Natty Bo presents Killer Dillers - Sat 29 Nov

Natty Bo's Killer Dillers club night returns to central London for a second outing on Saturday 29th November. This time the venue is Guy's Bar near London Bridge - another club owned by The King's College Student Union, so expect the same super cheap drinks prices. Natty tells me this venue is more intimate and more atmospheric than Tutu's, though I'm not sure whether this one has a view of the river.

Musically you can expect another phenomenal night of 78rpms from Natty and Count Sizzle covering blues, jazz, swing, calypso, mento and Latin sounds so don't miss out!

Killer Dillers (part 2) @ Guy's Bar
St. Thomas Street (through courtyard), London Bridge, SE1 9RT
9pm - 2.30am
£5 admission

DJs battle all weekend - 21st & 22nd November

Maybe it's something about the cold winter air that makes us DJs feel all competitive, but the last ever Wheelie Bag Clash took place last Sunday at the 100 Club and now there are two more clashes to look forward to this coming weekend!

First of all is The Sagaboys DJ Cup Clash on Friday 21st November in Clapton. I am taking part in this myself and would love to see some of you down there. It's hotting up to be quite a night so make sure you bring your whistles and make some noise! For full details see my previous blog post here.

Then on Saturday 22nd November some of the biggest revival reggae DJs in London are gathering to clash in Dalston. Names include Gladdy Wax, Tiny T and Asher G (The Rocksteady Daddy). One things for sure, this will be quite a contest with some amazing tunes being showcased. Especially as the winner will walk away with £1000 (the winner of the Sagaboys Clash just gets a trophy!)

Details as follows:

I Remember That! (clash and dance) @ Bar 512
Saturday 22nd November 2008
512 Kingsland Road, Dalston, London, E8 4AE
10pm - 5am
admission: £7

Thank you for the music

More sad news today. I was shocked to read of the death of legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba - also known as Mama Afrika.

You can read the story here: www.miriammakeba.co.za

This comes just days after the death of Byron Lee whose band The Dragonaires were responsible for some of the finest ska, rocksteady, calypso and reggae recordings of the 1960s.

Despite the joy the news of Barack Obama being elected the first black president of the United States has brought to the world, this is a sad time as we have lost so many inspiring musical heroes during the last few weeks, including one of my all time favourite singers - Alton Ellis.

Read more about the passing of Alton Ellis, Byron Lee and other Jamaican greats here

Other legends who have just recently passed away are Levi Stubbs (lead singer of The Four Tops), Dee Dee Warwick (soul singer and sister of Dionne Warwick) and Andrew "Mike" Terry (Funk Brother and Detroit saxophonist who played on so many of the great 60s soul tunes).

This coming weekend I am playing Right On! sets at The Vibe Bar and Ronnie Scott's and am dedicating the sessions to the memory of all these wonderful singers and musicians. I will be paying tribute by playing many of their fantastic and life-affirming recordings. Their music will live forever.

Jean-Paul enters DJ Clash - Fri 21 Nov

I'm taking part in the the 2nd Annual Sagaboys DJ Cup Clash on Friday 21st November 2008 and need your support. Admission is free so come down and cheer me on! Last year I came second out of twelve DJs, losing only to Daddee Samson. I'd never taken part in a clash before so wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this year I am fully prepared and want to win the cup from him!

Crowd response plays a big part in judging the DJs, so the more people who come down and clap and cheer for me the better.

The Sagaboys are one of Europe's leading Soca crews and they have many talented soca and reggae DJs amongst them. The music played at this clash is primarily soca and reggae, though there should also be a freestyle round where anything goes (soul, funk, rare groove, etc.)

Like last year, I will be representing the foundations of these genres with my collection of rare calypso, mento, rocksteady and early reggae on original vinyl. If you love this music then please come along. You'll hear some great tunes and be supporting one of the few DJs in London playing old-school calypso to the masses.

You'll also hear some fantastic music courtesy of Daddee Samson, Lady Heartbeat and others, who will certainly be putting up quite a fight.

Details as follows:

The 2nd Annual Sagaboys DJ Cup Clash
Friday 21st November 2008
@ Sam Uhriah House
136 - 142 Lower Clapton Road, London, E5 0QJ
9pm - 2am
FREE entry

Defending the 2007 cup: Daddee Samson

Registered contestants so far: Jean-Paul Séculaire (Right On!), Junior Passion (Klimax Radio), Musik Lover, Paradise Vibes, Zigzag, Nexus, DJ Serenity (Klimax Radio), Lady Heartbeat

MC for the night: Sagaboy Phil Fingarz (Tempo Radio)

You can hear the radio jingle on my MySpace page:
www.myspace.com/rightonclub

Right On! weekend - 14-15 November - Vibe Bar & Ronnie Scott's

I'm extremely sorry to announce that I just received a phone call telling me the management of Ronnie Scott's have cancelled my night there tomorrow (15 Nov). Apparently they double booked the venue and forgot to tell the promoters and DJs until this evening! Unfortunately there was absolutely nothing I could do to change this decision.

