Eyes on the Master: Jazz Portrait of Sammy Rimington and Amy Roberts in Duet

Eyes on the Master: Jazz Portrait of Amy Roberts and Sammy Rimington

Amy Roberts, then “the new kid on the block”, accompanying maestro Sammy Rimington at the Ken Colyer Trust 2008 Autumn Jazz Parade. Recognising Amy’s huge talent, Sammy invited her to play duet with him on the final evening of the Parade. The next morning I overheard him stressing the need to to persuade Amy to stay with jazz: “Amy’s got a natural talent and feel for the music. She’s got rhythm. She’s the future of jazz.”

Since then Amy has gone from strength to strength playing clarinet, sax and flute, and is featured in several other posts on Jazz&Jazz.

Jazz&Jazz Fine Art Print of “Eyes on the Master”

Eyes on the Master

Saxes reach crescendo
And bridge a generation
With rhythmic syncopation.
Spotlight on the Starlet
With eyes on the Pro.

I write a poem to accompany each of my fine art prints of jazz musician paintings and Amy and Sammy in duet inspired Eyes on the Master.

Fine Art Giclée Prints of this portrait are available, with or without my descriptive poem. Simply email: [email protected] to place your order and help support jazz.

See also: Portrait of Amy on Solo Sax and of Reeds in Duet, Amy playing with Adrian Cox.

Jazz ART Gallery

Welcome to my Jazz ART Gallery. Below you will find an alphabetical list of all of my current jazz portraits and prints. Each painting is hyperlinked to a Special Feature about the musicians and bands appearing on this website.

The Feature article highlights the key facts about each musician at the time the portrait was painted. It also displays the painting, the Fine Art Giclée print and the verse. And it gives the reason why I chose to paint this particular musician or band and the inspiration behind the painting, as well as where and when the picture was first conceived.

For every portrait, I penned a poem putting into verse or prose the emotions I felt at the time. The only way to capture the emotive feelings of being in the presence of our truly wonderful musicians was to illustrate visually in vivid colour, through the medium of my choice and the strokes of my brush, the emotions that I felt in a split second of time. To then put those feelings into words, I chose to write a verse. The two are inseparable, Art and Verse, but how can they be displayed together? The solution – creating Fine Art Giclée prints was the way I chose to bring these moments to life for you to enjoy.

I hope you will take the time to explore my Jazz ART as you troll through my website. And if you also like landscapes and seascapes, then I must introduce you to Art&Verse where there are over 100 paintings, each with their own poem that I produced over 30 years ago.

If you would like to purchase any of my works – prints and/or original paintings or would like to know more about them and what I do, please email me at [email protected], I look forward to hearing from you.

INDEX OF JAZZ ART

A selection of my Jazz ART signed A4 and A3 Fine Art Giclée Prints, digital prints and original paintings are FOR SALE. They come with a special Certificate of Authenticity. To purchase any prints and/or paintings, please contact Peter Butler at [email protected] and I’ll reply by return.

I am in the process of putting my own Jazz ART online store on Etsy and will add a hyperlink to their site as soon as the store goes live. Thank you for taking time to visit my website and my Jazz ART Gallery.

Adrian Cox
Double Take

Amy Roberts & Adrian Cox
“Reeds in Duet”

Amy Roberts on Saxophone
“Amy’s Got Rhythm”

Annie Hawkins
“Annie on Bass

Barry Martyn
“Barry Martyn at The 100 Club”

Betty Renz
“Betty Renz Steels the Show”

Big Bill Bissonnette
“Alias B3”

Bob Thomas
“Bob Thomas of Thomcat Fame”

Brian Smith
Washboard Rhythm King”

Burt Butler
“Burt on Banjo”

Chris Marchant
“Sublime on Drums!”

