06 marzo 2024

 

Destinatario egli stesso di una delle più toccanti e personali dediche di Wyatt (in Amber and Amberines), il grande Chris Searle, oggi ottantenne, affida a Jazz in Britain la pubblicazione del suo terzo libro di scritti sul jazz, Talking the Groove. Le prime 500 copie del volume saranno accompagnate da un doppio cd con inediti e rarità di John Stevens, Chris McGregor, Bruce Turner, Trevor Watts e Mujician tra gli altri. Scrive Mike Westbrook nella prefazione: "Chris listens. He engages emotionally with the music. He talks to its creators. He identifies with the artist’s struggle for freedom of expression and sees parallels in the wider political situation… turning the pages of Talking the Groove, with Chris as a committed and articulate guide, we find a timely reminder that jazz is as vital and vibrant as ever. You just have to know where to find it."

Chris Searle has been jazz correspondent of the Morning Star for nearly three decades. During that time he has written hundreds of reviews of recorded and live jazz performances. He was born in Romford in 1944. Fifty years a working teacher and educationalist, he has written or edited over fifty books on education, language, poetry, cricket and jazz. His book 'The Forsaken Lover' won the Martin Luther King Award in 1972, and he has written four autobiographical accounts: 'Isaac and I', 'We're Building the New School! Diary of a Teacher in Mozambique', 'Grenada Morning' and 'The World is in Our Words'.