L-R Larry Love, Brian Jackson, and um one of his drummers :P

So, me Larry Love and his manager/my boss Ian hit St Nick's Jazz Pub way up in Harlem last night. Brian Jackson (of Gil Scott Heron fame) is a friend of Alabama 3 and he's playing at the little show I've hooked up in DUMBO (part of Brooklyn) tmrw night



Brian's a legend and didn't disappoint - this is how jazz is sposed to be heard! A small dive bar, everyone rammed in, drinking the local Sugar Hill brews. Not sitting there in polite silence like it's some chamber music but getting involved, shouting stuff like "Woah don't hurt nobody!" during a particularly killer solo by the bassist. Big ole girl in the corner wearing, bizarrely, an orange cowgirl ensemble and serving up soul food. Audience members (including a fair few very talented but not-so-recovered crackheads) and bar staff taking turns on the mic with some truly amazing poetry.

Truth be told, we were made very welcome by some, less so by others that perhaps thought we were on some novelty vibe. Fair enough, I expect a couple of Londoners, a Welshman in a designer suit/shades and a chick with bright red hair are not common sights on Sugar Hill.

After the first set, I go up to speak to Brian - we'd been talkin on email and on the cue "Hey Brian it's Jeff, Alabama 3" his face lit up, "JEFF!!! YOU MADE IT [big hug] Where's Larry?"

Soon enough the conversations flow along with the beers and before long Larry is onstage busting out his best Gil Scott Heron, 'The Bottle' being a standout. As I type I'm getting chills recalling the live collabo...."Doncha think its a criiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime, time after time...." - OOOOHWEEEE!

I didn't wanna look like one of those muppets at shows with a video camera so excuse the Blair Witch cinematography, its all about the audio really and you still can get the vibe of this joint






as you can imagine I sat transfixed with a shit eating grin the whole time we were there