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UK
Première For Billy Documentary
Guitar
man turns gravitas....
All
roads recently led to Leeds on 11th
November for the UK première
of 'A Man From Lewisham', a 27 min
documentary about life and death and Billy
Jenkins made by the London based Portuguese
film maker Antonio Rui Ribeiro.
The
film synopsis reads:
"Billy
Jenkins, a renowned British Blues musician,
has been playing his music across the UK and
internationally since the 1970s. With the
decline of traditional music sales and
following a period looking after his
father-in-law, a dementia sufferer, Billy
decided to go 'where the smart money is'
training to become a Humanist funeral
officiant with the British Humanist
Association.
"The film starts as a biographical portrayal
of Billy's formative years and career
spanning four decades. Weaving some solos
and recorded tracks in the narrative, the
documentary provides the viewer with a rare
and intimate insight of his role as a
humanist officiant, when on Monday 19th
April 2010 Billy officiates the funeral of
39 year-old stand-up comedian Karl Edric
Manson.
"The film juxtaposes Billy Jenkins love of
music, his thoughts on life and death and
his newer role as Blues preacher in local
chapels and crematoria."
Antonio
Ribeiro
Antonio
and Billy first met in 2000, when Mr Ribeiro
was the artistic director of The Blue
Elephant Theatre in Camberwell, South
London and they collaborated on a number of
successful summer seasons of blues concerts.
And
it is rather fitting that the UK première
was in Leeds - for Billy has had quite an
intimate relationship with the Yorkshire
public going back to the mid 1970's. In
fact, it is Dave Hatfield of the
late lamented Leeds Jazz that we
have to thank for factoring this
showing.
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Billy
Jenkins + BBC Big Band Featuring Iain
Ballamy
'Better
git me shiney shoes on for this
one!'
©Brian
Aldrich
Legendary
British guitarist/composer Billy Jenkins
brought his 2010 renaissance to a climax at
the London Jazz Festival by performing for
the first time with the BBC Big Band.
Following
the release of his new album, I Am A Man
From Lewisham and the forthcoming Born
Again (and the religion is the blues),
that demonstrate the Jenkins' Mojo is still
working to full effect, this was a rare and
timely London appearance.
The
concert took place at The Purcell Room
at the South Centre on Sunday 21st
November and featured five
adventurous large scale arrangements (newly
commissioned by BBC Radio 3) of
Billy's music by Iain Ballamy,
conducted with much artistry by Julian
Siegal.
Ballamy,
one of the world's finest saxophonists
and a long serving member of Billy Jenkins'
extended musical family, also guested as a
soloist.
The
first half featured Billy's new Trio
Blues Suburbia with organist Jim
Watson and drummer MIke Pickering
with guest Iain Ballamy, before he
welcomed the BBC Big Band onto the
stage with conductor Julian Siegal for
the second half of what was a truly
momentous meeting of disparate energies.
The
concert was recorded by BBC R3 for
future transmission on 30th January 2011.
Mr
Jenkins wishes to give his profound thanks
to Steve Shepherd, Mike Gavin, Fiona
Wootton, BBC R3 'Jazz Line Up' producer
Keith Loxam, Barry Forgie, Raymond Howden at
the BBC LIbrary, Shona Pew, copyist Simon
Whiteside, Ian Ballamy, Julian Siegal, all
the SBC staff, Serious Productions, all the
musicians, and the Sold Right Out audience
(who came from far and wide) for being so
enthusiastic.
OH YEAH!!
About
the BBC Big Band:
BBC
BIg Band at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival
2007 ©Graham
Lambourne
The
BBC Big Band, sometimes called the BBC Radio
Big Band, is a British band run under the
auspices of the BBC and is probably best
known for its long running Monday night
show, Big Band Special on BBC Radio 2, but
also reaches worldwide audiences through the
BBC World Service, satellite radio and the
Internet.
It
has been voted the best Big Band in the
British Jazz Awards in 1992, 1994, 1997,
1999, 2001 and 2007.
The
band has played with stars such as Van
Morrison, Michael Bublé, Tony
Bennett, George Shearing, Michel
Legrand, Cleo Laine, Lalo
Schifrin, Dr. John and Ray
Charles.
The
band regularly features on the UK festival
circuit, and concert tours with major
artists have taken the band all over the
world in addition to its regular concert
recordings throughout the UK for BBC R2.
From
Wikipedia
About
the arranger and saxophonist Iain Ballamy:
Ballamy
was schooled at 1975-80 George Abbot School,
Guildford. He then studied Musical
Instrument Technology from 1980-1982 Merton
College. He took piano lessons from age of 6
to 14.
He
discovered saxophone in 1978 with three
lessons and his first professional gig was
in 1980. He played Ronnie Scotts as Iain
Ballamy Quartet at age 20. He was a founding
member of Loose Tubes in 1984. First
recording with Billy Jenkins 1985 (and
making a further eight albums with him) and
first solo album, Balloon Man, 1988.
During
his career he has performed or recorded with
a wide range of top musicians including Gil
Evans, Hermeto Pascoal, New York Composers
Orchestra, Carla Bley, Dewey Redman, George
Coleman, London Sinfonietta, Françios
Jeanneau, Daniel Humair, Mike Gibbs, Randy
Weston, Karnataka College of Percussion, Sax
Assault, Jazz Train, Freebop, Nishat Khan,
R.A.Ramamani, T.A.S. Mani, Clare Martin,
Human Chain, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Tom
Robinson, Charlie Watts Orchestra, Jeremy
Stacey, Randy Weston, Joanna MacGregor,
Delightful Precipice, Django Bates, Mark
Wingfield, Jane Chapman, Bryan Ferry,
Everything But The Girl, Food for Quartet,
Loose Tubes, Oxcentrics, Ian Shaw, Slim
Gaillard, Ultramarine, Ashley Slater, Hungry
Ants, Ronnie Scott, Gordon Beck, Britten
Sinfonia, and Gay Dad.
In
1999, Ballamy founded the record label Feral
Records in partnership with graphic artist
and filmmaker Dave McKean.
In
2005 he composed the musical score for the
movie MirrorMask.
Ballamy
is an agony uncle for Jazz UK Magazine with
his column "In the Saxophonists Chair".
Albums
recorded with Billy Jenkins:
* Greenwich (1985)
* Uncommerciality Vol 1 (1986)
* Uncommerciality Vol 2 (1991)
* Scratches of Spain (1987)
* Motorway At Night (1988)
* Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 1 (1989)
* Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 2 (1989)
* True Love Collection (1999)
* First Aural Art Exhibition (2006)
From
Wikipedia
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Uncommerciality
Vol 1 - 3 Re-issued on Download
  
'Uncommerciality
is (also) shaped with the sophistication of
a major-league jazz composer. All in all it
is not only Jenkins's finest hour, but a
landmark in
contemporary
UK jazz.'