All I can do is offer my sincerest apologies to you all. Especially for the unbelievably short notice. If I had any idea this could have happened I would never have arranged the night there.

Not only has this messed up my night and wasted many hours of my time spent in promoting and preparing it, but another 100 or more people have also had their Saturday night messed up including people who were going to celebrate their birthday there and some who had planned to travel from outside of London.

Please could I ask you to pass this information on to anyone you know who might be planning on attending tomorrow night? I would really hate for anyone to waste their time and money travelling down there.

I can only apologise again and assure you I will do everything in my power to never allow this to happen again at any venue I DJ at in the future.

Fortunately tonight (Friday the 14th November) is still happening, so come down to Chick-A-Boom at The Vibe Bar to hear me and Mistah Brown plus special guest Andy Smith (Portishead, Jazz Cafe, Lost & Found, Document, etc.). We'll be playing plenty of ska, reggae, Northern soul and rockin' rhythm & blues.

Chick-A-Boom @ The Vibe Bar
Friday 14th November
The Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL
8pm - 1am. £5 (NB. over 21s only)

New club night from Natty Bo - Sat 25 Oct

Natty Bo - resident at Gaz's Rockin' Blues club and one of my favourite DJs - is hosting a new night called Killer Dillers this coming Saturday 25th October.

Along with DJ Count Sizzle and guests, this is to be a night of "hot music from the 1920s-1950s" all played on 78rpm records. Think jump blues, calypso, mento, hot jazz, swing, cumbia, etc.

The action takes place at KCLSU (King's College London Student Union) and, being a student venue, drinks are super cheap (beer from £1.50, £2 for a vodka). Even better is the fact the night runs til 4am.

Details as follows:

Killer Dillers @ KCLSU (Macadam Building)
Saturday 25 October
10.30pm - 4am. £5 on the door
Surrey Street, London, WC2R 2NS (nearest tube: Temple)

Walking In Rhythm @ Ronnie Scott's - 6 September

After running successfully every Friday for more than 6 months, Walking In Rhythm is to relaunch as a weekly Saturday session upstairs at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Club on the 6th September.

Thanks to two fantastic nights earlier in the year, I have been asked back by resident DJ Jimbo to join him on the decks again at the relaunch party and will be playing another three hour Right On! style set - which means nothing but the finest vintage black dance music on original vinyl.

Expect to hear plenty of soul, rhythm & blues, jazz, funk, ska, reggae and boogaloo plus a touch of samba, mambo, calypso and other exciting sounds from myself and Jimbo.

This will be a unique night in one of the coolest venues in London (see photo) - reminiscent of the days when Right On! ran down the road in Chinatown.

And to guarantee a great crowd, I have been given an unlimited free guestlist for all my contacts. So, if you would like to come along without having to pay a penny, just drop me an email ASAP to paul@right-on.org with the full names of anyone thinking of coming along.

Walking In Rhythm @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (upstairs bar)
47 Frith Street, Soho, London, W1D 4HT (opposite Bar Italia)
Saturday 6th September
9pm - 3am

To find out more about Ronnie Scott's Club visit their website:
www.ronniescotts.co.uk

New venue for the London Calypso Tent

The London Calypso Tent run by the Association of British Calypsonians (ABC) is one of the UK's only authentic live calypso venues. It takes place annually during the summer in the run-up to the Notting Hill Carnival. As a visitor in past years I can highly recommend The Tent for its great atmosphere and music. If you are lucky you may even get to hear some "extempo" (extemporaneous improvisation).

This year The Tent is moving from its old home - The Yaa Asantewaa Arts Centre in Maida Vale - to a brand new one: The Tabernacle in Powis Square. This venue is the home of Carnival Village - a new organisation formed to support carnival arts in the UK and comprising the Ebony Steelband Trust, Mangrove Y2K, the Association of British Calypsonians, and Yaa Asantewaa Arts.

The opening night of The Tent is Friday 25th July and it then takes place on Fridays during August (see flyer for dates)

For more information about The Calypso Tent and to book tickets visit the Carnival Village website (where you can also find details of their other events): carnivalvillage.org.uk

Toots & The Maytals live - Wed 18 June

When I suggested the upcoming La-33 concert as possible gig of the year, I was of course forgetting that Toots and The Maytals are playing live at The Forum in Kentish Town this coming Wednesday (18th June).

