Robbie asked me if I busked with my ol' Pianola!  Yes I do.  But not for
money.  I guess like most other enthusiasts I get one hell of a 'kick'
out of making music out of thin air!  (get it?) I do it out of sheer
enjoyment, and the chance to meet folks and talk about music in a happy
environment.

Now I'm no Max Morath, but folks really appreciate being shown a little
bit of musical history, and I do very much enjoy early Twentieth-Century
American piano music.  You people Stateside can be really proud of
composers such as Scott Joplin, James P Johnson and so on.  But more than
just hearing the music from that era, folks really do enjoy a bit of
light-hearted education, and the youngsters are fascinated by my 1922
pump-action Aeolian Farrand.  I usually give them Tiger Rag to try out!

I am always at pains to link Ragtime and The Player Piano.  The two
belong to one another.  Hell, if electricity had been discovered a little
sooner, followed by the natural emergence of the phonograph, recording,
and broadcasting industries before 1900, we would never have seen the
player piano developed to the extent that it was!  We all know how its
demise occurred as a direct result of these influences.  I often refer to
the instrument as a musical dinosaur.  Its time came, and then the
conditions necessary for its continued existence simply disappeared.

In the UK, the most recent phenomenon of the 80s and 90s in the musical
field has been the spread of the Jazz Festival.  I know what a sensitive
issue modern music is from current discussions within MMD, and these
latest fashions do spawn their own culture which many people find
offensive - even bewildering.

I can only say how I feel about Jazz - that is mainly traditional as
opposed to Modern.  Cajun, Gypsy, Dixieland, New Orleans, Ragtime, Swing
are all fine by me.  And yet I like Jacques Loussier so I suppose I
shouldn't try to put too many labels on things! I have a sneaking
suspicion though, that all people who really enjoy the piano have a
deep-down appreciation of the masters such as Chopin and Beethoven even
if they cannot or do not play classical music themselves.

The summer UK jazz festivals are growing in number each year, and
many seaside towns now feature jazz mini-breaks as an out-of-season
attraction.  Summer in the UK is usually a great time for the music-
lover.  Outdoor festivals are well-organised, well-attended events
covering a wide range of musical styles.  Bands attend from many parts of
Europe, and we also see U.S. bands such as Classic Jazz Epochs, whose
style of informative entertainment I so much admire.

The atmosphere is happy, the beer is wonderful with so many 'real ales'
to choose from, and the sun even occasionally shines!  The best festivals
have learned from early mistakes, and today provide all of the comforts
and security that people look for in a large event.  If anyone from
abroad is planning to visit I would be happy to advise on suitable
venues.

Some of the best are: The Oliver Cromwell Jazz Festival, in Upton-on-
Severn near Worcester, England, late June; real ale in good pubs, a
riverside location, and usually great weather.  The Bude Jazz Festival,
in Cornwall, England (late August) has a Seaside location, great for
youngsters, and hot.  Keswick Jazz Festival, in Cumbria, Lake District
(September) has wonderful scenery, magnificent walking, and can be damp.
Isle of Bute Jazz Festival (May) in Scotland -- what more can one say?
Aberystwyth Jazz Festival, Wales -- nice atmosphere, a fairly new event
but wonderful seaside amenities.

Yes I busk.  I trade off free tickets to all events plus free local
accommodation in exchange for free performances.  And I make a lot of
friends.  So I make a bit of a fool of myself?  So What?

Roger Waring - Solihull, England.

 [ So, I hope to see you when I visit the UK soon!  -- Robbie