Monthly Archives: June 2014

New Labour reverts to old Labour

The lead story in the Guardian on the 21st June 2014 – “Labour election anxiety grows” – concerned Labour fronbenchers expressing the risably titled “private fears” that Ed Milliband may not be a winner. One would have thought that Labour would have learnt something from Blair’s first election wins – a united front. Instead, its […]

Peter Bazalgette of Arts Council England – “Don’t Blame Me”.

There was an article in the Observer on the 15th June 2014 by Vanessa Thorpe  “Arts in crisis – blame lies with council cuts”.  For the chairman of the Arts Council to pin the blame on local authorities budgets is disingenuous at best. Finding a scapegoat  reminds me of the the young aristocrat expaining to […]

Arts Council England funding for jazz – “Beware the fury of a patient man”

The Arts Council is currently deliberating on the funding of the National Portfolio Organisations for the next three years 2015 to 2018. Dryden’s line from Absalom and Achitophel, “Beware the fury of a patient man” neatly describes the feeling of the jazz community in the England towards the appalling under funding of jazz. When Arts […]

Jazz in the UK – a united organisational ecology dedicated to jazz

At my retirement party from Jazz Services I had to respond to some very kind words from the Chair of Jazz Services, Dominic McGonigal. My response ran along the following lines. After 29 years at the helm of Jazz services it had not escaped my notice that as jazz is so under resourced in terms […]

Politicians – insouciance at the taxpayers expense

In 2003 the Labour Government was driving through a Licensing Bill of which the sole purpose appeared to be throwing musicians out of work. The “Two in a Bar” rule, where two musicians could play in a pub with out the landlord having an Entertainment License was tossed out and no musicians in a bar […]

The trumpet shall sound!

Trumpet player Henry Lowther had a problem with his bank and their pettifogging regulations. The trouble was he could not pay money into his account. Never has the cri de couer of Richard Meldrew rung loud and clear “I don’t believe it”. The banks behaviour to their customers on many occasions falls short of an […]