Contrary to popular belief - very few of the great musicians manage to make a living from Blues and the like - gigging, if you like - that's the work of jobbing musicians like myself - a different calling.

Theres a moving passage right at the end of Mez Mezzrow's biography - where he urges listeners to forgive the clinkers he and his fellow musicians had committed to record. He says its not the fault of jazz - its to do with the fact that they have had to earn a living.

Think of Sleepy John Estes who didn't play for thirty years.

No the difference between those guys and Hugh is that at some point in their lives they realised it was the most important thing they would ever be offered this side of the grave. The chance to create - not given to every man. And they laboured mightily at it. Everything the full works.   They got it together - they made or stumbled upon - or just felt thay had a chance of making that phantom synthesis - which is beauty.

And the reason the public don't get to hear this level of creativity, and value it, and become aware of it - is that the media is too full of celebrities like Hugh, and the inside of their homes, and their holiday projects.