I had the honour of DJing after their concert at Koko in Camden almost exactly two years ago and I have to say it was one of the best gigs I've ever been to. The band were on top form and Toots himself was phenomenal. He still had an extremely soulful voice and to be honest didn't sound very different from the records he recorded some 40 years ago.

Not only did the group sound fantastic, but their stamina was astounding. The length of the gig and the exhaustive selection of material from their back catalogue (including both classic and obscure ska, rocksteady, reggae and even mento) had me in awe. I was particularly excited when they played a ska version of "Louie, Louie" (to my knowledge, no ska version was ever recorded in the 1960s/1970s - The Maytals recorded it as a reggae)

So, this should certainly be another night to remember. And to top it off, I've been asked by Mark Lamarr to assist him with DJ duties again.

For full details of the gig and online booking visit The Forum website here or call 0844 847 2405

NOTE: This gig is apparently open to anyone aged 14+. So for the teenage readers who keep asking me where they can go to hear good music - well the answer is: here! (just don't forget your ID)

The 45rpm Jukebox Jump-off - SAT 23 FEB

I'm very pleased to be playing another Right On! style set this coming Saturday. I've been invited to join resident DJ Simon Stretch on the decks at his Stormy Weather night at Barrio North - a bar opened last year dedicated to vintage and underground music.

We will be spinning a mix of 1950s-1970s black music - all off of original 45s. Expect to hear some fantastic rockin' r'n'b, 60s soul, funk, jazz, ska, reggae, mambo, calypso, boogaloo and whatever other aural curiosities spring to mind.

Simon and I DJ'd alongside each other at the last Rakehell's Revels and complemented each other perfectly, so I am really excited at this chance to DJ with him again.

Details as follows:

Stormy Weather presents the 45rpm Jukebox Jump-off
@ Barrio North, 45 Essex Road, London, N1 2SF (tube: Angel)
SATURDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2008
8pm til 1.30am; FREE entry

DJ Jean-Paul @ Ronnie Scott's - Fri 25 January

Some very exciting news - I've been invited to guest DJ upstairs at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho. Needless to say, this is something of a dream come true for me! It's a weekly night called Walking In Rhythm which has a music policy very similar to Right On! - i.e. the best of vintage black music. This gives me a rare opportunity to play a mixed set like those I play at Right On! I'll be bringing along a bit of everything: jazz, soul, rhythm & blues, doo wop, funk, ska, calypso, reggae, boogaloo, mambo, samba and more - all on original vinyl.

The session is held in the smart upstairs bar at Ronnie Scott's which was given a complete facelift when the club was refurbished a year or so back.

For those who don't know, Ronnie Scott's is probably the UK's most important and famous modern jazz venue. It opened in Gerrard Street in 1959 and moved to its current premises opposite Bar Italia in Frith Street in 1965. Like Ronnie Scott's, Bar Italia is also still going strong and is the perfect place for a late night cappuccino after Ronnie Scott's kicks out at 3am.

This is going to be a night to remember, and until I find a perfect new venue for Right On!, this should be a fix for anyone who has been missing it as much as I have. It's only a fiver to get in too - or free if you get there early enough - so being skint shouldn't be a problem either. And who knows, if I draw a big enough crowd maybe they'll invite me back!

The details are as follows:

Walking In Rhythm @ Ronnie Scott's (upstairs bar)
Date: Friday 25th January
Time: 7pm - 3am
Admission: FREE before 9pm / £5 before 11pm / £8 after 11pm
Address: 47 Frith Street, London, W1D 4HT
Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road

The final Rakehell's Revels - 18 December

Sadly there is now to be just one last ever Rakehell's Revels. This will take place on Tuesday 18th December.

Whether you are a regular, or have never been before, make sure you get down to this! It is your last chance to enjoy one of London's very best nights out.

I still don't know what exactly has prompted this club night to come to an end, though I am determined to get to the bottom of it.

I've never DJ'd at the club before myself, but I am honoured that David Piper has asked me to play a set at this final shindig. There will be many other DJs on the night too, so the individual sets are likely to be shorter than normal, but it should be a great fun night for everyone involved. I'm certainly very excited at the prospect of playing some tunes to the up-for-it crowd at this exquisite venue.

Remember to put on your finest threads for this too, as there is a strict smart dress code. This is one night where it really is worth dressing to the nines to match the glamour of the venue.

