2018 didn’t seem to be a very prolific year in the world of Gypsy/Jazz, but there was always a new band to discover somewhere.
Meanwhile, Bireli Lagrene was back with a new album that wasn’t Gypsy/Jazz.
But on the Classical front, there was still a lot more to discover. And amongst it all, different interpretations of Wagner orchestral music kept popping up; showing just how much of an impact his orchestral composing had. Also, after seeing a documentary about Gustav Holst, I decided it was long past time to investigate his other music besides the famous Planets suite; and I bought a six CD set of his work.
On the band front, 2018 was very much a continuation of the last few years, with the emphasis on gigging as much as possible, and my final year in England brought some great gigs, including several marvellous gigs at the Yarn Bar.
The Knights of Jazz gig at the Yarn Bar was my favourite gig of the year, as it was a chance to play electric guitar in a line up with a drummer, where I was the sole chord instrument. I had recently begun to feel a bit constrained with gypsy/jazz and found it liberating to able to lay down the chordal textures of my choice, and to be able to comp over the top of the drums and bass was a pleasure I’d not experienced since the mid-nineties. It was wonderfully refreshing to play in this format with my old sparring partner Matt Palmer once again; alongside newer musical collaborators like James Tolhurst and Jamie Robertson; and of course the ever reliable and always underrated John Coulson on bass.
It was a particularly touching send off from my old mate Charlie Blomeley, who’d previously been manager of the Kean’s Head and Vat and Fiddle, and had first booked the Hot Club some twenty years earlier. It’s one of my fondest gig memories.
In a final send-off before leaving for Australia, my good friends Ben Martin, Mandy Tatton, and Pete Johnson, set aside a night for me to have a special gig night at the Bell Inn, where Swingologie, Swing Gitan, and other musical friends and colleagues could come together and perform and jam. It was a wonderful to play and see friends old and new, and a particular pleasure to see the next generation of local gypsy/jazz musicians, headed by Matt Kerry and Elliott Lewis come together and play. A terrific night.
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