Tom Arthurs - The Non-Conformist

Revelling in the attention, and using the opportunity to expand his artistic vision, Arthurs is now concentrating on a project commissioned by the BBC, Postcards From Pushkin, recorded along with pianist Richard Fairhurst. ROBERT SHORE talks to Arthurs about the road to St Petersburg and back.

Who stole all the water? I’m supposed to be meeting rising trumpet/ flugelhorn/composition star Tom Arthurs by the famous boating lake in Victoria Park, east London, but when I get to the appointed spot, not only is Arthurs not there – not unreasonably since I arrive a little early – but neither is the lake. A brief inquiry brings the news that the water has been ‘de-sited’ while work is carried out to the surrounding area, which means, presumably, that there’s an authentic ‘Victoria Park’ body of H20 being stored somewhere – in old Evian bottles perhaps – awaiting return to its historic homeland once the builders have gone.

Now, as I briskly inform him when he turns up, Arthurs should surely have known about the lake’s absence when he fixed the location for our chat-with-a-beautiful-view: after all, he stays just around the corner when he’s in London. Ah, but there’s the rub, responds the jolly Arthurs, he’s hardly ever in London these days: he’s de-sited himself to Berlin.

This is an extract from Jazzwise Issue #153 – to read the full article click here to subscribe and receive a FREE CD...