Was it Oscar Wilde who once said; "There is only one thing in life worse than having the internet, and that is not having the internet"? Perhaps I'm getting him mixed up with someone else. But, were it not for the internet the following little tale would never have happened and, naturally, you would not be reading it now.
On April 8th last year, my wife Debbie and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a glass or two of wine in our favourite Hastings wine bar before heading to a nearby pub to see our friend Wendy DJ to a packed crowd of boozy dancers. Wendy introduced us to her friend Merrill, visiting Hastings for the weekend, who said she would soon be moving to the town. After congratulating her on her choice of location we chatted and, as it is the 21st century, became Facebook pals the next day.
The following Saturday I took the trouble to queue for the first time for Record Store Day. The wonderful
Soho Scene series of jazz albums was releasing its 1964 edition and I didn't want to miss out on a copy. Disc secured, I headed home to listen to it. It was up to the same high standard of the others in the series, but one track in particular grabbed me. When I say grabbed me, I meant it entranced me; 'Times Two and a Half' by Bill Le Sage & the New Directions in Jazz Unit.
