chill to, from Brian Blain

I do like the look of Brian Blain’s Thursday evening gigs for May and June. They are at Lauderdale House in Highgate (above) Great acoustic, nice place for a summer night. The […]
BBC Jazz output-another GREAT Saturday 18th….Any thoughts?

On the BBC Jazz Message board, a boardee , or poster, or whatever one calls such people, Nico Morrison writes:“Next Saturday 18th April will be a good day for jazz lovers but […]
"Musicians simply have to work to get better." Dave Douglas

Just a nice, positive and thoughtful piece of writing from Dave Douglas’s blog about the “dedication, perseverance and honesty” which go into creating an individual voice. He should know….I’m looking forward to […]
BBC /JRR – The Guardian in praise of Geoffrey Smith

The Guardian has given over its third editorial to a complaint that the highly knowledgeable, ace presenter Geoffrey Smith (above) – who doubles as Country Life’s opera critic – has had to […]
Music from an earlier Elizabethan era- for a change

A break from jazz. My old college chum Harry Christophers – as a pair we used to get completely thrashed at pool in a filthy pub on the Holloway Road – was […]
More Jazz on TV Saturday night..if you can find it

As I wrote in a previous post , it takes the instinct of a professional sleuth or stalker to track down all the jazz on the BBC.Tonight the schedules of BBC4 have […]
A Blogger Blagging it

I’m looking forward to sitting in for a couple of numbers with my friend, and one of the real gents of British jazz, trumpeter Digby Fairweather (above centre) . Pizza Express Dean […]
Charles Mingus (1922-1979)… and cats

Thank you to my friend Mike for this. When jazz legend Charles Mingus died in 1979, he left behind quite a legacy (all that follows is from the official website):-a uniquely important […]
Jazz and Film at the BFI – 12th to 14th June

John Dankworth in 1959, the year of the opening of Ronnie Scott’s. Dankworth’s 1960’s film scores for Joseph Losey are a feature of the BFI’s weekend.SEE MORE RECENT UPDATED POST HERE Both […]
The 91 Bus Driver’s Prayer

Our Father,Who art in HendonHarrow Road be Thy nameThy Kingston comeThy WimbledonIn Erith as it is in Hendon.Give us this day our BerkhamstedAnd forgive us our WestminstersAs we forgive those who Westminster […]
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