****'
John
Fordham / The
Guardian
'Three
sprawling, inspired sets - a landmark
in warped jazz pleasure.'
John Bungey / The Times
Volume
1 of what was to become the famous 'UNCOMMERCIALITY'
chocolate box series was originally released
on limited edition vinyl in 1986. The three
volumes were issued in 1991 on the people’s
music carrier, the cassette. This is the
first time this extraordinary music has been
reissued together in any form.
Each
volume of the series respectively reflects
the qualities of the chocolate suggested by
the well known and much loved packaging of
Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Black Magic produced
by Nestlé and Cadbury’s plain chocolate
Bournville. Jenkins described the musical
ingredients as such:
- Volume 1 is ‘a milk chocolate music
selection with easy listening centres’.
- Volume 2 is ‘a dark chocolate music
selection with mysterious centres’
- Volume 3 is ‘a plain chocolate music
selection with vibrant aftertaste’.
To
add to the complexity Billy also composed
some of the pieces (cross referencing
titles, pitch, tempo or instrumentation) as
a companion to songs recorded on previous
(or even future) albums.
So,
from Vol. 1, Pharoah Sanders cross
references with the aural portraits on
‘Entertainment USA’ (1994) – like Ronald
Reagan, Elvis Presley and others. Bhopal is
a portrait of a place – as in Bilbao/St.
Columbus Day from ‘Scratches of Spain’
(1987)
From
Vol. 2, Girl Getting Knocked Over
cross pollinates across to Billy’s other 160
bpm road pieces like High Street / Saturday
from ‘Sounds Like Bromley’ (1982); Greenwich
One-Way System (‘Greenwich’ 1985); ‘Motorway
at Night’ (1988); High Street/Part
Pedestrianised (‘Still Sounds Like Bromley’
1997) and Commuting (‘Uncommerciality’ 3).
And
on Vol. 3, apart from the
aforementioned Commuting – which ipso facto
relates to This Is A Day To Forget and I
Wanna Stay Here (‘Blues Zero Two’
2002), there is Land Of the Free – again a
companion piece to ‘Entertainment USA’ .
Consumerism relates to Pointless Adorments
and Coke Cans In Yer Garden (‘Suburbia’
1999), We All Wear Socks and We All Eat Food
(‘East West’ 1996).
The
eighteen tracks on the three volumes were
also written and programmed to play in a
loop – so the opening track of Volume 2,
Commerciality, in the key of A follows on
from it’s relative minor F#m key of Bhopal,
that closes Vol 1.
Vol
2 ends in Bb – and we rise by a tone
to the concert C of Marching Into Middle Age
that opens Vol 3. The third volume closes
with Land Of the Free (also in C) and we
return to the start of Vol. 1 and Brilliant
in A – the tone and a half step down to the
relative minor but executed here in a major
key.
In
2003, musician, social commentator and Billy
listener Richard Russell penned a
masterly overview on the
'Uncommerciality' series. You can
read it posted on the Billy Jenkins
Webzine here.
The
'Uncommerciality' series, distributed
by Cadiz Digital, are available to
download worldwide from your favourite
online store and follow hot on the
heels of the generic Jenkins 1980's albums 'Sounds
Like Bromley' and 'Greenwich',
which have also been recently made available
online - see below.
Purchase
your ear candy on the Recordings+Shop
page now!
Esteemed
jazz critic John Fordham gives the
collection a four ****review in The Guardian.
Read it here.
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Classic
Billy Albums Remastered for Download
 
Spring
2010 saw the worldwide release of two
classic VOG Collective albums for download.
'Sounds
Like Bromley' (1982) and 'Greenwich'
(1985) - described in the early editions
of The Penguin Guide to Jazz as 'one of the
most distinctive British albums of the
1980's'.
Wary
of the limitations of download compression,
Mr Jenkins has had these genre busting
sessions remastered by the quiet genius Andy
Le Vien at RMS Studios from virgin
vinyl - anticipating that some of the
analogue warmth will be retained
The
releases are the first batch of a whole raft
of download re-issues in 2010 that are
highlighted on the Archive
page.
You
can purchase worldwide through the usual
online outlets - including Amazon,
HMV
Digital and many others.
Fellow
musician and journalist Rod Kitson
has written a masterly overview of Jenkins'
composing methods in Greenwich Time
which can be read here.
Begin
the Billy MP3 forward thinking retrospective
by tapping and having a rummage in the Recordings+Shop now!
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'Jazz
Is A Verb!' - Glasgow Herald Trumpets
Billy
'Trumpets!?
What happened to the
firemen..!?' ©Steve Morrison
There's
a superb article in the Glasgow Herald
by that most astute of Billy listeners, Keith
Bruce. He once wrote a memorable
preview 22 years ago describing the
guitarist as 'an arsonist - not a
fireman'.
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Free
Download Single Released
I AM A MAN
FROM LEWISHAM
FREE
DOWNLOAD SINGLE
'I
Am A Man From Lewisham', the title
track from the new album, is now available
as a free download!
Especially
edited by Jenkins' long-time producing maestro
Tony Messenger, it's the guitarist's
first brave and belated step into this new
fangled thing called 'downloading'......
It's
a perfect appetizer for hoovering down the
whole album and is guaranteed to put a
'spring' in your step!
OFFICIAL
PRESS
RELEASE FOR 'I AM A MAN FROM LEWISHAM'
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Jenkins
Inspired Vortex World Cup Jazz Ball
Returns
This
press release from The Vortex Jazz Club:
Billy
Jenkins’ JazzBall extravaganza returns to
the Vortex for the World Cup 2010!
Football
inspired improvisation featuring some of
the UK’s most dynamic musicians!
Football
inspired improvisational madness returns to
The Vortex with JazzBall – World
Cup 2010. Originally conceived by the
eccentric jazz-punk guitarist Billy Jenkins,
the 2010 series curator Todd Wills has put
together some of London's finest improvising
and jazz musicians.
They
not only bring the drama of 2D televised
large screen football to a more rewarding
ethereal 3D experience, but also highlight
the avarice of the hyper-commercialised
world football industry.
“Jazz is just like football,” says Jenkins.
“It’s the most kinetic and spontaneous art
form we have. Both of them are about
organising joy from chaos. And with both you
get two 45-minute sets and a chance to go
for a piss during the break... It’s like the
musicians will play to a giant musical
score,” says Jenkins, “by following the
bouncing ball on the screen.” Will there be
‘Jaws’-style leitmotifs?
Will, say, Ashley Cole’s appearance on the
screen be accompanied by a recurring theme?
The music will represent the national
characteristics of each side – we’ve got a
few musicians versed in Gyspy / East
European music playing from Slovenia.
“They’ll be representing every tackle, every
pass, every shot, every save.
The band will be fading the TV commentary
and crowd noise in and out. You’ve also got
to watch those off-the-ball skirmishes –
just like the footballers, our players will
be having little battles behind the
referee’s back.
