Jazz - improvised music - is alive and kicking. Like other genres of music - folk, for example - it gets the spotlight turned on it from time to time and then stays where it is when the spotlight moves on.

There are thriving jazz festivals all over Europe, for example, with great musicians getting good audiences. I was in Orleans in France last years, and there was a programme of free jazz being played every evening in venues all over the city. I don't know what the scene is like in the US, but it's slightly quieter than it used to be in the UK at the moment. I have to say I'm getting regular work playing jazz guitar duets at the moment. In the Sussex scene, funnily enough, there's a big revival of string-band music and Western Swing - much of which verges on jazz in its approach. The Hot Club Of Cowtown, for example, come to Brighton regularly and they swing like hell.

There are also several gypsy jazz outfits in the area - not always my cup of tea - but they get good bookings.

So - not dead over here - just pootling along and enjoying itself as ever.

My final dare: define jazz - while I run for cover playing Crazy Rhythm... :-)