I first came across the name of Alexis Korner in the late 70s. I was in my teens, and I had already been turned onto the blues by the likes of Eric Clapton, Van Morrison and the Rolling Stones. When I stumbled across Alexis Korner's Blues & Soul Show one saturday afternoon, the blues was not exactly a revelation. What was a revelation was the richness of the blues; how it was not just a guitar based music from Chicago, but that this music had a history in which it embraced many different varieties of the form: The Delta Blues singers, boogie-woogie, free-form jazz, folk blues,work and prison songs. Rock was just one variant. Included amongst all this was gospel, soul and modern funk music. The programme was an eye-opener. It was Korner who first introduced me to the music of Charles Mingus and Muddy Waters, who first made me see a direct connection between the traditional music of Burundi and the avant-garde jazz of Oliver Lake. The richness and diversity of the blues, and black music generally, was opened to me by listening to this show. The man's knowledge of his subject was inexhaustable, and it was presented in such a warm rich voice that, as a listener, I felt drawn to him, curious to know who he was. I had no idea he was a musician until I came across a re-released EP he recorded with Davy Graham called 3/4 AD.(This is on a CD called 'The Guitar Player...plus' by Davy Graham, currently available from Amazon.)This remains Korner's most satisfying piece. He was not a great recording artist and a limited musician. His importance lies in his knowledge and love of the blues that he disseminated through his broadcasts, journalism and playing. He was a generous man, always ready to give someone a helping hand and encouragement, and never became jealous of their success.

Does anyone share my enthusiasim of Korner? More to the point, has anyone got any personal stories about him - Have you seen him in concert, did you work with him, did you meet him? I went to a Professor Longhair concert in the late 70s. In the intermission, I went to the bar, and there was the great man himself talking with freinds. I remember thinking how short he was.