June 18th - Day 61

I saw a couple of guitarists today called Charles and Andy in the National Theatre Foyer, playing gypsy jazzy swing (there's a lot of it about). It made me think of Jacques Tati films. Not sure why - I can't remember whether it's the sort of music that was used.
Walking back to London Bridge via the Thames-side South Bank proved to be a hazardous journey on account of all the bleeding buskers I stumbled across along the way. Bagpipers, guitarists, lutists, flautists, drummers, the obligitary latino-ragtime-gypsy-swing jazz quartet...it made me wonder, if I walked the stretch from Westminster Bridge to London Bridge one high-summer weekend day, what number of buskers I'd find. Which in turn led me to determine that one day during this quest should be set aside to see as many musical turns as possible. Who's with me?

August 25th - Day 129

Kinetika Bloco Summer School outside the National Theatre and Rythme Futur ("Adrenaline fuelled Romany Jazz")inside.

"The Bloco is a group of 100 young people who get together each Summer to play big carnival drums, learn dances, play brass or woodwind instruments in a large group and make their own costumes. We then put it all together into a carnival show spectacular and perform at the Thames Festival and other big events through the year. In 2007 we performed in Beijing and for Nelson Mandela in ParliamentSquare. In 2008 we performed in Coventry for the Olympic handover event. In 2009….who knows?!"

kinetikaonline.co.uk

rythmefutur.co.uk

November 12th - Day 208

"Oh La La!", jazz and pop with a French twist at the National Theatre Foyer bar. I think the guys in front of me came in to shelter from the rain and found themselves in the prime seats.

January 9th - Day 266

Saved by National Theatre Foyer Music. Caroline Loftus Duo