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We intended for this to be just one episode but felt that we had a lot more to say and ended up with enough for 2 five minute episode the next will follow in March 1st 2025.

this is the introduction to a blog on the beats on our website links below

The Beat movement was a literary movement which emerged in the United States in the post war-era. ‘Beat’ was slang for ‘down and out or poor and exhausted’. Jack Kerouac also spoke of the beat, especially the Jazz beat and also beatitude in a spiritual sense. Central elements of Beat culture were the rejection of standard moral and narrative values, the importance of spiritual quest, rejection of materialism, experimentation with psychedelic drugs and sexual liberation.

Pivotal works include Alan Ginsberg’s Howl, William Burrough’s Naked Lunch and jack Kerouac’s On The Road. The core group met in 1944 in and around Columbia University in NYC, although later writers settled on the West Coast.

The beat writers were attracted to jazz and especially bebop because of its, underground, counter-cultural status. The writers were also influenced by the ‘improvisational’ nature of jazz which many tried to replicate in their writing.

There is a good documentary called " The source" a standard definition version is on You tube here but full fat versions are available to buy from apple or Amazon Prime the imdb page is here

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We are Back after our mid season break so we thought we would start with Intros. We discuss what makes a good intro and what the function of such intros are. With some audio examples

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In this episode we chat about Christmas with the George Shearing Quintet album. I t was recorded with George Shearings new quintet

1. Vibraphone – Don Thompson
2. Guitar – Reg Schwager
3. Piano – George Shearing
4. Bass – Neil Swainson
5. Drums – Dennis Mackrel

A mixture of classic Jazz tunes, many of which we looked at in detail in our 2020 Christmas special, and traditional carols. including a John Rutter carol who also helped GS with background for the liner notes.

Hear a couple of the tunes live lunchtime Dec 9th 2024 at the Spice of Life Cambridge circus performed by Nick's Shades of Shearing band. More info HERE
Merry Christmas from us! Hear previous Christmas editions on the links below
Here is a link to the Apple Music version It will be on all other streamers weassume.


Previous Christmas episodes
2020 2021 2022

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Nick and Simon are taking a break. The next 2-5-1- 5 Monte podcast will go out on Feb 1st 2025. We are about to record a Christmas special in a slightly longer format so that will appear in your feed if you subscribe or find it on our website

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Episode 40 of Series 2 to the 50 plus episodes from series 1 and our long form series on Sonny Clark and Kenny Drew.

Busking a tune what does that men? Sometimes when you hear a jazz band some of the players are playing a tune for the first time by ear with a few pointers from the person calling the tune.

Simon and Nick discuss the concept

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What do we understand to be a big band? Nick and Simon discuss the ingredients that might go into to making a big band in terms of instruments style and techniques. Then put the template to the test by considering a few examples

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In this episode Nick and Simon talk about Mole Jazz a shop that closed 20 years ago now but is fondly remembered by Jazz aficionados of a certain age. They also had a small catalogue of releases on the Mole Jazz label.

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The connection between jazz and cooking is investigated through this book review of Jazz Cooks: Portraits and Recipes of the Greats by Rob Young and Al Stances with photographs by Deborah Feingold.

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