Hi everybody,
Last time we performed in the beautiful Recital Room at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre, we had a lot of fun with Simon Cook and the Jazz Lions – see here. On 7th August Simon and I will be back at the Recital Room with Martin Shaw on trumpet, Marianne Windham on bass and Martin Pyne on drums. It will be a very special evening as we will be featuring the music of the late Kenny Wheeler. If you don’t know Kenny’s music it is rich both melodically and harmonically and perfectly structured with a great sense of space. Listen here
I’ve had a few lovely gigs recently – at the end of June my Project played at Drayton Court for Way Out West – listen here, and last Friday I played at the Rose Theatre (foyer!) with Juliet Morton, Roger Perrin and Nakuma Halle – listen here
For those of you interested in playing jazz don’t forget to scroll down and check out my Chippings from the Woods Shed at the bottom of the Newsletter.
And at the end of August Nette and I will be off to the Isle of Man for the inaugural IOM Jazz Weekend, organised by our good friend Rolf Blocher.
If you enjoy my music please do like and subscribe to my Youtube Channel. It is absolutely free to subscribe – just click on the Subscribe Button…
“Captivating and steamy! That vibe should come with a 15 certificate at least”
“Haven’t heard anyone swing like that for years – best thing,real,swing”
“Had the good fortune to be present. A virtuoso performance. Bravo”
“Great playing…”
“Light and lovely…”
“Very cool”
“Great music”
” Great solo, a lesson in how to start sparse and build intensity”
“The word ravishing comes to mind!”
“So soft and gentle one wants to dream…. Such a pleasure to listen to Tony”
“Music full of warmth and joy”
“Soo cool”
“A wonderful and uplifting gig”
“Beautiful”
“Just been sent into another world again – Beautiful world….”
“Brilliant musicians and brilliant music!”
“Oh my goodness, another wonderful ‘ Project’, so exciting the build up, then the gentle ending, the flame gone out! Fantastic”
“I was lucky enough to be at this gig and see Tony and the band… wow amazing performance from all. Truly magical !!!”
“Yet another excellent gig. Great music and musicians”
“Absolutely brilliant!”
“Tone! Killer performance.”
“Wow!! Just fabulous…”
“Superb”
“What an amazing solo”
“Fantastic sound!”
“Awesome”
“What a way to start the day – had me dancing round my third storey”
“Story telling and space is the way to go . Lovely stuff “
“Can’t stop listening, spellbinding”
Upcoming gigs:
August7th: The Music of Kenny Wheeler, Bracknell Jazz
Other News:
Way Out West gigs continue at Jazz Cafe Posk (the Polish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith):
The Way Out West gigs continue in 2026 at Drayton Court Hotel, West Ealing, usually the third Wednesday in the month:
Wednesday 22nd July: Larry Bartley, Bruno Heinen, Winston Clifford.
Nette and I, together with pianist Meredith White and bassist Mark Rose, will be teaching on the Isle of Man Jazz Weekend 28th-30th August .
The Woods ShedI run a Jazz Workshop and Jam session at the Village Centre, Englefield Green on Monday nights. New members always welcome…
More info here.
Chippings From The Woods Shed:
One of the roots of jazz is that of Call and Response – One can think of the Work Song or the Preacher and Congregation.
I think it’s quite fun to think of this Question and Answer approach sometimes when improvising. It means you have to leave a space between the Question and the Answer and you have to control your phrase lengths. I have touched on both Space and Phrase Lengths in previous Chippings, but with Q and A we’re looking at it from a slightly different angle.
So on a Blues say, play a short phrase (bar/bar and a bit) leave a gap, then play the Answer. Do this consistently for a bit. In a way it’s a rhythmic exercise as form is expanded rhythm (1 bar, 2 bars, 4 bars, 8 bars etc) Enjoy the symmetry of the structure. Most standard forms are built up in 2 bar, 4 bar and 8 bar chunks. If you can do this consistently it will also help you to know where you are in the form. Of course once you can play Q an A symmetrically it’s fun to break the symmetry and go across the 4 bar phrases, play across the double bar lines etc.
It’s a good exercise in a group lesson too – teacher plays the question, student answers and vice versa.
Of course the Answer can agree with the Question in some way (use similar rhythmic or intervallic material) or not! It can contrast in some way with the Question instead, like you’re having a disagreement – teenage boys in particular like that approach when Answering the Teacher…
