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Hot jazz, warm feet

John Chilton has justifiably gained an international reputation as a jazz biographer, having written acclaimed books on Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Bob Crosby, Louis Jordan, Henry 'Red' Allen and Roy Eldridge. He has now produced a lively autobiography which not only reveals the fascinating background to his jazz researches but also shines a bright light on his many years as a professional jazz musician. For thirty years John led the Feetwarmers backing singer George Melly, sharing escapades that took them all over the world. Before working with George, John was in Bruce Turner's Jump Band and he also led a group which backed various visiting American jazz stars. John's story begins when, as a seven-year-old, he experienced the trauma of wartime evacuation but, happily, during his five year stay in Northamptonshire he was taught to play the trumpet. By the time of his national service in the RAF he was a dedicated jazz fan and an avid record collector who also played local gigs. After working on a national newspaper, John took the plunge and became a professional musician. Apart from working as a publicist for the Swinging Blue Jeans, he has dedicated his life to jazz, both as a player and as an author - in 2000 he was voted 'Jazz Writer of the Year'. John's story is full of anecdotes and revelations about many musicians, British and American.

Who's who of jazz: Storyville to Swing Street

Billie's blues ; a survey of Billie Holiday's career, 1933-1959