And, when the TV shows an instant replay,
the musicians will have to play exactly what
they’ve just played again, only in slow
motion… And watch out for the penalty shoot
outs! You’ll have trumpeters against
bassists and drummers!”
12th
June -
ENG v USA (7.30 KO)- Paul Clarvis – live
in Gillett Square
14th
June - ITALY
v PARAGUAY (7.30 KO) - Dave Morecroft
16th
June - SA v
URUGUAY (7.30 KO) - Nick Ramm
23rd
June - ENG v
SLOVENIA - (3pm KO) - Zac Gvirtzman (Gypsy
Jazz Night)
26th
June -
URUGUAY v SOUTH KOREA Up B (3pm KO)
- Steve Noble
27th
June -
GERMANY v ENGLAND (3pm KO) - Chris
Batchelor
11
July - THE FINAL:
Shabaka
Hutchings/ Alex Ward / Steve Noble
v
Alan
Wilkinson + 2 tbc
kick
off 7.30pm. Tickets: £6
Vortex
Jazz Club, 11 Gillett Square, London N16
8AZ
BILLY
JENKINS WILL NOT BE PERFORMING
HIMSELF DURING THE SERIES
For
tickets or more information please call the
Vortex office on
020
7254 4097 or go to www.vortexjazz.co.uk
The
Evening Standard were present for
the first event. You might be able to read their jazz
critic Jack Massarik's incisive review online somewhere....
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Catch
Him While You Can
'Does
this mean I've got to put proper shoes
on...?
©Brian Aldrich
Despite
a busy schedule this year of recording and
creating and conducting Humanist funerals,
Billy happily agreed to appear live onstage
at two local events in June.
Saturday
5th June saw him steering an ad hoc Brockley
Blues Collective, that strangely
seemed to contain three half size performers
- a dancing vibemeister, a shy
flautist and a broken armed ukulele
strummer, who kept the full sized musicians
- Finn Peters on alto sax and flute,
Oren Marshall on tuba, bassist
Charlie Hart and drummer Mike
Pickering - on their toes through a
crackpot set on top of Hilly Fields as part
of the marvellous Brockley MAX
festival.
Lewisham
Mayor Sir Steve Bullock was seen
stage-side grinning hugely and hundreds of
family picnic-ers seemed to enjoy both
marvellous weather and inspired music from
the ensemble......
Mike
Windus captures on his camera what looks
like creche - not a cutting edge
ensemble....
Secondly,
on the evening on Thursday 17th June,
the guitarist also contributed a short solo
set as part of a Gala evening celebrating
fifty years of the Lewisham Humanists - and
a wonderful humanist occasion it was indeed,
with a keynote talk by Andrew Copson,
Chief Executive Officer of the British
Humanist Association, white knuckle comedy
from Jeanne Rathbone, a
brilliant discourse on blasphemy and
cartoons by The Guardian's Martin Rowson
; wonderful speeches by the incomparable
Denis Cobell, Billy's inspiring
funeral officiant mentor and the legendary Barbara
Smoker - all impeccably compered by
marvellous Isabel Russo!
There
was one more date in the book where folks
were able to hear Billy live this summer.
Friday
July 9th at the wonderful Brooks Blues
Bar at The Telegraph in Putney, London SW15
saw the return of Billy with bluesmeister
and fellow guitar twanger, songwriter and
singer Steve Morrison as they
presented their popular, topical two man Here
Is The Blues! show to a well
attended, hot, sweaty and appreciative
crowd.
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Supporting
Musicians’ Rights.Supporting Music
Whilst
enjoying the free 'I Am A Man From Lewisham'
single you might well have downloaded onto
your iPod or laptop - spare a thought for
the plight of the music makers the world
over.
In
today’s internet-sharing world, it’s never
been easier for original music to be
hijacked, plagiarised, copied or just plain
nicked. That’s why music copyright has never
been so important.
Copyright
is important for musicians because it
safeguards the rights to their own music.
And it’s important for music fans because it
pays for musicians to make more music.
A
new campaign has been launced by The
Musicians’ Union (MU) and Billy was one of
the first to pledge support. It's committed
to making sure that everyone respects the
value of music and the huge part it plays in
our lives.
But
we can’t expect the right to enjoy music
unless we respect the rights of the people
who make it. And if musicians do
want to give their music away, they should
be in control of the process - as here, as
Billy has opted to give away 'I Am A Man
From Lewisham' for free. And, hoping you
enjoy the fine music making, you might
hopefully purchase the whole album.
By
supporting musicians’ rights, the Music
Supported Here campaign is supporting music.
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Billy
In Session On BBC R3
Captured
in session!
©Steve Shepherd
On
the 10th May Billy led his all star six
piece 'Songs of Praise' ensemble through a
high powered studio session recently
recorded especially for BBC R3's 'Jazz On
3'!
Produced
superbly by Peggy Sutton and the
interview edited to perfection by Kathryn
Willgress, the bandleader was also
heard in conversation with comedian, writer
and long time Billy listener Stewart Lee,
who interviewed Jenkins in his South London
home about this session and his life in
music, including his early days performing
'jazz and jokes' at The Comic Strip comedy
club, his seminal band the Voice of God
Collective - and how his recent work
conducting Humanist funerals has influenced
his music. And as can be seen by the
photograph below, a convivial time was had
by all!
Bill
and Stew get 'serious'....
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I
Am A Man From Lewisham
At
last! After an enforced hiatus away
from the business due to personal, artistic
and economical complexities, the new Billy
recording has arrived!
Released
worldwide on 12th April, you can also
purchase the CD by spanking this Recordings+Shop link!
You
can download the album worldwide (and other
Billy releases) from most online stores.
Featuring
his 'Songs of Praise' ensemble, we
at billy.com have to
modestly say that, once more, this music is
truly the Sound of the City. Not many
musicians are documenting and making us take
a step back to pause and appreciate our
daily surroundings like Jenkins does.
By
gathering clusters of musicians to resonate
along the bylaws laid down by the composer
(with full endorsement to exercise ones
human rights and right of freedom for the
benefit of all) - he creates a celebratory
aural Love Fest of stinking, joyous,
wonderful civilization.
And,
here in the UK, as we teeter towards an
insipid tick box totalitarianism-lite
'think as the law says you will do' madness
- we must treasure the sound of free speech.
By
humans. Not robots......
Spank
that Recordings+Shop link
now - CD available worldwide for £9.99
(including p + p).
OFFICIAL
PRESS
RELEASE FOR 'I AM A MAN FROM LEWISHAM'
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All
CD's Now £9.99
'£12.99
for a life size Pixie Lott doll..!?! I'm
better off buying one of my own
albums!'
©Steve
Morrison
Thanks to a generous and supportive gesture
from the Babel Label, every Billy CD
and DVD available at www.jazzcds.co.uk
or by cheques direct via the Billy Office
are now priced at £9.99 - and that
includes post and packing world-wide!
