Tribute to Rab Noakes
Rab Noakes was a fine singer, songwriter, guitarist, BBC Radio music producer and Union activist. He served superbly representing musicians’ rights on the MU’s Executive Committee for many years.
Ivors Composer Awards
The Ivors Academy revealed the twelve winners at the 20th edition of The Ivors Composer Awards last night, celebrating the best new music in classical, jazz and sound art.
Coral Room
One of my favourite bars in central London can be found in the Bloomsbury Hotel in Great Russell St, just along from TUC Congress House. The Coral Room serves a fine range of beers, shorts and cocktails, in surroundings inspired by the jazz age of the 1920’s and created in collaboration with Martin Brudnizki.
ACE funding
The MU has today heavily criticised the decision by Arts Council England to make major cuts in public funding to English National Opera and other arts organisations. While the MU supports increased funding for arts organisations outside London, today’s announcement reveals a deliberate decision to do this at a direct cost of London-based companies.
Record of the Day anniversary
The excellent daily news service for the music industry, Record of the Day (RotD, has just distributed its 1000th issue, which is a considerable milestone for any such service, and I have joined many colleagues in the business in acknowledging this feat.
Brian Blain
I attended the memorial service for Brian Blain this afternoon at Golders Green Crematorium. Brian was an influential music promoter, editor, writer and MU Official, with a particular love of live jazz.
Brodsky Quartet
The world-renowned Brodsky Quartet have been performing at Kings Place in London this weekend, offering a complete Shostakovich Quartet Cycle to mark their 50th anniversary. The group, who started out in Middlesbrough in 1972 as the ‘Cleveland Quartet’, now feature original members Ian Belton (violin)and Jacqueline Thomas (cello) alongside Krysia Osostowicz (violin) and Paul Cassidy (viola).
Guitars at the races
The annual London International Guitar Show is being held once again at Kempton Race Course this Sunday and I dropped in this afternoon to deliver lanyards and tote bags for distribution to the 150 exhibitors.
Brighton Congress
The rearranged TUC Congress has been taking place this week in Brighton this week, so I travelled down to the south coast from Leeds today, upon the closure of the MU Members’ Conference.
Northern Cowboys
It has been a delight working with the superb team from Northern Cowboy Films, led by Mark Lewis and Thomas Dibb, who have been recording our MU EDI Conference in Leeds so effectively.
Langley quiz time
I have always loved a quiz and so was pleased to hear that our local cafe/wine bar, Langley Quarter, were hosting a quiz for the first time tonight.
Drake Yolanda Awards
A very pleasant evening at Boisdale in Canary Wharf for the Drake Yolanda Awards event, which celebrates emerging artists plus offers a rewarding platform for developing their careers.
With the media
I travelled down from Liverpool to Birmingham on Thursday (29th) in advance of the Conservative Conference and the second stage of our representing musicians at the principal party gatherings.
Labour in Liverpool
A very busy two-week period at the party conferences began last Thursday (22nd) for me, as I caught the train from Euston to Liverpool Lime Street and checked in at the superb Hope Street Hotel in the city’s elegant Georgian Quarter.
