SUNDAY TIMES REVIEW - NOVEMBER 24TH 2013

Lovely review from Clive Davies in the 'Culture' magazine of The Sunday Times for Midnight in Havana

REVIEWS FROM MENSA AND THE BOLTON NEWS

I was unaware that MENSA had a members publication (possibly an indication of stupidity on my part) but the following review seems to have been published both by them and The Bolton News. The MENSA review has just one added sentence: "Before you say, 'Oh no, not jazz'; just hang on a sec; I thought exactly the same until I listened - and I'm glad I did". I am entirely in agreement. Contemporary jazz (with some honourable exceptions), seems to lack Soul. Music should move rather than impress and I like to feel the hairs stand on my end or experience the joy of life through music when I hear a performance. 'Jazz' quite often seems so intellectual in this country and I wonder if that is part of the English character; that 'stiff upper lip-oh-God-don't-show-your-emotion type thing.

PAUL JONES PLAYS 'JAMES BOOKER'S GHOST' ON RADIO 2

Perhaps it is happenstance that the premiere of 'Blues Maharaja', a documentary examining the life and work of the great New Orleans pianist, James Booker is to be held at The Barbican on November 23rd, but Paul Jones played my tribute to him from the album on his show on Monday night. He said of it, "Splendid - what a fine piano player Louis Vause [is]" which has made my day. Thank you Paul. You can listen to his show here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03h3ssq

John Helling's played 'Manrique' last night on his show. If you would like to listen it was played 22.00 minutes into the show and he was kind enough to say of the album, 'Midnight in Havana' that "All [the tracks] have a justification for shouting 'Me, me, me, play me' because they are all so good" If you read this, John, thank you!