All
orders from jazzcds come direct
through the Billy Office - so you can be
assured of an efficient and conscientious
service!
Enjoy
some real music (whilst helping
Billy earn enough to pay some tax) by
spanking the Recordings+Shop link
now!
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Move
Over Ben 10 - It's Billy 10
 
Is
it Billy 10 (circa 1991).........or Ben
10 !?!
".... and
he found an alien pod on the ground.
When he examines it, in it he finds a
mysterious, large broach-like device,
called a guitar, stored inside. The
device attaches permanently to his chest
and gives him the ability
to
transform into a variety of musical
life-forms, each with their own unique
powers.
Although
Billy realizes that he has a
responsibility to help others with these
new abilities at his disposal, he is not
above a little super-powered mischief
now and then. Along with his musicians,
Billy embarks on an adventure to fight
musical inertia, both cerebral and
earthy.
billy.com
is proud to announce that 2010 will see the
launch and re-launch of a number of Billy
Jenkins albums supported by a
concerted media campaign and live events
designed to promote the great guitarist as a
national treasure and one of the unsung
British musicians in any genre.
The
releases will be in four batches:
Spring
2010.....
New
CD I Am A Man From Lewisham and
reissue of two titles: Sounds Like
Bromley (1981) and Greenwich
(1985) digitally reissued for the first time
(direct from virgin vinyl!). These three
titles continue Billy’s cycle of recordings
inspired by his South East London manor.
Summer
2010....
Reissue
of the Uncommerciality series (three
volumes 1986 – 1992) as digital downloads
(previously these three releases were only
available on chocolate box cassette).
Late
Summer 2010.....
Reissue
of the live Jazz Café Concerts Vols 1
& 2 (1990) and Wiesen '87
(1992) - previously only available on
cassette - as digital downloads.
Autumn
2010.....
New
blues album Born Again (and the religion
is The Blues..)! and first
digital download issue of the three Blues
Collective albums sadtimes.co.uk
(2000), Blues Zero Two and LIFE
(both 2002).
Live....
Taking
advantage of the promotional activity that
will surround these releases, and as a focus
for the year a concert or mini-festival
celebrating Billy’s music through the
extended musical family that is and has been
the Voice of God Collective.
Billy
has collaborated with some of the finest
young jazz players through his long serving
collective and has worked with the cream of
British jazz talent. The concept is to get
as many of these players as possible
together to create a kind of mini-Meltdown
with Billy curating (and playing) – a
tribute to Billy and a celebration of the
Voice of God diaspora.
Promotion.....
The
new CDs will benefit from a full press
campaign (PR guru Fiona Wootton has agreed
to spearhead the campaign for I Am A Man
From Lewisham) including specialist and
general, national and local print media,
online and new media outlets, radio and TV.
For
all Billy 10 campaign press and
communications contact Fiona:
E:
Fiona@sebandfiona.com M:
0793 953 3183
And
bookmark this page for updates now.
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Billy
Fails Again
Billy!!
You can't fly...!!! You're a
53 year old man with no wings...!!
photo
© bananko
Once
more Billy The Aviator fails to fly
- this time as Tom Bancroft's award winning
Kidsamonium invaded Austria and the
LaStrade Street & Puppet Theatre
Festival during the first week of August.
Top
photographer bananko has captured
the sensitive guitarist in full 'huffy
puffy' mode and you can enjoy more of his
Kidsamonium in Graz photos here!
Kidsamonium
are next scheduled to appear in Lisbon,
Portugal in June 2010.
However,
Billy won't be with them!
'There's
no point in kidding myself,' grizzled the
grizzled guitarist.' I just can't
fly. So I can't get to Portugal....'
Rumour
has it that Mr Jenkins refuses to tolerate
the 'guilty until proven innocent' charade
of airport security, ever changing
restrictions on carrying musical instruments
and just the stress of trying to actually
get to the airport in good time as
just some of his reasons why he is remaining
firmly grounded.....
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Humanity
And Resonance
©Simon
Thackray
Since
July of 2008, Billy has been immersing
himself in his parallel vocation as a Humanist
Officiant and has now helped create,
construct and conduct quite a few non
religious funeral ceremonies.
Unsurprisingly,
growing a 'grief proof' skin has not been
easy, as one has to emphasize with next of
kin during such a torrid time and already he
has had to confront a wide range of
emotional scenarios which resonate deep
inside. And Jenkins, behind that gruff
exterior, is a rather sensitive soul.
Apart
from the service to fellow human beings, the
concept of ritual and ceremony for such an
absolute event is providing the composer in
Jenkins with some fundamental inspiration.
For
the 'resonation' he is imbibing is slowly
coming out in a series of solo classical
guitar studies which he has started to
record at Equator Studios under the
engineering and worldly wise production
skills of Charlie Hart.
Digging
deep into the guitar's lower register, he is
utilising his experiences into various
'Remembrance' meditations, using different
keys as the fundamental base.
'It's
about finding those notes that resonate the
mind and body. Re-introducing the attack and
retardation of notes lost with download
limitations', says the guitarist - who might
be adding cello to a couple of the pieces.
UPDATE:
Jenkins
had hoped to compose and complete the
music before returning to the studios by the
end of 2008 to finish the recording - but
the combination of Officiant duties and the
virtual collapse of CD sales put the project
on hold.
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Save
Our Sound
'Oy!
Bureaucrats! We can't shout any
louder!!
©Helmut
Riedl
In
the good old days, musicians were entwined
with analogue tape. Now the only tape
musicians are wrapped up in is the colour red.
We
at bj.com have been
documenting the complexities and resulting
fallouts of the 2003 Licensing Act;
the 2007 smoking ban; the 2008 EU
legislation that forbids noise over 85
decibels in the workplace which is playing
havoc with the classical music world, the
virtual collapse of record sales due to
illegal downloading and file sharing; the
Metropolitan Police Clubs & Vice Unit
Form 696 - not to mention the costs and
stress of getting musicians and instruments
from A to B when market economics can't
afford to cover all those 'hidden
extras'.....
And
now, there's another worrying logistical
cloud on the horizon - for Ofcom will
shortly sell-off the radio frequencies that
the music and entertainment industry and
charitable sectors rely on, with auction
proceeds going to the Government.
As
a consequence of this ‘migration’, the vast
majority of the UK’s stocks of wireless
microphones, which are essential tools for
content production in the creative
industries and beyond, will soon be rendered
unusable!
If
productions that depend on these
technologies are to continue, then all
affected equipment (worth tens of millions
of pounds) will need to be replaced with
gear that can operate on different
frequencies, which remain for the most part
unspecified. But those who own the equipment
either cannot afford or will seriously
struggle to cover the enforced costs of
replacing entire inventories of valuable
equipment. It is like a compulsory purchase
order with little or no compensation.
