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We have done Christmas specials before which are about Christmas jazz albums or specific Christmas jazz songs  This year we are offering suggestions for gifts for jazz lovers including " the smell of jazz" 

Amazon Uk List Here

Previous Christmas episodes
2020 2021 2022  2024

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In this episode we discuss Philip Larkin [the English Poet] and his love of some jazz and his hatred of other jazz 

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We talk about the some of the big figures in jazz education Dizzy Gillespie, Hal Crook, Jerry Coker, John Meghan, Jamey Aebersold, Mark Levine and Barry Harris. 

There are others we couldn't fit into the 5 minutes

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Jazz on screen is an annual tie-in with the London Jazz festival. recent years have seen 

2023

The three films were: Imagine the Sound + Introduction by Stewart Lee; Sven Klang’s Combo + Introduction by Ehsan Khoshbakht and The Stormy Man.

2024

Symphonies in Black : Duke Ellington Shorts

We Insist-Black Sun

So Watt: Jazz and Improvisation on British TV

Our episode on Sven Klang is here 

2025

The Diaspora Suite by Ephraim Asili-Nov 13th

So Watt: Derek Bailey's On the Edge – Improvisation in Music Nov15th

Jazz In Exile – Big Ben: Ben Webster in Europe & Cecil Taylor à Paris Nov 16th

Link to this years events here

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Another of our book reviews, this one is of a biography of Sonny Clark.

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This is not about the inner voice that tells pianists to " kill the bass player" this is about moving the middle of the chord around to create interest and tension then release.  There is a bonus recording at the end of some of a transcription Simon did of the Introduction to Stella from Standards Live Keith Jarrett Trio.

Here is a link to the Apple Music version of September in the Rain Anita Wardell with Liam Noble 

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Jazz is a multi-hour multi-episode documentary about the genesis and progression of jazz in America by Ken Burns

Kenneth Lauren Burns is an American filmmaker known for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture. His work is often produced in association with WETA-TV or the National Endowment for the Humanities and distributed by PBS

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One of our practical episodes, Simon and Nick discuss the Montuno. a rhythmic ostinato common in Mambo and Salsa. Check our website as we sometimes make blog Posts about the subjects we cover in episodes

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Pedro Jústiz was born in Banes, Holguín, on January 31, 1913 into a family of local musicians. Taught by his mother since 1923, he soon learned to play the piano and joined the family band La Rechiva del Son, directed by his uncles. In 1928 he moved to Antilla to study piano and saxophone under the supervision of his grandfather, Emilio Rodríguez.

In Havana, Peruchín worked occasionally with Orquesta Casino de la Playa and Mariano Mercerón's orchestra. In 1942 he joined Los Swing Boys, a big band directed by saxophonist Emilio Peñalver and featuring José "Chombo" Silva. He then became a member of the Conjunto Matamoros, an expanded version of the Trio Matamoros. In 1943 he joined Armando Romeu's Tropicana Club orchestra. He rejected an offer by Mario Bauzá to replace Joe Loco in his band, The Afrocubans, and instead recommended René Hernández

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The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Oscar Hijuelos, published in 1989. It tells the story of two Cuban brothers, Cesar and Nestor Castillo, who immigrate to New York City in the 1950s and become successful musicians known as the Mambo Kings. The novel explores themes of family, love, loss, and the immigrant experience in America, focusing on the brothers' journey through fame, relationships, and ultimately, the passage of time. 

The story follows the Castillo brothers' rise to fame in the mambo scene of New York City. By day, they work ordinary jobs, but by night, they pack dance halls and clubs with their sensuous, pulsing Latin music. Cesar, the charming womanizer, and Nestor, the quiet romantic, experience both the highs and lows of their musical career and personal lives. The story also delves into Cesar's later life, filled with memories of his brother, past loves, and the music they created together. 

The book is known for its evocative portrayal of the mambo era, its vibrant characters, and its exploration of the immigrant experience and a lot of steamy sex. It's a story that resonates with readers through its themes of passion, loss, and the enduring power of music. The novel was later adapted into a 1992 film of the same name and a stage show in 2005.

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