Tag / National Jazz Centre

by mikeraggett

A Supreme Love makes Jazzwise magazine’s top 20

The six-CD boxset of Alan Skidmore’s life as a musician has made it into the influential magazine Jazzwise’s Top 20 Reissues and Archive albums of 2023. And with the vast majority of tracks (more than 80%) previously unreleased it leans heavily towards the Archive rather than the Reissues sector.

With his inspiration, John Coltrane, featuring twice in the list and colleagues Stan Tracey, Sony Rollins and Kenny Wheeler also listed, Skid is in very good company. There are a very few copies left so if you don’t want to miss out on one of the albums of the year head over to Confront Recordings to get your copy.

Since writing this the physical box set has sold out but all tracks are available to download from the link above.

Watch this space for other year end awards that may come in for this superb collection.

November in Southend

And in other news, Alan joined outstanding vibraphone player and good friend Anthony Kerr for an impromptu gig at The Jazz Centre UK in Southend at the beginning of November. Long-term collaborators in Georgie Fame’s New Blue Flames it was great to hear the two playing together in this intimate space.

by mikeraggett

Alan Skidmore honoured

Saturday 7 October 2017 saw the official opening of the  Jazz Centre UK at the Beecroft Gallery in Southend. The Centre houses an impressive collection of important jazz memorabilia including Louis Armstrong’s trumpet, John Dankworth’s first piano and the complete Humphrey Lyttleton archive.

Display case

Alan and Digby Fairweather admiring Jimmy Skidmore’s tenor sax

It has a programme of screenings of jazz films and other events.

It also has a display which includes Jimmy Skidmore’s tenor saxophone which Alan donated to the Centre.

 

 

 

Digby salver

During the opening celebrations, Alan was presented with a silver salver recognising his 60 years in jazz. At the presentation founder of the Centre Digby Fairweather praised Alan for his contribution to jazz and his generosity to the National Jazz Centre. Alan replied, “I’ve given six decades of my life to this art-form and I appreciate its full celebration here in words and deeds”.

PlayingHe then played a set to the delight of the crowds attending this significant event. Alan was especially pleased to be in the company of the next generation of jazz musicians as members of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra followed his performance. The Centre will maintain close links with the orchestra to develop jazz in the future as well as displaying its past.

[Photographs courtesy Graham Mullett]