I was born in 1967 in Wimbledon which is where I grew up. Well actually I grew up in Colliers Wood, but Wimbledon sounds posher. I went to a stage school part-time from the ages of 5 to 15 and without doubt those years shaped me. My childhood was spent wishing I was a […]
I grew up in London, living very happily with my mum. It was a close and intense relationship. We’d both get worked up about things quickly but were always open with each other, and I think that has influenced me in terms of how I approach both people and music now. I was lucky […]
My childhood was chaotic, exciting and a bit emotionally unstable at times. Both my parents were actors (my mum still is!) but my elder brother and I were loved and were always encouraged to do what we wanted to do. I remember lots of laughs, and my dad played the piano, we grew up […]
My childhood was characterised by car journeys. We moved a lot so I spent much of the time reading out facts from encyclopedias to my mum. ‘Muuuuuuum did you know..?’ On repeat for 3 hours. I also read Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl, I read lots as a small child. We lived in Ireland, Sheffield, […]
My earliest memory of hearing jazz was around the age of 6. It was a memorable sound, very distinctive. It was Count Basie. My dad took me to jazz gigs and festivals from when I was a toddler. He’d regularly take me to a pub called The Goat in St. Albans which had jazz […]
I don’t remember choosing music. I think it must’ve chosen me. I grew up in Copenhagen in a slightly chaotic home. My two sisters had left home at about 15 and 16, which was when I was born. I felt like an only child but I did have my sisters to look up to. […]
SJM editor Charlie Anderson caught up with Ezra Collective keys player Joe Armon-Jones after the release of his solo debut, Starting Today. What do you get from playing music, as an experience, that you don’t get from doing anything else? I get a feeling of connection to other people through improvised music that I […]
I have worked at The Hand in Hand on and off for over the last ten years. I first came here when my friend said that he knew of a little place that sold Cherry Beer, and being fresh of the train from Newcastle, I hadn’t really heard of Cherry Beer before…but by god it […]
While our public life remains mired in irreconcilable division and the prolonged period of uncertainty we were promised continues unabated, at least we’ve had a nice long spell of hot weather, to the delight and relief of all those involved in running or attending outdoor events. Festival season is upon us – we can […]
Robert Fowler Quartet Under Ground Theatre, Eastbourne Friday 9th October 2015 Playing melodic standards from the Great American Songbook, plus jazz standards such as Bernie’s Tune, the Robert Fowler Quartet provided an evening of swinging music and beautiful ballads. Very satisfactory. Robert Fowler, sax; Robin Aspland, piano; Jeremy Brown, bass; Matt Home, drums. […]