Jazz musicians The Stanley Moon Trio play funk, swing and Latin, from contemporary classics to their own originals, and at this Friends of Watlington Library event they performed Jazz On A Chilli Evening.

There were some fine songs and the music of Drew Milloy (bass), Maff Potts (piano) and Alan Weikert (drums) gradually broke through the chattering of the diners. As we began time-travelling through the musical decades it was clear there was something quite hot going on, and it wasn't just the excellent chilli being eaten!

It Had To Be You, from the 20s, was more recently sung by Diane Keaton in the Woody Allen romantic comedy Annie Hall, and Dooley Wilson played it in the iconic romantic drama Casablanca.

It took seven decades before the original Bing Crosby version of Pennies From Heaven was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame, but it's origins were the 30s together with Night and Day, possibly Cole Porter's most popular song, inspired by a trip to Morocco and introduced to the stage by Fred Astaire.

Two popular 40s standards were Come Rain Or Come Shine by Harold Arlen, recently recorded by Eric Clapton and B.B. King, and Don't Get Around Much Any More by Duke Ellington, covered only three years ago by Michael Buble.

All Blues, the Miles Davis 50s composition, is a personal favourite of mine. In December 2013 I was asked to review the tribute to Bert Jansch at the Royal Festival Hall after he sadly passed away. Jacqui McShee, his partner for many years in Pentangle, beautifully sang I've Got A Feeling, their 'folk jazz' adaptation of this song.

The spiritual gospel jazz song I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free by Billy Taylor and Dick Dallas was made famous by Nina Simone and became an anthem for the civil rights movement of the 60s.

Recently, I was lucky to interview jazz musician Kyle Eastwood. “That'll be a first!” he replied with amusement when I said I didn't have any questions about his famous actor father, Clint. I asked how he felt about criticisms that jazz was aloof, self indulgent, intimidating and some discordant noise that people couldn't relate to. He said that people should try to give it a chance. With the demand for tickets for this evening far exceeding supply, it seems there are many Watlington people who enjoy the sound of jazz.