I’ve just returned from snowy Worcestershire after five days of recording with the incredibly talented Steve Aston. He normally plays rhythm guitar in with various other gypsy jazz or ‘jazz manouche’ musicians, but his original compositions break away from that style. They are almost all waltzes, many of them very slow and weighty but interspersed with volatile bursts of energy. They’re very interesting harmonically, with a definite influence from Steve’s love of the two Ericks – Sartie and Dolphy. It was great to play with the exceptional violinist Matt Holborn  and guitarist Andy Morris of The Downing Street Years (catch them live if you ever get the chance), and to meet so many members of the European gypsy jazz fraternity, everyone a ridiculous virtuoso. Check out Remi Harris and Bar Zalel here. Bar produced the album and Remi was kind enough to host us in his beautiful house.