For full details see the listing here: www.londondossier.info/clubs.htm#tue

Can't Chain Up Me Mind @ The Vortex - 8th-9th November

Can't Chain Up Me Mind is an interesting sounding musical performance coming up at the Vortex Jazz Club on the 8th and 9th November.

Written by Tony Haynes with lyrics by Valerie Bloom and John Matshikiza, this show commemorates the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

Press release:

"This brand new show remembers the Atlantic slave trade, but celebrates its great musical legacy – jazz and the music of Cuba and the Caribbean.

"The first set is built on music typical of West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin-America today – especially the dance rhythms of hi-life, salsa, ska, calypso and soca – music that has evolved from centuries of cultural mixing between Africa and the Americas.

"The second set takes the form of a New Orleans funeral – 'birth, death and life again' – as a metaphor for the historical journey taken by slaves, and their indomitable efforts to maintain their culture and identity in exile and adversity.

"Hymns and spirituals, Yoruba chants and drumming, reggae, samba and modern New Orleans marching music, steel pans, blues and stunning jazz improvisation and powerful, dramatic original songs are all brought together to create a vivid picture of slavery, and the glorious music it eventually gave birth to."

The show features a range of great African, Caribbean and Latin-American musicians and jazz soloists from the Grand Union Orchestra:

Claude Deppa (South Africa) - trumpet, African drums
Kevin Robinson (England) – trumpet, flugelhorn
or Byron Wallen (Belize) – trumpet, flugelhorn
Chris Biscoe (England) – soprano & alto saxophones
Louise Elliott (Australia) – tenor saxophone, flute, congas
Harry Brown (England) – trombone
Tony Haynes (England) – trombone, piano
Andy Grappy (England) – tuba
Josefina Cupido (Spain) – Latin percussion, voice
Bravo Fimber (Trinidad) – steel pan, timbales
Gerry Hunt (England) – guitar, soprano & baritone saxophones
Andres Lafone (Uruguay) – bass guitar
Brian Abrahams (South Africa) – drums, voice

For further details visit: http://www.grandunion.org.uk/

Alternatively you can contact Alison Jones on (020) 7375 1122 or by email on alison@grandunion.org.uk

For details of the Vortex Jazz Club visit their website: http://www.vortexjazz.co.uk/

Right On!

A huge thanks to everyone who came down to Right On! last Saturday - it was a wonderful turnout and I was really pleased to see so many different people all enjoying the music and grooving on the dancefloor all night.

Respect also goes out to the great Gladdy Wax and Dean Rudland who were awesome and lived up to their reputations once again.

Also thanks to all my door staff, the venue staff and everyone else who helped out in any way (flyering etc.)

I've already got a few nice photos back from the night that I hope to get up online ASAP.

All that remains to say is... watch this space for details of the next one!

Right On! relaunch

My Right On! club night is relaunching on Saturday 23rd September.

Since the last Right On! night in 2005 I have been searching for a new venue and I've finally found one - back in the West End where Right On! started. The venue is called Torts and it's just a couple of minutes from Holborn tube station. It has a late license and opens till 3.30am. To ensure a really good sound I am hiring the legendary Gladdy Wax sound system which plays at the Notting Hill carnival every year. Guest DJs are Gladdy Wax himself and Dean Rudland from legendary Latin record label - Fania. The night has also been chosen as the official launch party for new Fania CD "El Barrio: The Bad Boogaloo" which is due out in late September.

For full details on this exciting night visit www.right-on.org

For more information on Fania records visit www.faniarecords.com

Calypso legends live in London!

Calypso legends The Mighty Sparrow, The Mighty Terror, Calypso Rose and Lord Superior are playing a rare gig in London at The Barbican on the 23rd June. This really is an event not to be missed by lovers of Carribbean music. A stellar line-up like this is unlikely to be seen again on these shores and the calypsonians are not getting any younger.

Tickets are priced at £14-£22.50 and the concert begins at 8pm.

The evening is a celebration of calypso's captivating melodies and timeless hits (Shame & Scandal in the Family, Rum & Coca Cola and Jean & Dinah) that made a cultural hub of Dirty Jim's Swizzle Club in Port of Spain and gave a voice and sound to Trinidad in the world.

Complimenting the concert, Barbican Film are screening the award winning documentary "Calypso At Dirty Jim's" (6pm - Cinema 2). Concert ticket holders can claim concession rates - call the Box Office on 0845 120 7531 to book.

For full details and to book tickets for this event visit http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=4305

Sonny Rollins at The Barbican

Legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins is playing at the Barbican tomorrow night (Sat 13th May)! The gig sold out months ago but I was lucky enough to get tickets. It's definitely worth checking if there are any returns as this should be one hell of a gig.

For more info visit http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=3387