THE
CONSEQUENCES OF THIS WILL MEAN......
If
current proposals are implemented, ALL
PRODUCTIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT DEPEND ON
THE USE OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE UNDER
THREAT, from the freelance sound engineer to
the Olympics, because of the way that the
UK’s pool of equipment is held and supplied.
The effects will be particularly severe in
the short to medium term:
•
Live music, news gathering, musical theatre
and other events are likely to
become impossible to stage;
•
Companies will go bust, individuals will go
bankrupt and employees will be made
redundant;
•
The UK’s balance of payments will be
severely affected;
•
Charitable and community organisations will
have to divert funds from core
services.....
All
we can say is - get thee to the Save
Our Sound UK campaign site now and
register your support.
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This
Makes Us Smile
 
Beaker.......or
Thad Kelly?!
Trawling
through the lawless copyright ignored
badlands of the internet ether, bj.com
came across this Youtube clip filmed by photomarky
- and we have to concede it's delightfully
daft!
It
seems to be Blues Collective bassist Thad
Kelly on his way to a gig - whilst
listening to the sublimely sexy 'I Love
Your Smell' from Billy's Blues
Collective CD
sadtime.co.uk.
Try
the smile test here.
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of page
Billy
Bids Farewell To Leeds Jazz
Billy
brought The Fun Horns of Berlin to Leeds in
1996 - seen here at the Wiesen
Jazz
Festival, Austria two years
earlier.
©Helmut
Reidl
All
roads (well, in Billy's case, the A206,
A2203, A406, M11, A14, A64, A6120, A58 and
B6159....) led to Leeds on the 24th October
as Mr Jenkins performed a solo set as part
of a week long celebration of Leeds Jazz
25th anniversary.
Sensationally,
having performed for them a dozen or so
times over the last twenty two years, this
was the last time Billy will ever play
for Leeds Jazz - for, after a quarter of a
century of marvellous music making, the
promotion is winding down!
A
marvellous night of celebration was held
amongst friends both on and off the stage.
Apart from the usual 'expect the unexpected'
solo musings of Jenkins, Jan and Stefan
Kopinksi (together with Led BId drummer Mark
Holub) offered their full on power sounds -
and the dulcet duo of the divine Ms
Christine Tobin, accompanied by glorious
guitarist Phil Robson, made it a night to
cherish!
The
Leeds Jazz site has a complete archive of
all the 350 or so concerts they've put on -
see the list of Billy shows, along with
fascinating PR flyers down the years here
and scrolling down.
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of page
Entertainment
Licensing Update
This
single guitarist needs a license to
strum.
300
screaming, foot stamping football fans
don't....
©Olivia
Caussanel
Under
the 2003 Licensing Act, a performance by one
musician in a bar, restaurant, school or
hospital not licensed for live music could
lead to a criminal prosecution of those
organising the event. Even a piano may count
as a licensable 'entertainment
facility'.
By
contrast, amplified big screen broadcast
entertainment is exempt. The government says
the Act is necessary to control noise
nuisance, crime, disorder and public safety,
even though other laws already deal with
those risks. Musicians warned the Act would
harm small events.
About
50% of bars and 75% of restaurants have no
live music permission. Obtaining permission
for the mildest live music remains costly
and time-consuming. In May, the Culture,
Media and Sport Committee recommended
exemptions for venues up to 200 capacity and
for unamplified performance by one or two
musicians. The government said no. But those
exemptions would restore some fairness in
the regulation of live music and encourage
grassroots venues..........
Tireless
campaigner Hamish Birchall sends the
following:
The Number
10 live music petition calling on the
Prime Minister to implement new
entertainment licensing exemptions for
small gigs reached over 9,000 signatures
in the first week of September.
Many more
signatures are needed if the petition is
to make an impact on the press and
politicians. If you haven't already
signed, please consider signing and
circulating the petition link.
Meanwhile,
there are increasing signs of desperation
at DCMS.
On the 14th
August, The Publican magazine
published an online article headlined 'LGA
forced to apologise over live music
stats'. This highlighted the LGA's
retraction of their mistaken 80% live
music venues claim, now reduced to 55%.
The
first reader to post a comment was one
Adam Cooper:
'The 2007
report found that 76% of pubs and clubs
have a licence allowing them to stage live
music, even though less than half (44% in
2004) historically staged live music.
Don't trust me, read the report'
This
comment, including a link to the 2007
British Market Research Board survey, was
clearly intended to give some comfort to
the LGA. But who is Adam Cooper, and how
reliable is the 76% statistic?
It turns out
that Adam Cooper is Dr Adam C Cooper, Head
of Research at DCMS. I recognised
the name from email correspondence we had
last year over this very BMRB survey - the
one which headlined with the finding that
there had been a 5% fall in live gigs
since the Licensing Act came into
force. But even when I disclosed his
identity in a comment on The Publican
article, he did not confirm his job title.
He defended
his response, adding: 'I do work at DCMS,
but nothing I say represents the
Department's official stance - I am acting
only as an interested member of the
public.'
Once again
this raises questions about potential
conflict with the Civil Service Code of
Conduct which centres on four principles:
honesty, impartiality, objectivity and
integrity. This point was made in
comments posted by two other readers of
The Publican article. Is it ethical for a
senior civil servant to post comments on a
public article about government research
in which he is closely involved, without
disclosing at the outset his close
involvement in that research? Was he
authorised to do this by ministers?
Personally, I believe Dr Cooper is in
breach of the code and I have made a
formal complaint to DCMS.
But this
doesn't mean that the 76% claim should be
ignored. Dr Cooper clearly believes
it is a reliable figure. The first
objection, however, must be that the BMRB
survey is two years out of date. Secondly,
as I pointed out in The Publican, more
than half of interviewees knew little or
nothing about the legislation, which tends
to undermine confidence in their knowlege
of the premises licence. The BMRB
questionnaire did not ask whether the
interviewee was actually responsible for
the licence. Indeed, it found that
about 40% interviewees were probably not
working at their venue in 2005 when old
licences had to be converted to the new
ones. A further caveat is that the
licensing arrangements in about 20% of all
pubs are handled centrally by the managing
company. Lastly, even if a licence has a
live music permission, the survey did not
look at licence conditions, such as the
restrictions on performer numbers and
music genres found in St Albans. If
live music licence conditions are not
implemented, putting on live music remains
illegal.
All in all,
then, the BMRB 76% does not look like a
robust statistic. DCMS could have
established the percentage far more
reliably by searching local authority
public licensing registers, as the St
Albans group did. These record not only
entertainment permissions but also licence
conditions.
So, we're
back with 55% as the best estimate for the
overall proportion of premises licensed to
sell alcohol that are also licensed for
live music. This is derived from the more
recent DCMS alcohol and entertainment
statistics, sourced from local authorities
- although even this figure is about 18
months old.
