A library list.

My first encounter with British jazz in book form, was Humphrey Lyttelton's I Play as I Please. Now, a lifetime later, I'm reading it again. Following on from Simon Spillett's masterful work on the life of Tubby Hayes - The Long Shadow of the Little Giant - it occured to me that, between these two extremes, the need is there for an all encompassing record of jazz in Britain.

I know there have been several previous attempts and, although BSH and LJN have been frontrunners in attempting to do this online, I can't think of an actual coffee table tome that has yet to become the definitive work. Perhaps, given the enormity of the subject, we need sturdier coffee tables.

So, with apologies for the omissions, of which I am sure there are plenty, I suggest that the following, given in no particular order and selected from my own library, could be, as of today at 8:00pm, the definitive British jazz bibliography. I'm aware this is but the tip of the iceberg and although I've included regional items - Newcastle, Birmingham, York and Manchester - I'm sure there are many more parochial writings out there, perhaps gathering dust in some village library. Lance

Humphrey Lyttelton: I Play as I Please.

George Melly: Owning Up.

Billy Amstell: Don't Fuss Mister Ambrose.

Vic Ash: I Blew it My Way.

Vic Lewis: All This and Maiden Overs.

Kenny Ball: Blowing my Own Trumpet.

Eddie Sammons: The Magnificent Eric Delaney.

Ted Heath: Listen to my Music.

Alan Robertson: Joe Harriott - Fire in His Soul.

Nat Gonella: Georgia on my Mind.

Harry Gold: Doubloons & Pieces of Eight.

Bruce Turner: Hot Air: Cool Music.

Dick Heckstall-Smith: Safest Place in the World.

Simon Spillett: The Long Shadow of the Little Giant.

Ronnie Scott: Some of my Best Friends Are the Blues.

Jim Simpson: Don't Worry 'Bout The Bear.

Chris Yates: Blue Horizons.

Eric Burdon: I Used to be an Animal But I'm All Right Now.

Graham Collier: Cleo and John.

Jim Godbolt: All This and 10%.

Peter King: Flying High.

Van Wilson: Rhythm and Romance.

Andrew Willox & Eileen Mann: I think we have a find.

Bill Birch: Keeper of the Flame (included upon hearsay).