Last Sunday, we played for a birthday party in a Parkdale backyard. Our client requested a banjo, so we used a special version of our swinging background music trio, bringing in the wonderful Peter Hooper. We played with no amplification …

On April 29th, we held an open rehearsal at my place in Newport. I’ve only recently moved in, and was the first rehearsal that I’d had in the studio at the back of the house. The room was cosy, especially …

A beautiful evening on Monday as Todd and Iona returned from their wedding in the Cook Islands to celebrate with jealous friends at Gardens House. Our acoustic jazz trio provided the backdrop, and the guests took advantage of the …

Obviously, it’s in my interest to convince you that fantastic music is worth every cent that you pay for it, and more. But leaving that aside, I’ve also spent more than twenty years playing in a huge variety of situations, …

No matter what kind of event you’re planning, there are some marvellous musicians out there who, for a relatively modest fee, can bring your occasion to life. Unfortunately, finding those musicians is not always straightforward. Obviously, if you’re reading this …

For my sins, I read bridal forums.

No, it’s nothing kinky. For me, it’s a way of trying to understand some of the concerns that people might have when they’re thinking about hiring a band (or not hiring one). For …

It’s been a tricky enterprise, figuring out how to present The Mood Merchants in a way that is easy to understand.

On the one hand, The Mood Merchants is a band, in much the same sense that other jazz bands …