Chris Tyle on Cornet
Head Honcho with Style

Christine Woodcock on Trombone
“Mysterious Lady”

Cuff Billet
“Cuff Billet on Trumpet”

Dave Arnold on Drums
“The Clash of the Cymbals, The Beat of the Drums”

Dave Bartholomew at The Palm Court,
New Orleans
“Let the Good Times Roll!”

Dave Rance’s Rockin’ Chair Band
“Let it Rip, Dave!”

Dom Pipkin
“Dom Pipkin Pumps Piano”

Dr Michael White
“Visitations”

Emile Martyn 
“Emile on Drums”

Emile Van Pelt and Eric Webster
“Honky Tonk Time”

Esther O’Connor
“Esther Enthralls Her Fans”

Frederic John
“Frederic John on Trombone”

Jim Hurd & John Whitehead
“Frog Islanders!”

Gerry Birch on Sousaphone
“Jazz at The George”

Gordon Lawrence
“Ensnared”

Grand Marshall Jimbo Heads the Parade
“Good Time Jazz”

Gregg Stafford
“He Der Man!”

Hugh Masekela
“The Coal Train”

Ivan Gandon on Saxophone
“A Very Mean Sax”

John Pickett on Trumpet
“Plays Trumpet for Recreation”

Johnny Rodgers on Saxophone
“Passion Personified”

Joshua & Sandra Walker
“Neighbours Well Met”

Katja Toivola on trombone at Donna’s Bar, New Orleans

Keith Minter
Measured Beat and Rolling Peal

Laurie Fray on Clarinet
“The Pinnacle of Passion”

Laurie Palmer on Drums
“Drums on the Prom”

Leroy Jones at Donnas Bar 2010
“Keeper of the Flame”

Lionel Ferbos, Louisiana Jazz Legend
“Long live Jazz, Long live Lionel Ferbos”

Mike Pointon on Trombone
The Trombonist

Pete Lay
“Pete Lay on Drums”

Pete Smith on Sousaphone
“Come Join the Parade”

Ray Colyer on Trumpet
“Take it away, Ray”

Roger Nicholls & Pat Elms
“A Strummin’ and a Drummin’”

Sam Weller & Mark Alexander of Vocalion
“Trombone and Drums”

Sammy Rimington on Clarinet
“The Clarinetist”

Sammy Rimington
Take Two Sammys

Sammy Rimington & Amy Roberts Saxophone Duet
Eyes on the Master

The Fallen Heroes – Tony Rico, Paul Bonner & Ben Martyn
“Sax, Trumpet and Bass”

Tim Curtis on Sousaphone
“Tim on Tuba”

Tony Cunningham on Trombone
“Tony Cunningham Trombonist”

Tony O’Sullivan on Trumpet
“Spotlight on the Trumpet”

Trefor Williams on Double Bass
“Double Bass Ace”

The End of the Jazz Age?

The Lakefront Loungers featuring at The Ken Colyer Trust Autumn Jazz Parade, 2008.

We are on the eve of 2013 The Autumn Jazz Parade at Hemsby Norfolk. As will become apparent in this post, I owe so much to this festival that I feel somewhat guilty for being late of the mark in featuring it on Jazz&Jazz this year due to recent inordinate pressures on my time. Until 2009 the festival was organised by The Ken Colyer Trust but when the trust was wound up Pete Lay took over the organisation of this major event on the annual jazz calendar and long may it continue.

So, are we really at the end of the jazz age? Where to begin?

Back in the sixties prior to the Beatles, jazz was the in thing. As a fickle teenager I “digged jazz”, got involved in gigs, followed local bands, snuck into venues during intervals without paying, and enjoyed some great seafront parties where “Seven Golden Daffodils” and “Lift to the Scaffold” were the rage. And topping the pops: “Stranger on the Shore” and “Midnight in Moscow”. Not “trad” I admit, nor New Orleans Revivalist Jazz. But in those days there was also Sammy Rimington on home turf in Kent.

