Comments for UK Jazz News

Comment on Tributes to Tony Kinsey (1927-2025) by KEITH RAISON

KEITH RAISON — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 23:22:00 +0000

In reply to Alan Giles. Nicely summarised Alan, thank you.

Comment on Tributes to Tony Kinsey (1927-2025) by william street

william street — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 22:42:49 +0000

rip Tony…….having followed Tony at the Flamingo when I lived in the west end…,those were great times for young London based jazzers as a great scene developed and for me Tony was at the helm. Thank you. Tony

Comment on Tributes to Tony Kinsey (1927-2025) by Bernie Victor

Bernie Victor — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 10:32:20 +0000

I remember the Tony Kinsey group from The Flamingo where I went after moving from the Trad jazz scene, as an 18 year old. I took my future wife there, which shocked her friends, Great club with a great atmosphere and super music.

Comment on ‘Artie Shaw – Time Is All You’ve Got’ by Ian Watt

Ian Watt — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 08:48:13 +0000

This documentary, which I recall was excellent, aired on BBC2 on 2nd April 1988. [See https://tvrdb.com/listings/ ] I remember recording it to VCR and rewatching it. Well worth a cinema release!

Comment on Tributes to Tony Kinsey (1927-2025) by Alan Giles

Alan Giles — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:06:13 +0000

It is good to read these warm tributes to Tony. It is saddening that, at the time of writing, Jazz Journal has still not mentioned his passing, still less published any tributes. In the fifties there were four great drummers, Tony Kinsey, Tony Crombie, Bill Eyden and Phil Seamen always in demand for jazz record dates. JJ must know that.

There is just one name from the golden age, still with us, and contemporary with Tony Kinsey – Jack Honeybourne, the pianist with the 1950 Kenny Graham Afro Cubists who still plays from time to time in London.

Comment on Howard Riley (1943-2025) by philip newton

philip newton — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 23:38:31 +0000

I spent 3 years in the Upper Bangor Student Residence Plas Gwyn with Howard Riley 1962 to 1965.
where an upright piano stood in the common room . .
Being so busy with my BMus and aural re-sits for my external ARCM teaching diploma as wall as
leading the UCNW Orchestra, I didnt get around
to learning any jazz on violin- with HR ,
However after formal dinner “Lullaby of Birdland” -and “Montis Czardas” were made accessible
with the aid of a passing guitarist rhythm guitarist,
The jazz club was in the students union down Glan Rafon hill. I think..
And I remember we briefly discussed a Mozart sonata copy.
Following Bangor with DE Parry Williams,Robert Smith William Mathias, Bernard Rands and Reginald Smith Brindle, the
three West Riding years centered around schools and staff orchestras in Huddersfield , Bradford Selby,York ,Leeds West Riding
with
advisers John Gaval and Gerald Gentry were as equally happy times.

Comment on Parakeet Update… Good News by Alan Giles

Alan Giles — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:08:47 +0000

Though I can’t get there, it is very good news that a new venue has been found. So many London gigs have been lost – I still miss the old Thursday night sessions that the London Jazz Centre put on at the Seven Dials in Covent Garden, back in the 1970s, so many great names, now, sadly, nearly all gone. Anything that encourages audiences with so many fine players still around, who are not ashamed of the word “jazz”, is to be applauded.

Comment on Mayor of London shows support for Blue Note London club proposal by Sebastian Scotney

Sebastian Scotney — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 09:00:32 +0000

Chris Firmin has commented by email:

“Absolutely disgusted with Met Police’s attempted intervention advising Westminster not to grant a late-hours license for the proposed Blue Note Club. The most important issue is that a police force is interfering in the provision of music and entertainment in the West End on the grounds of assumptions about the behaviour of the would be patrons. The Met apparently think some of the customers will emerge from the club ‘worse for wear’ at closing time – what a patronising , ignorant assumption – and also that hordes of criminals will be there to take advantage of the more vulnerable. As if this frequently happens outside Ronnie Scott’s or Pizza Express Dean Street ??! The Met ‘s job is to monitor the area at closing time to ensure the peace is maintained. This is the West End of one of the biggest cities in the world. The police obviously think it’s just a town with too much going on and they want the easiest time possible. London has lost enough late night music clubs and venues without the police trying to close another one and impinging on civil liberties.”

Comment on Mayor of London shows support for Blue Note London club proposal by JF

JF — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:03:19 +0000

Call me cynical but I don’t think it’s the Met, I believe it’s the Council….. the fact that this doesn’t make sense means that there is a hidden agenda
JF

Comment on RIP Tony Kinsey (1927-2025) by Alan Barton

Alan Barton — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 11:35:06 +0000

The reference to “sharp suited adventurers” rings true. I remember seeing Tony Kinsey’s group at Ronnie’s in Gerrard Street in the early 1960s. As a callow teenager I was in awe of the musicians in their Cecil Gee suits. They were, to me, the height of sophistication – and the music was pretty good too!