2-5-1

Playing the piano and singing at the same time, what's involved? Nick and Simon talk about it in this episode.

Another in our new series of jazz film reviews. The Bertrand Tavernier jazz movie that refreshed Dexter Gordon's career late in his life. 

Dudley Moore may well be best known for his comedy with Peter Cook and his success on screen in the films 10 and Arthu,r but he was also a very accomplished musician. He was an organ scholar when at Oxford which is where he met the other members of Beyond the Fringe. Perhaps less well known is what a great jazz pianist he was. Simon and Nick discuss him in this episode. Llink to his Genuine Dud al...

Did you know some jazz musicians were also boxers? Find out more in this episode.

To start season two Simon & Nick talk about the Fabulous Baker Boys. This is a new strand where Nick and Simon talk about jazz related films. At present there are a few distinct strands: 1. Under-the-radar pianists- e.g. Hod O' Brian 2.Jazz oddities - e.g. Jazz Oboe 3. Technical discussions - e.g. block chords 4 Jazz books - e.g. Jazz Heavyweight 5.Jazz films - e.g. Round Midnight All episodes...

In the full episode 2 it was a pleasure to chat with arranger/orchestrator Giles Thornton. He helped me out on some of the transcriptions for the Marty Swings the Singers project [watch this space for news of the gig} One of the charts he took down was "Surrey with a Fringe on Top" and we discuss that plus  " It's Too Darn Hot" a transcription I am currently working on.  Here is a link t...

This is the 15 minute introduction to the full episode 2, as episode two is 1 hour 15 minutes I felt it better to publish the intro separately  Here is a link to the albums as a playlist on A pple music and Spotify  

This new five part longer form series starts with Nick and Simon examining Marty Paich as pianist.  Paich was a musical polymath and his career spanned jazz, classical & film music.  Simon will present the other four episodes talking to various arrangers about Marty Paich as arranger - looking at his medium-sized ensemble work with particular focus on the octet, his work for big band referenci...

An end of series announcement: In the 50 episodes so far Nick and I have covered 8 under- the-radar pianists, reviewed 7 Jazz books, talked about 10 technical subjects, discussed 5 unusual jazz instruments and even managed 1 April Fool! Plus many more subjects like famous jazz clubs and  record labels. We have also made 2  long form series over 5 podcasts about Kenny Drew and Sonny Clark...

Another episode in our "under-the-radar pianists" series. George Wallington  wrote a tune that was made well known by Gerry Mulligan's arrangement on Birth of the Cool, and established himself as one of the best bebop pianists of his generation. He was prolific as a sideman in the 1950s, but in 1960 dropped out of music  to pursue something far cooler. Listen to find out more!

In this special episode Nick and Simon discuss George Shearing and Nick's new project playing his music   Shades of Shearing The Band Is Nick Tomalin – piano Nat Steele – vibraphone Dave Warren – guitar Dominic Howles – bass Matt Fishwick – drums  

A look at the Oboe in jazz.

Nick and Simon discuss four newish (one Jewish) holiday offerings.  1. Snowbound- Emma Smith 2. Louis Wishes you a Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong 3. On Christmas Day- Paul Edis and Friends 4. Big Band Holidays- JLCO with Wynton Marsalis Frabjous Nicktide from us!   

Nick and Simon discuss a record label that started in the USA and continues now in the UK. A label which represented many jazz greats as well as new and emerging talent.

We discuss 'enclosures' one of the cornerstone concepts in making jazz sound like jazz - particularly post-bebop jazz.  We talk about the idea of 'enclosure' with regard to the melodic line and play some examples. Get the pdf here

Send us a text In many ways the life of The Bass Clef jazz club is a story that echoes in ripples from the centre to the outskirts of London.  Jazz is a tough music to make a profit from and as such clubs spring up in low rent areas, they thrive, bring character to a district and then that district gentrifies.  Hoxton is now a far cry from the run down weekend ghost town it once was. Buisness is b...

Send us a text We discuss the book Arranging the Score by the Canadian jazz critic and musician Gene Lees. in the book Lees paints portraits of some of the great jazz arrangers including Gerry Mulligan, Gil Evans Kenny Wheeler and Billy May

Nick and Simon talk about Jazz Cello, like you do... 

Chris Hodgkins has been an integral part of the UK jazz scene since the early seventies. As a trumpet player he performed with the Icon Jazzmen and toured Europe and the US with various bands. In 1974 he co-founded the Welsh Jazz Festival which later became the Brecon Jazz Festival and in 1985 became director of Jazz Services for which he is perhaps best known. In this wide-ranging conversation Ch...

Musician, composer, and conductor Andre Previn had a long and varied career career.  Simon and Nick discuss his life and his work in the jazz, film and classical music worlds 

Nick and Simon discuss the biography Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original.  Author Robin D. Kelley grew up in Harlem in a house where modern jazz was the soundtrack to family life. His PhD was on Social Movements, but through a series of posts at top American universities he moved more towards writing about music...

The Fillmore district of San Francisco was known as " The Harlem of the West" in the 1940s and there were many clubs that flourished there for a decade or more.  Live recordings of top artists bear the names of some of them. There are currently several jazz clubs and a specialised Jazz Centre in San Fransisco so  in the words of Frank Zappa,  in Fog City " jazz isn't dead it ju...

Send us a text Nick and Simon discuss the  well known book of jazz interviews  ' Hear  me Talkin' to Ya  The Story of Jazz as Told by the Men Who Made It.'

Red Garland was one of the big beasts of the 1950s New York jazz scene recording  many albums as leader with his  trio, he was also part of the first great Miles Davis quartet and with Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones  they collectively became known as " The Rhythm Section" In this episode Nick and Simon discuss and demonstrate Red Garlands pugilistic block chord playing styl...

Simon and Nick discuss the book Blue Notes in Black and White a book about the relationship between jazz image and jazz music.  Below is the blurb from the book:  You can read an excerpt here   Miles Davis, supremely cool behind his shades. Billie Holiday, eyes closed and head tilted back in full cry. John Coltrane, one hand behind his neck and a finger held pensively to his lips. T...