Fast forward to 2008 when my oldest and closest friend and fellow teenage jazz compatriot told me he “had got back into jazz”. To cut the story short that same year we spent a glorious weekend at The Ken Colyer Trust Autumn Jazz Parade in Hemsby, Norfolk.

The Oriental Jazz Band

Sammy Rimington and his International Jazz Band topped the bill – along with Annie Hawkins, Cuff Billet, Trefor Williams, Emile Van Pelt and Eric Webster. And there was a young star, just 19, Amy Roberts who played a saxophone duet with Sammy. Plus The Oriental Jazz Band – a brilliant YOUNG band from Holland.

I was smitten. The past came flooding back to me. Jazz had lured me back – but this time it was no teenage whim, I was genuinely ensnared. And so, saddened too to realise jazz’s decline!

The Dye was Cast!

So Ginny and I booked again for the 2009 Jazz Parade – the final festival under the Ken Coyer Trust banner. Incredibly “fate” intervened. Ginny won the Star Draw top prize – a trip for two to New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival. Words cannot express our joy and from that point on the dye was cast –  for me there was no going back.

Dew Drop Hall, Mandeville: Elite musicians including Barry Martyn, Greg Stafford and Dr Michael White.

First I got to painting portraits of jazz musicians. Then I got involved in striving to keep jazz live in Lemsford Village, Hertfordshire, and in supporting Brian Smith (Smiffy) in launching and bringing live jazz back to Welwyn Garden City.

The next step was to launch my Jazz&Jazz website to further my campaign for real jazz and to assist in launching a brand new jazz festival, “Ramsgate Seaside Shuffle”. Following hard on the heals of that came my Facebook presence and Facebook Jazzers Group.

I am now receiving a mass of emails and messages each day covering all aspects of jazz, but many of them bemoaning the plight of jazz and its apparent demise – also a hot topic for debates on Jazzers. (My apologies if currently I’m somewhat slow in responding. I promise this is soon due to change.)

Back to the Stark Title of this article: The End of The Jazz Age?

Recently I posted on Jazz&Jazz a lament about the imminent end of Thursday lunchtime jazz at The 100 Club and cross referenced it to the Jazzers Group. This resulted in a spate of comments and an ongoing debate.

Jim Appleton wrote in response to the post:

“I’m afraid that the writing has been on the wall for a long time and there are several different reasons for it. Even 20 years ago Monty Sunshine used to look through the hole in the tabs before going on stage and say “there’s a lot of snow out there” referring of course to the amount of grey / white hair in the audiences. The older musicians are reaching the age when they either pack it in or pass away, so many in this last year or so, and of course the audiences are going the same way. Other reasons include elderly people not wanting to venture out after dark, the drink driving laws and no smoking venues haven’t helped and the current financial situation has taken its toll. The lunchtime 100 Club sessions was a great idea but as the article says the numbers attending have dwindled and transport costs / congestion charge etc. are an obstacle. I live in Gillingham in Kent and a return ticket is £23.00 to Oxford Circus off peak for a 1 hour journey by train and the Oxo + the admission fee to the club and a couple of pints and I won’t get much change from £40.

“The other point about getting the youngsters in is important and the older fans among us must try to remember the heyday of trad when they were noisy, brash and wanted to dance the night away and were probably a pain in the arse to the older people around in that time. Young people today aren’t a lot different to what we were, they are just young with a lot more choice about where to spend their money and if Jazz is going to last we’re gonna need them to carry it forward. There really are so many great kids out there playing and they need supporting or they’ll move on to something else. I did a gig years ago, I think in Chipping Norton, with Terry Lightfoot’s band and a lot of young people came into the theatre as first time jazzers. They really enjoyed it and a few of them got up in the aisle and danced to a couple of tunes. The reaction from the rest of the audience was so negative towards them that the youngsters never returned for the second half which was a pity as they were only dancing in the side aisle and not obstructing the view.

