Changes in the licensing laws have made putting on music in pubs a viable option again, not that it’s ever easy in the current climate.
The Griffin in Whetstone is a decent kind of boozer long established in a leafy part of north London across the road from what used to be the iBar where there was a cracking Sunday afternoon residency for a long spell a few years ago hosted by the affable jazz singer John Garfield. The Griffin I’ve been in a few times and caught some acoustic singer/songwriter-type folk music there in the pleasant garden at the back. But usually like so many pubs in London and everywhere else football on the TV was the main entertainment, so that’s why music fans often stay away.

Pubs aren’t ideal in some ways for certain styles of jazz and if you happen to be a sensitive artiste who wants to play in conditions of serious church-like silence then the Griffin or any other pub is probably not for you.

But then again in the selfie-snapping, yak-yak, rubber-necking world we all live in, jazz clubs aren’t exactly about singing hymns to the silence are they? And as for the coughing in concert halls these days… shocking. But I digress.

Here’s what’s coming up at the Griffin (following appearances by the fine jazz singer Georgia Mancio and others recently). Backed by the house trio of pianist Gareth Hunt, bassist Wally Shaw, and drummer Steve Plumb it’s Finn Peters on 5 January; Dave O’Higgins on 12 January; Christian Brewer on 19 January; and Derek Nash on 26 January; and in February Fletch’s Brew featuring Mark Fletcher (d), Steve Pearce (b), Carl Orr (g), and Freddie Gavita (t) (2 Feb); Sid Gauld backed by the house trio (9 Feb); Kevin Fitzsimmons + house trio (16 Feb); and Frank Griffith, again with the trio (23 Feb). Entry is free. SG
Finn Peters top and the Griffin above
http://www.thegriffin-whetstone.co.uk