Ahhh, MUSIC!
I must thank the Good Lord for music and humor, for without them I would never have survived in this mad, illogical world.

My first memories of my “own” music was in the nineteen forties listening to old (even then!) 78’s on a wind up gramophone in the back garden. My favorites were ”The Sheik of Araby” and “Stardust”, probably by some long forgotten dance band.

After that, through the fifties, I “progressed” to New Orleans jazz: Kid Ory’s Creole Jazz Band and the like. (“Tiger Rag” - Wow! - now something’s happening!) From there it was a logical progression to Dixieland, Louis Armstrong and then Mainstream jazz: Johnny Hodges, Ruby Braff, Buck Clayton, Lester Young, Oscar Petersen, Art Tatum, Thelonius Monk, Chet Baker etc. etc. And a lot of the small combos from Duke Ellington or Count Basie or Benny Goodman. Not forgetting Billie Holiday of course.
Together with all this there was a liberal sprinkling of the blues: Muddy Waters, B. B. King, Robert Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Elmore James, Leadbelly, Sonny Boy Williamson.

Then came the first great revelation - CHARLIE CHRISTIAN!! Surely the greatest electric guitarist ever. Benny Goodman with Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton and Charlie Christian are still for me brilliant examples of musical expression.
From there I wandered on into more modern jazz, but stopped when I’d got to Miles Davis and Charlie Parker.

From there, I side stepped over into Classical music, mostly Baroque and Chamber music: Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Albinoni, Tellemann, Händel and Mozart. All still favorites.

Then, like a bolt of lightning from a clear blue sky came the second great revelation - “The Beatles”!!! (“Rubber Soul” I think). This was my introduction to popular and rock music. (I wonder if it had anything to do with those funny smelling cigarettes?) You’ll all know the names that popped up from then on, mostly British groups but also a lot of (mostly West Coast) American stuff.

Where on earth can I start? This has to be a very short list, and I’m sure I’ve left out lots and lots of important ones. They are in no particular order.
The special favorites are marked with asterisks, but they were all great.

British:
John Mayall
Small Faces
Kinks
The Who
*** The Beatles
** The Rolling Stones
** Cream
** Eric Clapton
**** Pink Floyd
*** Led Zeppelin
*** Ten Years After
Jethro Tull
Procul Harem
Deep Purple
*** Van Morrison

American:
** Jefferson Airplane
** The Doors
* J. J. Cale
Doobie Brothers
** Jimi Hendrix
Lou Reed
Steve Miller
* Cosby, Stills, Nash & Young
** The Band
Ry Cooder
Eagles
Santana

I mustn’t miss out Bob Marley or Django Reinhardt either, and I love Cuban music and “Bachata” from The Dominican Republic.

I’m sure I’ve left out loads of great stuff, but there’s so much wonderful music on this planet that it’s very difficult to choose.

john