Northway Publications will release Hot Jazz, Warm Feet, the autobiography from British jazz trumpeter John Chilton, in April 2007. For any Londoners out there, Foyles Bookshop (at Charing Cross Road, London WC2) will hold a free book launch on April 23 at 6 p.m. Chilton will perform along with Wally Fawkes and George Melly.
The trio has performed around the world since 1974 as the Feetwarmers, even enjoying a stint in the ’80s with BBC on their own television show Good Time George. Before playing with the Feetwarmers, Chilton led the backing band Swing Kings and was a part of Bruce Turner’s Jump Band.
Born into a London working-class family, he learned how to play the cornet by age 12, going on to play with ’60s pop groups such as the Swinging Blue Jeans. His compositions have been in film (St. Elmo’s Fire) and television (he has worked repeatedly with the BBC).
As a writer, Chilton has coveted international attention. He has written jazz biographies for Sidney Bechet, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Bob Crosby, Louis Jordan, Henry “Red” Allen and Roy Eldridge. He won a Grammy in 1983 for his liner notes on Bunny Berigan. In 2000, Chilton was voted “Jazz Writer of the Year” from the British Jazz Awards. His books on jazz have been granted numerous awards.
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