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of page
Spotify-ing
A Loophole....
It's
a jungle out
there!
©Alice
Lemmard
Now
we know that Mr Jenkins is not exactly
up there when it comes to cutting edge
technology - but is he alone in discovering
the supposed 'listen only not downloadable'
Spotify streaming music programme
(also used by others) can be easily
downloaded to keep forever by simply
inserting a mini-jack plug into the
headphone socket of your PC speakers and
recording onto a CDR/cassette/ DAT/ or
Mini-disc!?!
No
wonder only 1 in 20 downloads are paid for
and even the venerable Andrew Lloyd
Webber is rightly concerned that
'online piracy will cause composers to lose
their livelihoods'.
And
that is why, with the record industry
dying, Billy has gone where the smart
money is and has gone one step on from the
blues to conduct Humanist
funerals....
And
it's not just composers and musicians who
are in effectively being rendered pointless.
Spare a thought for all the record labels,
fast diminishing record retailers and
distributors......
Interesting
and turbulent times...!
EDITORS
NOTE:
Please
let billy.com know if Mr
Jenkins has got his MIDI leads in a
twist unnecessarily......
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of page
World
Sanguine Report
Scary
gruff singer and composer Andrew Plummer
invited Billy to play guitar on two
track with his World Sanguine Report
band.
The
CD, 'Third One Rises' has just been
released on the Gravid Hands label.
Plummer,
recently noted as ‘one to look out for in
2009' in December's Jazzwise
by Dan Spicer and Selwyn Harris, forged
together World Sanguine Report to render his
unique breed of 'snuff-jazz' (The
Wire).
Featuring
award winning, innovative musicians from the
London and Leeds New Music scenes, World
Sanguine Report form a frightening and
formidable ensemble: strength and beauty,
heavy as lead. Plummer's music reinterprets
musical genre through juxtaposition of
compositional techniques, cut throat
improvisations and song.
Beginning
with nods to strophic forms and memorable
melodies, the musicians systematically
disassemble structures, tonalities and
rhythms throughout the course of the record,
as if holding back a tide of
cacophony.
Drawing
on a wealth of influences (Nancarrow,
Scelsci, Beefheart, Messiaen, Waits, Patton
to name a few) as a vehicle for Plummer's
"sonorous vocals and brooding performance",
the result is a violent and beautiful
journey, capturing "the despondency and
antagonism of the most disaffected and
alienated elements of Western
counter-culture".
'Third
One Rises' album personnel:
James
Allsopp - reeds
Alex
Bonney - trumpet
Matthew
Bourne - piano and gongs
Tom
Greenhalgh - drums
Dave
Kane - bass
Andrew
Plummer - vocals and elec. guitar
With
special guests:
Helen
Evora - vocals
Billy
Jenkins - elec. guitar
Jason
White - violin
Enter
the frightening world of Plummer at
www.myspace.com/gravidhands
or
andrewplummer.co.uk
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of page
Hysteria,
Fear & Live Music
Bunkum!
©Werner
Maresch
A
fascinating urban myth has exploded on the
internet. A petition was
recently placed on the official
Prime Minister's website
urging the government 'not to introduce
sound control devices as a legal requirement
in entertainment venues'.
It
is one of the top five most popular open
petitions.Yet it is completely unfounded.
This
from the genius Musician Union consultant,
lobbyist and percussionist Hamish
Birchall, after Mr Jenkins sought his
advice:
"It is a false
alarm. I talked with the petitioner,
Warren James, then checked with the
Department for Environment, the Health
& Safety Executive (HSE) who confirmed
my suspicions. I put out a circular
advising that it was a false alarm on 14
January.
The rumours
on which the petition probably started
(early 2008) coincide with the end of a 2
year moratorium of enforcement of Noise at
Work regulations in the entertainment
sector. But the HSE confirmed that
even under that legislation noise limiters
cannot be enforced.
Here is a
copy of my 14 Jan circular:
How badly
does the government treat live
music? Here's a quick test. One of
the two statements below is false. Which
one?
1. The
government has made it a potential
criminal offence merely to have a piano in
a bar for the public to play.
2. The
government is planning new law requiring
all music venues to fit noise limiting
devices.
Answer:
Statement 2 (TRUE!!)
Yesterday
the Department for the Environment, Food
and Rural affairs (DEFRA), responsible for
noise legislation, denied any such
plan. And, a few days earlier, when
I spoke to the petitioner, Warren James, a
professional guitarist based in Coventry
he was unable to recall where he had heard
about this new legislation. Now Warren has
acknowledged that it is all bunkum. "
While
musicians sympathise with Warren's feeling
about noise limiters, the petition text
reveals a fundamental lack of knowledge
about existing law and as Billy sees it,
proof that musicians and music lovers are
genuinely startled and concerned about the
absurd continuing attempts to stifle
creativity and music making by an ongoing
conveyor belt of legislation - hence the
impressive number of names added.
There
is also a second slightly concerning issue.
The Prime Minister's office obviously knows
this is a pointless adornment and no doubt
will soon pour soothing PR oil 'allaying
fears' - whilst, on the same site, rejecting
any petitions against the expansion of
Heathrow......!!
Seems
democracy is being eroded along with the
music.... return to top
of page
More
Live Music Legislation
Worn
out boots and
brain...
©Nick
Corker
Mr
Jenkins has just had a most interesting chat
with a very nice spokeslady from the Metropolitan
Police Clubs & Vice Unit (!) about
the new Form 696 that the police in
London have introduced as a voluntary way of
offsetting possible violence at music
events.
Although
well intended, if not a little 'tick box
barking' ('state the type of music you play'
is just one racially contentious question
they ask. They also want the names,
addresses and telephone numbers of any
performer), Mr Jenkins naively thought
disquiet about Form 696 had been blown out
of proportion. Thankfully, musician and
political activist Hamish Birchall has
bought the following to Billy's attention:
"Perhaps
unsurprisingly, given the publicity, the
Met has not given you the full picture.
Form 696 has been around for a while, and
it is still voluntary - in a minority of
London councils. Over the past year 21 of
the 33 councils within Greater London have
incorporated it as a potential licence
condition within their Statements of
Licensing Policy, along with the
Met's definition of events to which the
form applies:
'This
definition relates to events that require
a Promotion/Event Risk Assessment Form
696. A significant event will be deemed to
be: any occasion in a premises licensed
under the provisions of the Licensing Act
2003, where there will be a live
performer(s) – meaning musicians, DJs, MCs
or other artiste; that is promoted in some
form by either the venue or an outside
promoter; where entry is either free, by
invitation, pay on the door or by
ticket.'
See:
http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=6464
(search
within the document for '696')
That
is a very broad definition. It could apply
to a harpist in an empty hotel
lobby. There is absolutely no
indication that only large problem venues
are in the frame. If the intention
was to use it for large nightclubs where
there have been serious problems, why is
that not clear in the definition of a
significant event?
