I spent the first 3 days of June in the studio with my friend Tony Faulkner. We were recording his newly reformed Jazz Orchestra. He had written a new suite, entitled “Thad Jones and the Ellington Effect” for a proposed tour a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, the tour didn’t go ahead so finally we’ve had the opportunity to play the music!

The sessions were great and the music is fantastic. Tony put together a great band and I had the great pleasure of playing Lead Trumpet. My thanks go to everyone involved but most particularly the guys in the Trumpet Section; Ryan Quigley, Robbie Robson, Graeme Hardy, Richard Iles and Henry Lowther. The CD should be available later in the Summer. More details as I have them.

I’m taking a break this week to get my chops back together following the problems I had with the split in my lip. Everything’s healed now and I’m slowly working to fix the problem that caused it. I’m certainly looking forward to getting back to the Rat Pack in Oxford next week.