Jazz is one of music’s most important genres: a fascinating blend of rigorous structure, free-wheeling
creativity, close-knit ensembles and imaginative improvisation. Drawing on his experience both as
musicologist and gigging musician, Sandy can shed light on jazz from the inside. His talk covers the
early years of jazz up to the Second World War, and touches on the disparate influences which lay
behind the emergence of jazz. Musical illustrations range from the blues, ragtime and the very first
jazz recordings through to classics by Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and the Duke Ellington Orchestra,
and the dawn of the Swing Era.
Further information and the booking form can be found in the Documents section of the website.