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Birthday bash: Jamie Cullum and Paul Pace |
Party’s in full swing with bookshop jazz
RAY’S Jazz Shop was in full swing on Saturday with a packed house celebrating five years in their new home.
The birthday bash in Foyles, Charing Cross Road, drew a mix of old and new with jazz pop singer Jamie Cullum who sang Old Devil Moon and 80-year-old Tommy Whittle performing on the night.
Manager Paul Pace said: “Tommy is a legend of British Jazz. He was playing during the 1940s. It was a great event.”
Sitters-in included singers Lea de Laria, Anton Browne and Iain Mackenzie, saxophonist Julian Siegel, flautist Gareth Lockrane, bassist Gary Crosby, pianists Geoff Eales and Barry Green and drummers Steve Taylor and Sebastiaan De Krom before the show was stolen by the legendary saxophonist Tommy Whittle and his wife, singer Barbara Jay who extolled the essence of ‘easy swing’ on ‘Stompin’ At The Savoy’.
The shop, previously in Shaftesbury Avenue, was saved from closure five years ago and is remains the only specialist jazz record shop in the West End.
And the original founder Ray Smith, attending the event on Saturday, voiced his approval for proceedings.
Ray’s Jazz will be hosting a series of in-store live events in conjunction with the forthcoming London Jazz Festival starting today (Friday) with the Jim Hart / Ivo Neame Duo at 1pm. Full details on www.foyles.co.uk |
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