The
police do not need 696 or indeed the
Licensing Act to intervene at a venue
where they believe there may be a breach
of the peace. For a long time now
the police have had that power under
separate legislation. Where a
council makes completion of 696 a licence
condition it becomes a criminal offence
not to comply. Max penalty: £20,000 fine
and six months inside. You may be
confident that the police and local
authorities will only ever use such power
proportionately. I would not share that
confidence and I believe the campaign to
scrap Form 696 as currently implemented is
fully justified.
Many
thanks Hamish, for once again unearthing yet
another unsettling complexity for live music
- not just for London, but something that
could spread throughout all English
local authorities!
The
2003 Entertainment Licensing Act...... the
implosion of recorded music sales.... the
2007 smoking ban........the 2008 EU
legislation that forbids noise over 85
decibels in the workplace which is playing
havoc with the classical music
world.....mobile phone intrustion during
concerts.....the constant ebb and flow of
folks popping out for a cigarette.....WHAT
HAVE MUSICIANS DONE TO DESERVE ALL THIS!?!
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More
Musical Marginalisation
Jenkins
challenges anyone to dare to leave the
room.....
©Olivia
Caussanel
A
disturbing and unsettling new social
practice is occurring in pubs and clubs
throughout England - disturbing for those
who like their live music and unsettling for
the musician.
For
although the smoking ban means a musician
can return home with smoke free clothes, the
cost is yet further erosion of the power of
music.
We've
already had the 2003 Entertainment Licensing
Act closing live music premises then the
smoking ban in 2007 creating further
business casualties.
Ignore
the complete implosion of the recorded music
industry, or the 2008 EU legislation that
forbids noise over 85 decibels in the
workplace which is playing havoc with the
classical music world - the issue here is
aimed at the grass roots performer.
We're
not even talking about the guaranteed mobile
phone intrusion.....
Now,
at any venue that does not have designated
seating, there is a constant ebb and flow of
folks popping out for a cigarette.
'This not only causes distraction for the
focused listener', says guitarist Billy
Jenkins, who has been a bandleader and
performer for over thirty five years, 'it
erodes the confidence of the
performer.'
'Is someone leaving because they hate the
music? What have we done to upset them? Why
are they walking out? They would rather have
a fag then respect the fact we've travelled
hours to play for them and have hours to get
home.....all these thoughts go through one's
mind. I've seen troops or four or five
people walk past the sight lines of keen
music fans past the front of the stage. Bang
goes any empathy you've built with those in
the room.'
Something
to seriously ponder when you have your next
cigarette......
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of page
A
Little Colour In This Economic Gloom
Size:78cm
x93cm
©
Russell West Fine Art Limited
A
fine oil on wire board work by Margate based
artist Russell West to brighten the
gloom surrounding the world's financial
markets. Mr West has many striking
works in this style and is represented by
the Woolff Gallery.
But
why is this being displayed at billy.com!?
Because
Mr West was so inspired by the performance
of Billy and the Songs of Praise
ensemble at the 2007 Margate Jazz
Festival, he contacted the bandleader
and asked permission (duly granted) to use
one of Jenkin's song titles for the title of
this joyous painting.
So
we at billy.com are proud to
not only laud the work of such a fine
artist, but to show off the painting
entitled 'Jazz had a baby, They called it
avant-garde' !
You
can view more of Russell West's wonderful
paintings and sculptures at www.russellwestfineart.co.uk.
OH
YEAH!!
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of page
The
JAZZ CIRCUS Comes To Town
Trumbling,
rolling, bouncing - Jazz
Circus!
©Miles
Dell
Beat
poet, polemic and performance activist Jazzman
John Clarke can be seen in the above
photograph hiding second from the left, as
he proudly presents Jazz Circus
- a freewheeling extreme freefall
improvising unit featuring (from left to
right) drummer Mel Wright, double
bassist Charlie Hart, our very own Billy
Jenkins and saxophonist Jimmy
Beckley.
Their
CD 'What Jazz Can Do For Your LIfe' (Waterline
Music Splash 13) was launched at a jam
packed (of course!) Jam Circus in London SE4
on the evening of Sunday 8th March, followed
by a short explosive set at the Telegraph
Hill Festival a week later.
The
Jazz Circus recording is, at
the moment, the only chance to hear Billy
playing guitar in the studio from 2008. And
far from us to say any different - he is in
amazing form in a free jazz impro
sense!
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Kidsamonium
Concert Cancel Conundrum
The
terrible moment...
©2008
Joost Buis
Confusion
surrounds the cancellation of the final KIDSAMONIUM
tour date, which was scheduled for the
magnificent Perth Concert Hall on Sunday
21st September 2008.
Tom
'The King' Bancroft, the mercurial
inventor of the whole mad extravaganza,
cited logistics over a series of pre concert
workshops, which had floundered due to
personnel changes in the local schools
education department.
But
we at billy.com aren't
convinced.....
Photographic
evidence, courtesy of The Dutch Tourist,
Joost Buis, suggests that the real
reason the concert was cancelled was due to
the terrible stage accident that befell Smelly
The Glove Puppet (Sooty's less
talented twin brother) whilst on-stage at
Ullapool five night earlier.
Having
performed 'Smelly's Blues' with his usual
aplomb, he flew high in the air, only for
him to land with great force under the
oversized buffoon boot of Billy the
Aviator.
Rushed
to the Toy Hospital, he was given a once
over by a junior toy doctor, who diagnosed
'minor frontal stage dirt' and Smelly gamely
performed the next show, after a day's
rest, in the magnificent Kilmarnock
Grand Hall to 850 screaming fans (well, they
were only 7 and 8 years old...).
However,
his usual brio was somewhat lacking
and he collapsed in the wings after the
first set.
Doctor
Bancroft (himself a doctor, which is why
he's Doctor Bancroft), although not really a
Toy Doctor, prescribed no broken bones, but
recommended a complete rest.
'The
show must go on', whispered a pained puppet
to his puppetmeister.
'What
did he say?', asked the anxious troupe
hovering over the stricken chap.
'He
said - "The snow must be gone"', replied The
Aviator. 'He's deluded. He doesn't know
where he is. If Smelly can't perform,
neither can I'.
And
with that, The Aviator stomped off blubbing
'I can't fly! I can't fly! - thus ending the
tour there and then one date short.
That's
what we at billy.com think really
caused the cancellation of the final tour
date.......
In
a bizarre twist to the sorry saga, Jenkins
was then sighted over then next few days
wandering forlornly around the foyer of the
Perth Concert Hall attempting to purchase
whole rows of tickets for the cancelled KIDSAMONIUM
show......
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of page
Whither
The Composer?
In
the spring of 2008, guitarist and programme
maker James Hodder interviewed Mr
Jenkins on aspects of his composing for a
half hour radio documentary and he probably
got far more material than anticipated.