“If we can find a solution and bottle it up we’d make a fortune, may I suggest that the festival organisers try to get some form of sponsorship, which I believe the 100 club did with the converse shoe company to stop the club from closing, to help fund the festivals and move a little bit sideways to facilitate the younger bands and their followers … just a thought.”

John Petters commented on Jazzers:

“Peter, We are at the end of the jazz age which effectively started in 1953.

“I have to differ with you on this subject. Something very different is happening this year and it is related to the history of traditional jazz or perhaps ‘trad’ jazz and the age profile of those for whom it was their pop music. A 20 year old in 1953, when Colyer returned from New Orleans, is now 80. The boom lasted until 63. Those 20 year olds are now 70. Post 1963, the pop music was the Beatles and jazz ceased to be ‘pop music with a large following. Indeed it was regarded as old hat by my age group. I’m 60. We are facing a real melt down at clubs festivals and other jazz related events. Young people will not come to venues where old people go. To much traditional jazz played today sounds tired and offers little excitement. I think back to the days when I, as a teenager, discovered the music. I found very few bands had the excitement that Max Collie’s band could offer. Max’s band was a young band and was playing to a young audience. I saw Colyer with Colin Bowden and heard it there. Bands have to stop being polite. As a jazz promoter, who puts his money where his mouth is, I can see clearly what is happening. An example of the problem – which will get worse – is my Bracklesham festival last weekend I’ll re-post what I said on the Brothers thread – ” I don’t see a way to reverse this. We had about 5 percent of people who booked to come to Bracklesham last week who died. In effect the loss was greater because we lost the partners where appropriate. One regular suffered a heart attack, one lady in a group of three needed care – so we lost all three” People are booking later. It is not the problem of the product. According to many guests, last week’s festival was musically our best yet. It comes down to mobility and health. We all have to face this and I applaud your enthusiasm, Peter – but I don’t see an easy fix. The Swing dance scene is entirely different. That is a young audience – and they are there to dance. Attracting that young audience to traditional jazz events – particularly if played by tired old men with a lack-lustre approach will be a real problem.”

Kay Leppard commented:

“One of the biggest problems is that older fans tend to be far more intolerant than the younger generation and moan about the silliest little thing. ‘Someone is in our seats’, ‘The beer costs more than it did 10 years ago’. ‘They don’t play at the right tempo for the dancers’. ‘I can’t see if they’re dancing in front of me’. You name it we’ve all heard it. Let’s face it it’s not a case of the young people not wanting to go where their parents are, it’s now a case of not wanting to go where their grandparents are in many cases, and who can blame them.”

Jeff Lewis said: “No way the end. It’s very much there, just changing a bit.”

Striving for a Way Forward

Very astute observations, one and all. But should we let it go at that?

Surely not, so I for one want to explore ways to bring all such thoughts together, analyse them and strive for a way forward. I’m hoping The Brothers will be open to my observations and if I can come up with a feasible project (I’ve begun sounding one out), back it! Finances? Always the big bug bear but an off the top of my head thought and perhaps a long shot – there’s such a thing as Lottery Funding!

Far better yet if we could get a spread of serious input from fellow Jazzers suggesting ways forward. So Fellow Jazzers, young, middle aged or getting on in years, your input would be hugely appreciated.

As Norman Grodentz messaged me: “Never give up, never surrender!”

“Eyes on The Master”: Jazz&Jazz Portrait of Amy Roberts and Sammy Rimington in Duet at the 2008 Ken Colyer Trust Autumn Jazz Parage, 2008.

Photos © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz

Further Reading:
Earlier this year I ran a series of 11 posts on Jazz&Jazz based on debates initiated on my Facebook Jazzers Group. Each post has a bearing but for those who take these matters seriously enough I recommend revisiting the following posts in particular:

Jazz is Dead! Long Live Jazz! The Jazzers’ Debates … From the Mouths of Jazzers!

