Well, the diary is looking very good for 2011 with Mr Acker Bilk staying very busy and work flowing in for my new band, The Bateman Brothers Jazz Band.

Our first two gigs have all been a roaring success - completely sold out!. Our new CD, 'Now You Has Jazz', which is a tribute to the Louis Armstrong All-Stars is now available. You will get goosebumps when you hear how close Alan has got to the Louis Armstrong sound and the band really does give it some welly! I am particularly pleased that I have selected the right musicians for the job because it took a lot of soul searching to leave out some of my closest colleagues in this business when we chose them.

The Bone Supremacy has been rather difficult to find gigs for. Apart from having eight musicians to pay, it seems that some promoters cannot believe that a trombone band can keep the audience's attention for a 2-hour concert. We have proved that nothing could be further from the truth with re-bookings in many of the places we have played at so far. We'll get there eventually I suppose!

I am also pleased to see that the Back To Basie Orchestra is back on the scene after a bit of a lull. Big Bands are expensive but they pull in the crowds, especially this one!

I must be doing something right because the jazz festivals are now booking me as a guest every year. It is something I haven't pursued in the past because I always seem to have been committed to a band and have therefore been unable to do them. Now that I am more in control of my diary I can work around these festivals. I was booked for the entire Keswick Jazz Festival this year and the Norwich Jazz Party again with my American friends as well as the best of British jazz (I have also been booked for 2012). I will also be playing the Bude Jazz Festival this year with various line-ups.

There are also dates coming in regularly with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, which I enjoy very much. They've even got me singing with them! Let's hope 2011 is a good year and go get that Bateman Brothers Jazz Band CD - I know you're going to love it!

Ian Bateman - May 2011