John Dankworth

Cleo and I were in New York last August, working at Feinstein’s for two weeks, with Mondays off. On hearing about our friend Tim Garland’s gig on our free Monday, we decided to make the trip to see him.

A cab ride from our apartment got us to the club and we were soon sitting at a ringside table. There was one problem however—we found ourselves gazing at an array of music stands bearing the name Toshiko Akayoshi—we had come to Birdland instead of the Blue Note!

A few embarrassed mumbled apologies to Lew Tabakin, Toshib’s tenor-playing husband, and we were on our way to Greenwich Village and the correct venue.

Then followed a very special musical experience, which left such an indelible impression on me that I came straight home and wrote this report.

The only thing I forgot to do was to get it into print for all to share—until now.

New York, 20 August 2000

Last night was an historic one at the Blue Note jazz club in New York’s Greenwich Village. A milestone landed on it.

Three gifted musicians took over the stage and produced a new kind of jazz music...