'Short
shrift' would be to understate the
suggestion that Jenkins used similar
techniques as Frank Zappa. Jenkins
found that rather offensive.
'For
a start', fumed the Bromley born again
bluesman, 'Zappa's music has no soul
whatsoever. He was a supreme technician as a
composer and arranger. But, as a guitarist,
he was quite incapable of playing over
anything other than a two chord vamp. He was
also a control freak, an excellent
businessman and a capitalist. I am none of
these things'.
Jenkins
also refuted the charge of satire and humour
in his own work.
'Yes,
with Burlesque in the seventies and
The Fantastic Trimmer & Jenkins
in the 1980's, that was satirical.
But my composed music since that time has
bought out the joy of collective music
making that makes people smile, and it is
that which gets mistaken for satire'.
Prompted
with some astute questioning by Mr Hodder,
Jenkins also raised the very contemporary
problems for composers of broad band
downloading and recorded sound and EU
directives regarding live performance.
'For
me, downloaded music played through tiny
speakers is useless. The retardation of
notes are denied. There is no air to be
heard. Mechanical presumption takes away the
spirit of the acoustic instrument. I'm not
sure what the way forward is. I'd rather
bring out a 45 rpm 7" single with the Here
Is The Blues! electric guitar twang
duo than offer an impotent downloaded
rendition of a larger ensemble. There'd be
much more fun to be had marketing the
former, that's for sure!'
'As
for live performances, no one knows how
these new EU rules that forbid noise over 85
decibels in the workplace will affect living
composers. We've already had a cancellation
of a work by Dror Feiler by the Bavarian
Symphony Orchestra in Berlin. Again,
there is huge turmoil. No one can predict
the way forward.'
And
that was just Billy J warming up...!
Meanwhile,
not so much 'whither the composer' but,
rather worryingly, wither the
composer......
The
half hour radio programme by musician and
broadcaster James Hodder and
entitled 'The Diatonic System Still Lives'
was broadcast on in the London area on
Resonance Radio 104.4FM on Monday 7th July 2008.
The
programme synoposis read:
'The
Diatonic System Still Lives' - James Hodder
examines the work of Frank Zappa, Captain
Beefheart and Billy Jenkins in order to
discover how relevant traditional Western
Ideas are in musical composition and whether
they affect creativity. Also featuring Ben
Watson and Mike Barnes.
Mr
Jenkins was delighted with the show,
considering his dislike of broadcast
compression and sends his congratulations to
Mr Hodder for an impressive documentary!
billy.com
are trying to source a listen back option
for interested parties..
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Interesting
YouTube Videos Found
Fascinating
footage has surfaced from 1998, when Mr
Jenkins organised the first ever football
World Cup USA v Iran big screen live
improvisation for two trios.
Captured
by Jem Soar on Super 8, it gives a
taste of the madness and fun of
superimposing aural creativity over on
screen visual excitement.
There's
also three short trailers of Tom
Bancroft's Kidsmonium - where Billy
can been seen actually flying!
Get
thee to Billy's YouTube
playlist and, as they say, 'enjoy'.......
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of page
An
Inspired 'Here Is The Blues!' Review
©Richard
Phipps
A
great Here Is The Blues! review by Billy
Hill has been posted on the excellent
Blues
in London website.
It
captures the excitement of the duo's recent
performance at Brooks Blues Bar in
Putney and begs the question why the pair
arn't enjoyed in public more often.
'It
only takes an email from a booker to discuss
things,' says Mr Jenkins, 'and although
we're not great travellers - you never
know...'.
Considering
they've just returned from two very
successful blues festivals in Portugal it
can't be a fear of flying that restricts
their schedule, nor too many road miles, as
both musicians are seasoned drivers.
'But
I have to confess, traffic on the road is
often a deciding factor,' says Jenkins.
'Getting to Heathrow for 6am is a whole lot
easier that heading through town in working
hours. Sadly, more often than not in the
last few years, I've arrived at a gig
totally shattered from a far too overlong
journey. And that is no good for me or the
audience.'
A
glance at their Here Is The Blues! website, will give
you all the information you need to see and
hear - including some sweet concert footage.
There's
also a lovely clip filmed by Paul Young
from the HITB! Vortex Chess Sessions
on the Vortex website here.
Get
thee to the Blues
in London site (Reviews page) and
savour......
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BBC
Apologise To Billy
Thanks
to some diligent reporting by local
journalists Mark Chandler (The
Newshopper) and Lawrence Conway
(South London Press/Mercury), the BBC
have issues an apology for having two video
clips of Billy's 'Songs of Praise'ensemble
removed from YouTube - see story below.
The
Billy Office was contacted and spoken to by
the charming Robert Brosgill on the
telephone and also sent the following email:
Dear
Mr Jenkins,
Further
to our conversation a moment ago, I can
confirm that the BBC takes no issue with
your use of the name "Songs of Praise" for
your band.
As
I explained, the BBC actively seeks to
protect the copyright in its programmes and
routinely flags copyright infringing content
on Youtube and other such sites for takedown
by the website administrators.
It
recently came to the BBC's attention that a
great deal of footage from the BBC's "Songs
of Praise" programme is being made available
on Youtube in breach of copyright.
It
appears that, in dealing with the high
volume of BBC "Songs of Praise" content on
Youtube, your legitimate content may have
been accidentally flagged for removal. I can
assure you that the BBC makes every effort
to ensure that only infringing content is
flagged and there was no intention to remove
your legitimate clips.
With
kind regards.
Yours
sincerely
Robert
Brosgill
Solicitor,
BBC Litigation & Intellectual Property
Department
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BBC
Censor 'Songs of Praise'
The
BBC says you can't hear this
band...!
©2006
Bob Fitzsimmonds
Two
clips of live performances by Billy's Songs
of Praise band have been
removed
from YouTube, after the BBC claimed an
'infringement of copyright'.
Quite
how they deem the tracks 'Dreadnought
Seaman's Hospital' and 'Blues Is Calling Me'
(being performed live at the late, lamented
The Spitz in October 2006) to be under their
jurisdiction is rather unsettling.
Do
they presume that no one is allowed
to sing songs of praise!?!
It
is understood that there is quite a pro
faith quorum in the hierarchy of the BBC -
but this is surely a misunderstanding?
Filmmaker
Dave Eyre is remaining diplomatically
mute, for until this confusion is resolved,
he risks all his work being removed from
YouTube. Mr Jenkins awaits a
ratification with bemusement.
"It's
hilarious," says Jenkins, "our national
broadcast company not only considers the
name of a television programme to be their
exclusive copyright even when used in other
contexts, such as, in this case, six
musicians performing their own secular
musical songs of praise - but also deceive
those believers they make religious
programmes for by pre-recording what are
considered 'sacred' days sometimes months
ahead of their actual date which, were I
believer, I too would consider an
'infringement of copyright'."
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