Leon Nock, Author at Jazz Journal

Reviewed: Liz Cole | George Melly

Leon Nock — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 09:14:51 +0000

Liz Cole: I Want To Be Happy (lizzycolemusic.com) On this album California-born singer Liz Cole lays 10 tracks on us, half of which even Mr. Bean would recognise and even the five that were new to me are well worth hearing. She says her parents introduced her to everything from Bartok to Blue Mitchell, and […]

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Robert Fogle: My 8 Decade Musical Journey

Leon Nock — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:42:31 +0000

The author says he was born in Toronto in 1941 and is the retired president of an entertainment agency who spent 27 years hosting the radio show Some Experiences In Jazz, where he interviewed over 700 jazz people, including Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, Count Basie, Stan Getz, Peter Appleyard and Moe Koffman. The blurb tells […]

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Deborah Silver at Crazy Coqs, London

Leon Nock — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:59:48 +0000

At 9:15 on Monday evening Deborah Silver walked on to the stand at Crazy Coqs, grabbed the audience by the scruff of the neck and didn’t let go til they sighed “uncle” some 75 minutes later. Apparently, she hails from the Deep South – Jackson, Mississippi – and had reservations about how well she might […]

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Reviewed: Phil Haynes’ Day Dream – Duke & Strays Live

Leon Nock — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 14:01:47 +0000

Phil Haynes’ Day Dream: Duke & Strays Live (Corner Store Jazz) The relationship, partnership and friendship of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn has been well documented. Meeting in 1938 they formed an instant bond that endured until Strayhorn’s death in 1967 (Ellington died in 1974) – nearly 30 years that produced some of the most […]

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La La Land

Leon Nock — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:07:02 +0000

My parents were addicted to cinema. They did their courting in the one-and-nines, and even after I came along they continued apace. From the age of three I accompanied them, albeit meaninglessly at first, but by age five I was able to retain data – to recognise performers, distinguish the different studios and their rosters. […]

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Reviewed: Bob Anderson | Jack Wood & Nichaud Fitzgibbon | Doug Ferony | Julia Danielle

Leon Nock — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 13:59:58 +0000

Bob Anderson: Live! (Jazz Hang Records JHR910BA) It’s a toss-up whether I should subtitle this piece “I Really Should Get Out More”, or “Let’s Hear It For Serendipity”. Every month or so the editor sends out a list of new releases and invites us to nominate any we care to review, and increasingly there are […]

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Elaine Delmar – An Afternoon At Duke’s Place

Leon Nock — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 11:02:22 +0000

They were frisking punters at Crazy Coqs on Saturday, on the off-chance they were secreting about their persons a crowbar, or at the very least a shoehorn, that would enable them to squeeze one more person into an SRO venue. Ms. Delmar, for hers was indeed the name on the tin, was battling considerable odds. […]

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Lauren Bush: from interior design to the stage

Leon Nock — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 11:52:48 +0000

Despite reviewing all three albums which singer Lauren Bush has released so far, I knew next to nothing about her, and so in early November, ahead of her London Jazz Festival appearance, I set about learning about her life and career. “One of the few things I know about you”, I said, as we sat […]

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Symphonies in Black: Duke Ellington shorts at the Barbican, London

Leon Nock — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:36:49 +0000

Back in the day, when you and I were young, Maggie, and your local Essoldo offered not one, but two feature films, a newsreel, magazine – Pathe Pictorial, Look At Life – and a cartoon, they were wont to throw in, as an occasional bonus, short black and white films featuring the bands of the […]

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Reviewed: Bill Charlap | Ann Kittredge

Leon Nock — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 18:09:50 +0000

Bill Charlap Trio: Then And Again (Blue Note) For me this album represents an atoll of tranquillity in a sea of chaos. For though it was recorded barely one year ago as I write – 9 September 2023 at the Village Vanguard, New York – both the content and style of performing afford a comfort […]

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