Over the past week I have been working for someone I’ve always admired, Colin Towns, in somewhere I’ve always wanted to play, Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House. I remember seeing his orchestra at Sadlers Wells playing Ellington aswell as his own music along with a full scale ballet about 12 years ago and being blown away. The whole spectacle of the theatre production, dancing and an orchestra, featuring a “who’s who” of British legends, including my old teacher Paul Clarvis, meant I was in heaven.

So, I was thrilled to have been asked to be involved with one of Colin’s latest projects : a re-working of Vivaldi’s four seasons for jazz quartet and orchestra, the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Who are top notch! Myself, Dudley Phillips, Steve Lodder and ol’ chum Simon Allen completed the quartet. It was a joy, and hopefully we can do this again in coming years.