My bass player and drummer have been best friends and musical compatriots for years – so when they play together in my band, they can read each other so well! It’s a pleasure to also have a wonderful pianist who fits in just perfectly with them and with my original music.

We played many gigs before recording my upcoming record … and as we play gigs now, what they tell me they enjoy most is that anything could happen on these tunes. They are not standards (yet!) but we get to stretch them because we really trust each other.

I look forward to hearing your band live sometime when I’m on the West Coast!

In the UK, I think people are more reluctant to forms regular ensembles because they don’t feel confident that there are enough gigs or aren’t prepared to be a leader and take on the responsibility to develop the work.

Here in Liverpool there is a pool of very good players but only a few regular bands. Most players seem to prefer the inertia of waiting for sideman gigs than to Makin’ it Happen.

I honestly don’t know whether that says more about the musicians here, the jazz audiences or the attitude of venues but either way, keeping a band together for three years is to be respected and admired.

What’s obvious as well is that the JPQ sounds like a regular band. You guys are clearly used to playing together and it shows in all the recordings I’ve heard. I sincerely hope the tour is a blast, it’s well deserved and, if you haven’t already thought about it, I would imagine a recording soon afterwards would capture JPQ at it’s tightest after playing all of those dates together…

Nothing personal, just an observation that I picked up from studying with Denney.