BillF

Little Jazz Big P Small Faces

Robert Northern (french horn) Paul West (bass) Harry South (piano)

I have no Alexander albums, but very much like what I've heard of him on the radio. Which is regarded as the best album?

Cardinal Wolsey Morris Zapp Austin Powers

Moon Unit Kay Starr Freddie Mercury

Bebop Spoken Here from KBCS. Now playing: Art Farmer, "Cool Struttin'" from Central Avenue Reunion.

Being a bopper at heart, I'm happier with "Moment's Notice" and "Lazy Bird".

The Manchester Man Jimmy Nottingham Jack Cardiff

Something like my experience, Paul!

Orville Wright Captain Wrong Dr Evil

Did you discuss the new set of teeth Bunk Johnson had to have to get going again?

That's very true. Some of the finest music I have has been in my collection for forty years, which means I'm likely to be listening to stuff of lesser quality because it's only been there for forty days! One of life's sadnesses!

When Blue Note LPs were coming out in the 60s, I and my youthful friends criticised them for sticking to a formula to create the BN brand: Side 1, Track 1 was very often a heavily accented backbeat number aimed to make the album saleable and perhaps create a hit single; Van Gelder's recording tended to make everything sound "dramatic"; Francis Wolf and Reid Miles's covers always had the same look; certain musicians, e.g. Billy Higgins, were omnipresent while large areas of the music were never recorded by BN. In my maturity I realise these were quibbles and that jazz owes an enormous debt to BN and that some of the finest records in my present collection are on that label.

Violet Elizabeth Bott Viollet-le-Duc Jean-Louis Viale

Barnaby Rudge Bob Barnard Barney Bigard

I have only two Gerald Wilson albums: Portraits and Moment of Truth. They're both very good.

Vincent Herring Mr Kipper Darius Guppy

Bean Ben Jaws

Johnny Walker Walker Evans Bill Evans

Earl Swope Bill Harris Beaver Harris

Eager Beaver Fred Quimby Warrington Minge

It seems he remained irrepressible to the end. Asked in his final hours by a nurse administering medication if he was allegic to anything, he replied, "Only country music"!

Lipton Budgen Sainsbury

Quite a prominent altoist/flautist/arranger in the 1960s with Bill LeSage's 'Directions In Jazz' unit with Ronnie Ross and also his own combo. Recorded a very good album - 'Communication' - for Dennis Preston at Lansdowne . He left for Hollywood in the 1970s for movie soundtrack arranging and is still there, I believe. Talented guy - our loss ! Thanks for that! The article also confirmed what I'd heard on the grapevine about Buddy Rich's views on the Maltings gig. What a character he was! On Rich in London he can be heard telling an audience member at Ronnie's to "get your feet the hell off my stage!"

The Stranglers Albert Pierrepoint Pointer Sisters