Royal flush

Cleo Laine (Born 1927) Jazz singer Over a career spanning many decades, Cleo Laine’s richly colourful contralto voice and exceptional vocal agility won her a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performan

DURING THE LAST week of November 1963, the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was released in the United Kingdom. That same week, a young Brit named Laurence Juber started playing guitar. It wouldn’t

As far as Willard White’s (utterly compelling) interpretation of the role of Porgy is concerned, we are truly spoilt for choice. The British bass-baritone’s first recording was made in 1976 for Decca,

Steve Fairclough on the story behind the mystical image on the cover of a multimillion-selling album by a band in chaos…

I can’t remember exactly which list it was, but one of our ‘favourite test tracks’ rundowns recently made me all misty-eyed about Tom Waits’ signature ballad Martha. I instantly made the comparison wi

Porgy and Bess marked the pinnacle of Gershwin’s ambitions to be taken seriously as a composer and is by far his most substantial work. At its try-out in Boston in September 1935, the opera’s running