Albums that influenced me: Symphony No 5 by Ralph Vaughan Williams

The third in this series of albums that influenced me. My local library - so prosaic, yet such a glittering palace of knowledge and experience when I was growing up - facilitated my introduction proper to classical music. Just as with jazz, I started fairly randomly, sifting through the stacks of records available to hire …

Albums that influenced me: Salisbury Suite by the Stan Tracey Octet

The second in this series of albums that influenced me. I spent my late teens and early twenties completely immersing myself in jazz. My friends thought I had lost my mind! My guide to navigating this new musical landscape was found in the local public library - my oasis of calm, and a place of …