Some readers of The Whistler may remember that in an earlier edition I wrote about my obsession with jazz, which began in the 1950s. Recently I came upon an obituary in The Guardian (24.10.2012) which took me back to those years.

As I learned more about jazz I started to visit the London clubs. At first I wanted to hear Traditional bands, so I went to sessions by Ken Colyer, Humphrey Lyttelton, Chris Barber and other musicians playing in that style. But my friends at University persuaded me that there were other styles of jazz on offer. Soon I was visiting clubs in Soho like The Flamingo and Studio 51. I discovered that these clubs were quite different. The music, the clientele, the dress, the style of dancing (if dancing was allowed) all contrasted quite markedly with the Traditional sessions. I enjoyed both styles, but there was clearly a great divide, with most fans firmly on one side or the other. I felt like a double-agent, but I am sure I was not alone.
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