After some turbulent times, Brecon Jazz now seems to be in safe hands, with new operator Orchard serving up an impressive line-up of established stars and emerging talent. Among those surely destined for fame is Anthony Strong, who wowed a packed Theatr Brycheiniog on Saturday. With a show as sharp as his suit, 28-year-old Strong … Continue reading
Category Archives: Writing
Love Supreme – a supreme 10 out of 10
I’m sure the sunshine helped, but my day out at the Love Supreme jazz festival last weekend was a real 10 out of 10. The UK’s first greenfield jazz festival for many years benefited from a field that was indeed green, not mud brown, as it would have been if the weather had been less … Continue reading
Esperanza – a jazz talent with Welsh roots
Wales, the land of song, has produced no shortage of famous and talented singers (fame and talent don’t always come as a set, of course), and global singing stars have claimed Welsh roots.The latest to come to my attention is one who’s big on talent, but not as famous as she should be – Esperanza … Continue reading
How about it? A summer anthem of love, peace, harmony
Here’s my nomination for the summer anthem of 2013 – Shaun Escoffery’s Nature’s Call is a timely antidote to the hatred on our streets and social channels in recent weeks. Continue reading
Cardiff’s greatest star? A Hitchcock leading man and songwriting genius
My adopted home town of Cardiff, Wales has produced plenty of famous names in sport (I know – I contributed to a book about it) and the arts, but I doubt any could be considered greater than Ivor Novello. Continue reading
Who’s holding whom? My problem with a song lyric
Songs aren’t just tunes, are they? As someone who’s made his living with words, the lyrics really matter to me. I’ve always been uneasy when a lyric doesn’t quite make sense or say what it’s supposed to. Toto’s Georgy Porgy, for instance. Continue reading