Judy for extended London gig.

American stride pianist and singer has just told me of her up-and-coming London gig for next month. In an email she said “I can’t help myself, I love England and I’m going back. If you’re in the area, please come hear me at the wonderful Boisdale of Belgravia, August 3-15 (except for the 9th). I played Boisdale for two weeks last August, and happily, they’ve invited me back. This is a convivial spot, with spectacular food and a wonderful history of hiring great musicians. I’m pleased to be included. I’ll have some fab guys with me, so please come by.” If her recent gigs at the Concorde Club in Eastleigh (Southampton) are anything to go by, these dates promise to be very special. for our international readers, she is back in NYC on August 31st at Feinsteins at the Regency in that city.

Omar Punte and Wife in Court Battle

Omar Puente, the Cuban jazz violinist well known to audiences through his superb playing with jazz saxophonist superstar Courtney Pine, goes to the High Court in London today to support his wife in their fight to clarify the law in the United Kingdom on assisted suicide. Debbie Purdy (Omars’ wife) suffers from multiple sclerosis and wishes, at some date in the future, to travel to the Dignitas Clinic in Switzerland to end her life in a dignified way with assisted suicide. Under current U.K. law if her husband travels with her he will be liable for prosecution for assisting her. To date no prosecutions have been taken under this statute but prosecution is possible, and at the very least Omar will face arrest and questioning by the police, coupled with the emotional stress of the threat of court action at a time of severe emotional turmoil caused by the death of his wife. Currently the offence of assisted suicide carries a sentence of up to 14 years imprisonment. “There is strong support for a change in the law,” defence lawyer Lord Falconer said. “Most people would think compassionate assisters should not be prosecuted for taking their loved ones to Switzerland.” This writer wishes them success in their fight.

The changes I have seen

A lot has happened in photography in the 50 years since I had my first camera as a birthday present from my mother, but nothing has revolutionised things quite as much as the digital image. As a photographer who is often photographing musicians in poor lighting, using high iso speeds and trying to balance light, these advances have served to make it possible for me to work in a way that was never possible before. At first it was a steep learning curve because I (and many like me) assumed in innocence that because I could take a good photo with film I would be fine - all I were doing was replacing the film with a chip wasn't I! Ha, how wrong I was, and how much I had to learn abut the new medium, but I think I am now pretty much there. However, what about all the images I have on that old faithful (and now gone) Kodachrome? Well, I have been scanning and playing with a few of my old images lately and found they are still very usable and now are beginning to have some historical meaning , however small. Above is just one example of a shot taken in 1992 of the great blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon. I converted it to black and white to get rid of the horrid red colour cast of the original which was shot in a red lit marquee, and I think it works just fine!

Carmichael & Allen at the Concorde

On Wednesday that great stride pianist Judy Carmichael made a very welcome return to Eastleighs Concorde Club, this time accompanied by the American tenor player Harry Allen - and what a great evening it was! The superb playing of Grammy-nominated Judy was a wonderful counterbalance to the super-cool Harry, and the evening was a real treat for the audience at this welcoming venue which now celebrates over 50 years of presenting a range of artists any club would be proud to be associated with. It was the second appearance of Judy at the club in less than 6 months, which is fairly unique at the Concorde, and I was fortunate enough to be there to capture the moment. You can see the two of them here.

No haircut here!

As winners of the Best Live Act at the BBC Folk Awards, "The Demon Barbers have gained major recognition for their original and imaginative approach to traditional music and song. They take mainly traditional ballads, strange tales of myth and magic and coil them, twist them, make them stranger, darker, becoming tales of Gothic danger; they don’t so much make folk rock as make traditional tales quiver and pulse with electricity." I caught up with their amazing performance at the Eastleigh Music Festival, and was not disappointed. They are an incredibly visual band, and you can view my images of them here.

I managed to catch up with Eddi Reader at the Eastleigh Music Festival on Friday night. This great little festival in southern Hampshire played host to a number of great bands including British Sea Power and Kissmet but probably greatest amongst these was the Scottish singer songwriter Eddi Reader MBE. Although small, the audience gave her a enthusiastic and well-deserved reception and she did not disappoint in any way. You can catch up with a small selection of my photos here.

I Shot Ben Zander

Yesterday I was pleased to catch up with Ben Zander again, and renew my acquaintance with the Liverpudlian who is now principal of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra. Mr. Zander is a very talented cellist, and I did feel a little sorry for the student who had the maybe onerous task of accompanying the great man during his lecture at the grand Pittville Pumproom in beautiful (if traffic clogged) Cheltenham as part of the Music Festival that the town holds every year. I last met Benjamin Zander at a masterclass for conductors in London some 12 years ago, an event I found totally fascinating as a non-musician. You can see the more of the results of my shooting here!

Fancy an open-topped sports car?

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Originally uploaded by gwpics

We are caught in these hard economic times. One part of us says that we should cut back, but the other part says we still want to feel the wind in our hair as we rush along the highways and byways. Maybe this is the answer! No road tax (too old), good fuel economy and only 3 tyres to replace, what else could you ask for? this model was photographed at a rally in Dorset, and you can see other examples in a myriad of colours on my stock site.

Courtney Pine on saxophone.

Courtney Pine on saxophone.
Originally uploaded by gwpics

Courtney Pine playing tenor saxophone at The Opera House in Bournemouth. No one better embodies the dramatic transformation in the British Jazz scene over the past twenty years than Courtney Pine. The saxophonist heads a new generation of exciting and innovative musicians who have chosen to turn their talents to the demanding requirements of jazz music, in all its shapes and forms. Courtney Pine was awarded an O.B.E. in recognition of his services to music.

Flowers to brighten your day!

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Originally uploaded by gwpics

Photographed in Monets Garden in Giverny, and part of my French collection, I wanted these poppies to brighten your day. Have a good one!