The Jazz Beat is a reflection of my love for jazz and in a sense it is self-indulgent because I only play tracks from my personal CD library and only those that I love and enjoy. Over the past ten years The Jazz Beat has always featured a track from Miles Davis but the listener will notice that I avoid his later fusion albums – mostly from Bitches Brew onwards.
I prefer small groups (just as I do with Classical chamber music) but I also love the big sounds of Duke Ellington and Count Basie (just as I love Gustav Mahler).
My early influences came from listening to Kim Bonython and Eric Child and seeing all the visiting jazz artists who came to my hometown of Adelaide.
In recent years my horizons were expanded by visiting jazz festivals and clubs around the world and meeting up with some great performers. Adding to the mix, I have enjoyed seeing some of the finest classical performances in my travels. How lucky am I that I can share my love for jazz music with the audience that listens to The Jazz Beat on Tuesday evenings. Nothing thrills me more than meeting people, often in unlikely surrounds, who tell me that they listen and enjoy the program.