Jazzers’ Debate No 1: Younger Jazz Bands and Musicians

JAZZERS’ Debate No 2: Younger Jazz Bands and Musicians

Jazzers’ Debate No 4: Swing Dance & LindyHop

Jazzers’ Debate No 6: Jazz Clubs & Ageing Fans

Jazzers’ Debate No 7: Ageing Fans and Cherry Pickers

Sammy Rimington’s International Band

Sammy Rimington Jnr shoulder to shoulder with his famous father in a concert with his New Orleans All Star Band at Chilham, Kent, on 6 February, 2010. (Photo by P.M.Butler, Art&Verse)

Back in 1959 Sammy Rimington played with Barry Martyn’s band. His spectacular jazz career as a professional musician with Ken Colyer’s band started in 1960. In those years my lifelong friend Roger followed his gigs in Kent so when Sammy was booked to appear with his International Jazz Band at the 2008 Ken Colyer Trust Hemsby Autumn Jazz Festival in Norfolk, it didn’t take much persuading for me to join Roger at the festival.

Since then I’ve made a point of keeping up with Sammy, who now lives in Sweden, and his International Jazz Band during their UK winter tours. His concerts of Hymns and Spirituals in the New Orleans Style at Folkestone’s United Reformed Church have been nothing short of inspirational and his Trad Jazz gigs at Chilham Village Hall always pack in the fans.

Trefor Williams on bass, Eric Webster on banjo, Emile van Pelt on piano, Frederic John on trombone and Keith Minter on drums are all jazz virtuosos in their own right but to quote The New York Times: “Sammy Rimington’s playing demonstrates the clarinet’s matchless range of funky virtuosity, which makes jazz’s past as real as its future.”

And indeed, Sammy is every bit as dedicated to the future of jazz as he is to continually surpassing his own brilliance. I witnessed this for myself at the 2008 Hemsby Festival when he invited emerging star Amy Roberts, then barely 19, onto the stage to accompany him in a saxophone duet. The next morning I overheard him stressing the need to to persuade Amy to stay with jazz: “Amy’s got a natural talent and feel for the music. She’s got rhythm. She’s the future of jazz.”

Some accolade from a legend of jazz who has performed with Louis Nelson, Big Jim Robinson, Chris Barber, Kid Thomas Valentine and Captain John Handy.

I count it a privilege to have painted a portrait of Sammy in duet with Amy and indeed, portraits of each member of the International Jazz Band. Trefor Williams paid me a huge compliment:

“What a pleasant surprise to receive your portrait of me. I’m very flattered that you considered me a worthy subject. Thank you for devoting your time and talent. It’s a very thoughtful study and the words are very touching. May God continue to bless you and your very special gift”

Sammy Rimington’s website is at: http://www.sammyrimington.com

You can listen to Sammy and explore some of his music at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x20zvy_burgundy-street-blues-sammy-rimingt_music

"Eyes on the Master" - portrait of Sammy in duet with rising star Amy Roberts.

Hand signed, fine art prints of the Art & Verse jazz portrait of Amy and Sammy can be purchased in two sizes:

A4 (297x210mm) £29.00
A3 (420x297mm) £39.00

A Certificate of Authenticity is issued with each print. If you would like to purchase a print or an original acrylic portrait or to commission a portrait, please email me at: [email protected]


Chris Hodgkins’ Newsletter

The first time I met Chris Hodgkins was during the 2014 Annual Rent Ceremony in Covent Garden* when he played in The Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band. Since then we have remained in touch chiefly via Linkedin. He has just released his April Newsletter which I’m pleased to reproduce here.

