Welcome back to my blog - somehow, with Christmas and New Year I got out of the habit of keeping my blog up to date - so here's the latest news!

I spent most of last month filming "Jazz Essentials", the Richard Michael guide to playing Jazz Piano - and the editing with my business partner Don Mitchell is driving us both bonkers - but we both know it will be worth it when the first 10 lessons are up on the Net before too long.

I had a fantastic gig with Richard Ingham in Inverurie at my favourite gig - the Garioch Jazz Club, where we had them shouting for more after 3 driving sets with my old pals Bill Kemp (playing better than ever) and Peter lowit on bass. THat was just 2 weeks ago, and I'm now preparing for the Fife Jazz Weekend when we work with the Arctic Youth JO and the Norbotten Big Band this weekend. Oh ans the special guest is none other than Peter Erskine!

I was delighted to play the wonderful pipe organ in Auchertool Church to the good pupil;s of Primary 7 on Tuesday and it was a lovely experience as most of them had not heard a pipe organ before and this organ is one of my favourites.

I nearly forgot - I interviewed Pat Metheny for the Jazzhouse a few weeks ago and was so impressed by his humility and non big star manner. In his advice for FYJO was 'be the worst player in the band and learn from the others - and practise 10 hours a day!"

And as I open the show tomorrow night for Carol Kydd in the dam Smith Centre - that's what I'm going to do!

And finally - Morag showed me the Fife Free Press in which Jimmy Shand is voted the most famous arts and culture person, Joe Temperely is no 7 and guess who comes in at no 20 out of a 100!