In apertura d'anno per Confront Recordings c'è in cd il concerto di Maggie Nicols e Mark Wastell dello scorso gennaio all'Hundred Years Gallery londinese, insieme in duo per la prima volta e fortemente nel segno - nella presenza, perfino - di John Stevens: And John.
Scrive Wastell: "Maggie's life long love for John Stevens is no secret and she wears it on her sleeve very proudly. They first met in 1968 and through John's encouagement Maggie soon became a regular member of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble. She has championed his music and workshop pieces ever since. On the occasion of the January concert presented here - our first meeting as a duo - I was fortunate to have been loaned a couple of John's cymbals by his son Ritchie. Additionally, in the audience that evening was John's daughter Loo together with her son. Naturally, this all added an extra atmosphere to what was a very special musical encounter. We all certainly felt John's presence in the small gallery performance space, some of which manifested itself quite naturally in the music we made together."