Digby Fairweather and Chris Hodgkins

Digby Fairweather and Chris Hodgkins (Photo © Peter M Butler, Jazz&Jazz)

Dear Friend

Please find the latest news on my activities to date. Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Jazz Then And Now on www.jazzlondonradio.com, launch of  the new album of “Back in Your Own Back Yard”  plus tour dates and the latest blog on http://www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk

Chris

Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2015
Chris was recently awarded the Services to Jazz  Award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, House of Commons on the 10th March. The Awards are sponsored by the PPL. Thanks to Jazz London News you can read about the Awards here at the The Arts Desk

Jazz Then And Now on www.jazzlondonradio.com
In September  Jazz London Radio announced that Chris Hodgkins will be joining the station with a new weekly show called “Jazz Then and Now” on www.jazzlondonradio.com

The concept of the show is as Chris puts it “what it says on the tin”. Chris delves into the history of the music and presents what is happening on the scene today with a watchful eye on British contemporary jazz. The show runs every Monday and Wednesday at 3pm and 8pm and repeated on Thursday at 8pm. See the weekly Play Lists for the show.

Chris Hodgkins album launch and live dates in April
Trumpeter Chris Hodgkins will be performing four dates in South Wales this April, to launch his new album with pianist Dave Price entitled Back In Your Own Backyard. Album release: Monday 6th April 2015. Albums can be purchased direct from Chris at [email protected] The cost is £12 plus postage and packing. The album can be downloaded at Amazon will be out on digital services on the 5th May. Here are some links to a couple of tracks on YouTube Sweet Hearts On ParadeAngel Eyes,  Sunday.

In September last year Chris Hodgkins returned to Wales to record an album of originals, standards and one or two tunes from the archives. For the past 7 years Chris, on his visits to Wales, has worked with Dave Price on piano and Erika Lyons or Ashley John Long on bass. All three joined him on the album and the result is “Back In Your Own Back Yard”.

“Aside from two originals and the poignant Black Butterfly, the repertoire suggests a formulaic Mainstream set that one might hear at a jazz party. But that narrow assumption vanishes once the music begins, for Chris, Dave, Erika, and Ashley offer serene yet searching chamber jazz, refreshing improvisations on familiar songs. The players have created an airy, open music, full of pleasant wanderings but solidly grounded in melody and beating-heart rhythms.

One of the most moving performances here is A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, an etude for piano and two double-basses, both celebration and elegy for wartime Britain, with death, romance, and endurance intermingled.

Together, they make Back In Your Own Backyard what jazz recordings should be, no matter what genre: warm, wide-awake, deeply personal”.
Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives

April Tour Dates

12th – Hanbury Arms **
Caerleon Uskside, Newport NP18 1AA
(Gig starts 5.30)
01633 420361

14th – The Angel *
Grosmont, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8EP
(Gig starts 8pm)
01981 240646

15th – Queens Head *
St James Street, Monmouth, NP25 3DL
(Gig starts 8pm)
01633 440739

16th – Café Jazz *
St. Mary’s Street, Cardiff,
(Gig starts 8pm)
www.cafejazzcardiff.com
02920 387026

* With Dave Price (piano) and Ashley John Long (bass)
** With Steve Tarner (bass)

Chris Hodgkins recently retired after 29 years as the Director of Jazz Services, the national support charity for jazz music and musicians.  During his time at the organisation, he was honoured for his Services to Jazz at the 2002 BBC Jazz Awards and in July 2013 at the British Jazz Awards. In March this year he was awarded the Services to Jazz Award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2015.  Despite his successes championing British jazz he still found the time to play himself, and as a musician released several great albums with his various groups, including 2009’s Boswell’s London Journal, which was reviewed as ‘CD of the Week’ in the Evening Standard.  With his days of administration behind him, Chris now takes to the road to focus on playing the music he loves.

In September Jazz London Radio announced that Chris Hodgkins will be joining the station with a new weekly show called “Jazz Then and Now” on www.jazzlondonradio.com The show runs every Monday and Wednesday at 3pm and 8pm and repeated on Thursday at 8pm. See the weekly Play Lists for the show.

