Monday evening two big bands made the Parish Church vibrate to some old favourites. One band came from UWE and the other from over the road. Their proper names are The University of the West of England Big Band
and The Centre of Somerset Youth Jazz Orchestra, and they both gave us a rattling good evening.



Then on Friday there's something completely different. John Smart and I have been spending hours rehearsing for his concert presenting The World's Most Beautiful Melodies. Learning a piece with a professional like John is a musical education in itself. He plans the smallest hesitations, the places where the music needs to push forward, exactly when the final chord shall be released, all those details that the listener probably won't notice, but will make all the difference to that listener's enjoyment.



And if those two concerts were not enough, there' a tea concert next week, one of the popular series given by pupils from Millfield.



It's worth reminding ourselves that the church is still there first of all for the worship of God, and the full range of Sunday services continues as always - not to mention the weddings and funerals, when the church is sometimes full to overflowing. The attraction for musicians is the splendid acoustic, and the intimate feeling that you get even with 100 or more people.