“The trad era is now at a close as the last of the great bandleaders departs,” writes trombonist Ian Bateman (*). Ian has many personal memories of Chris Barber, not least through having been a member of the Acker Bilk [...]
“You have been the most inspirational man I am ever likely to meet.” In this tribute, saxophonist Tim Garland remembers – and expresses his gratitude to – the very great Chick Corea (1941-2021) For twenty-one years I was lucky enough [...]
There is a deep sense of loss from colleagues, contemporaries and friends of saxophonist STEVE MAIN, who passed away suddenly earlier today 10 February, at the age of just 48. This tragic news is still sinking in, and more tributes [...]
Nomfundo Xaluva (*), now a lecturer at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town, writes in tribute to the woman who was a “mother” to her and her fellow South African artists. “One of the traits that [...]
John Altman pays tribute to “one of the greatest arrangers in the history of popular music”, Jeremy Lubbock (1931-2021): Jeremy Lubbock, who passed away peacefully on Friday morning in Oxfordshire at the age of 89, was one of the greatest [...]
Pianist/arranger Frank Toms, who passed away last Wednesday 27 January at the age of 83 at home in Penn in Buckinghamshire, invariably brought levity, a positive and encouraging spirit, and what Derek Nash describes as an ever-present “twinkle” in his [...]
Violinist. arranger, studio musician, orchestral leader, and “above all undoubtedly a force for good” (*), Sonia Slany (pronounced SlaH-ny) passed away on Thursday 14 January after a long illness. This post is going to be work in progress as we [...]
A “supremely gifted musician” who “always conveyed the sheer pleasure of making music.” In this tribute, Richard Pite remembers Keith Nichols, who passed away on 20 January 2021: One evening back in 1975, when I was still at school, I’d [...]
John Altman writes: There was a time in the late 60s/early 70s when Malcolm Griffiths, who passed away this week aged 79, seemed to be everywhere on the world jazz scene. First call for the Mike Westbrook Band, Mike Gibbs [...]
“John had a place at the heart of the world scene for improvised music,” writes Evan Parker in this tribute to guitarist and founder of MOPOMOSO John Russell (1954-2021), who passed away on 19 January 2021. From Ruckinge to Ruckinge. [...]