Hodgkins was raised in Cardiff.  He co-founded the Welsh Jazz Festival and was instrumental in establishing the Welsh Jazz Society.  As a professional trumpeter, Chris has toured the UK and Europe, appearing at the Sacramento Jazz Festival in the USA.  Chris has also played in the Icon Jazzmen and in the bands of Monty Sunshine, Chris Haskins and Pete Allen. The Chris Hodgkins Band made a name for itself supporting the likes of Buddy Tate, Humphrey Lyttelton, Kathy Stobart, Bud Freeman and Wild Bill Davison. He currently works with Alison Rayner, Max Brittain and Diane McLoughlin.

Dave Price lives in Wales, UK, overlooking the Golden Valley and the Black Mountains. His passionate interest in jazz has given him the opportunity to accompany numerous international jazz celebrities as diverse as Art Farmer, Nat Adderley, Kenny Wheeler,  Tubby Hayes , Ronnie Scott, Peanuts Hucko, Digby Fairweather, Bobby Wellins, Kai Winding,  and George Melly, to name a few.

Erika Lyons was selected for the BBC Masterclass series with Ray Brown. This was followed by two years living in New York where Erika studies with Buster Williams, Rufus Reid and Hal Galper. Erika had a residency at the Surf Maid in Bleeker Street and played in other New York clubs including The Blue Note and the Jazz Forum where Erika worked with top names such as Walter Bishop, Steve Grossman, Eliot Zigmund and Betty Barney. On Erika’s return to England she spent 6 years working on the London and European Jazz Scene recording, broadcasting and performing with top British and International musicians. Festival appearances have included Cascais, New York, Brecon, Cheltenham, Bracknell, Isle of Man, Birmingham, Bridgenorth and Ealing.

Ashley John Long is an award winning double bassist and composer. As a double bassist, Ashley is fast becoming recognised as one of the most unique exponents of his instrument in Europe. Since graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2008, he has maintained a busy and varied freelance career splitting his time between Classical, Jazz and session work. He has performed with some of the world’s leading orchestras and Jazz musicians and broadcast on radio and television worldwide.

He has performed with leading Jazz musicians such as Keith Tippett, Art Themen, Bob Mintzer, Geoff Eales, Dave Jones, Tina May, Damon Brown Simon Spillett, Hans Koller, Craig Millverton and Bobby Wellins.

He has written music for a wide range of situations including for film and television and his recent works in the classical world have been highly acclaimed for their highly original and inventive writing including Flux (2006); which won him a publishing contract at the age of 19, and Hevelspending (2010) for the Lunar Saxophone Quartet, Songs of the Night (2007) for Joel Garthwaite, Frames (2008) for Dave Danford and XAS (2008) for himself and Louis-Michel Marion.

Previous albums
“Present Continuous”, “Future Continuous”and “Boswell’s London Journal” are available at emusic and Amazon
www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk

This is Chris’s blog aimed at raising funds for Jazz Services and the National Jazz Archive. The latest post deals with Rattlemania and the push by the cultural mafia or Rafia for a new concert hall for London.

“There was more Rattlemania in the Guardian on the 4th March 2014, with coverage of Simon Rattle and the Leader column exclaiming “Simon Rattle’s return can be good for music, for London and the national status of the arts”.

Rattlemania egged on by a self-interested cultural mafia has got out of hand. The problem with the arts in the UK is there is no concrete policy for music and the other art forms ………”  Please see Rattlemania for the full post.

For further information:
Chris Hodgkins
Tel: 0208 840 4643
Mobile: 0750 764 9077

[email protected]
[email protected]
www.chrishodgkins.co.uk
www.jazzlondonradio.com

For Jazz Then and Now playlist go to:
https://chrishodgkins3.wordpress.com
www.complaintsinwonderland.co.uk
https://twitter.com/HodgkinsChris

Copyright © Chris Hodgkins All rights reserved.

The Annual Rent Ceremony set off in Covent Garden escorted by the Town Cryer and
The Covent Garden Jazz Marching Band

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