As cremations go – and I’ve been to too many – it was unusual. How often do you tap your toe to a line of jazz while thinking, why has this bloke been carted away so early when I know of a few who deserve an earlier demise? 

Anyone who joined John Cumming and me at Bore Place in Kent or the Tolbooth in Stirling between 2005 – 2017 for the talent development programmes Take Five and Air Time, knows that it was always my job to do the ‘housekeeping announcements’.

Founder of the London Jazz Festival and the music production company Serious, generous and stimulating friend, mentor and colleague to many, John Cumming has died at home in the bower of love and comfort that he created with his wife Ginnie and daughter Kate.

The words for March were intended to be about live events, long in the planning and designed to showcase creative talent from Europe and Australia. Our new nemesis, Covid-19, has prevented touring and other live activity this month but the sublime words of British journalist Richard Williams, published on his blog thebluemoment.com, will help to assuage the distress that we are all experiencing. Thanks to Richard for permission to re-publish here.