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One Step On From The Blues!

The Blues is an affirmation of life

For a man to call his free and fast flowing instrumental ensemble since 1981 the The Voice of God Collective - citing that 'the Voice of the People is the Voice of God - and the religion is music' and then preach the blues seriously since the mid 1990's, suggests a man who fully accepts that there is but one life, with no 'Invisible Friend' to guide one to 'the Promised Land' and supposed eternity.

Add a thorough grounding in backstage antics as a pre pubescent C of E choirboy ('great music, crap lyrics...'), it is hardly surprising that bj.com is proud to announce that Billy Jenkins (now he's a properly grown up fiftysomething) has been studying and training with the British Humanist Association.

He is now officially a Probationary Humanist Officiant accredited by the BHA to conduct non religious funerals. 'I have nothing against those who need spiritual guidance to help them through life, although I draw the line when religious fundamentalists evoke the 'Three 'C's: Conning, Controlling and Killing...', says Jenkins.

'The work will complement my performance and recording. Most of my music is a celebration of existence. I let musicians express themselves through my music.'

'Now, thanks to the insightful and thorough BHA training, I can be of service to those who find death has suddenly hit them smack between the eyes. The role does not involve me as a musician, but with my experience as a facilitator of live events, I will be able to, hopefully, assist in celebrating the life of a person whose death has left a terrible hole in the lives of those who knew and loved them.'

'A fitting funeral ceremony can do so much to assist and accept closure and to open the door to the initially painful and empty path of life one has to continue with. It is a threshold that has to be crossed.'

'Amazingly, too many people are still unaware that a funeral can be non religious and I recommend you find out more about the work of the BHA and their ceremonies (they also officiate at weddings, baby namings and civil partnerships) at www.humanism.org.uk'

Billy will be mostly conducting funerals in and around SE London and you can reach him via the BHA website (click on 'Ceremonies', type in 'funerals' and 'SE' for the postcode) or by email at billyjenkins (at) piemail.co.uk.

BBC Jazz Awards 2008

Voting has opened for the 2008 BBC Jazz Awards celebrating the best of British jazz.

The nominees have been chosen by a panel of industry experts and the public are invited to cast their votes in five of the nine categories at www.bbc.co.uk/music/jazzawards2008

The winners will be announced on Monday 21st July at London's Mermaid Theatre.

Oliver Weindling, Vortex Director and owner of The Babel Label, has been nominated in the 'Services To Jazz' category. The other nominees are Alan Bates and Steve Rubie.

Annie Whitehead’s World Music Workshop

Monday 21 to Friday 25 July

For the second year running, the Vortex is hosting the five-day World Music Big Band Summer Workshop and Friday night gig run by trombonist Annie Whitehead.