IWENT to a party on Sunday night after I had finished my resident gig at a club in Greater Manchester. It was the 76th birthday celebration of one of my oldest and closest mates, a loyal and enthusiastic follower of my bebop band Jeriatric Jazz and a swing fan to the sole of his feet.

Sadly those feet are tied to legs which these days are not particularly sturdy nor steady but the loss of much of his stability has not affected Derek's bonhomie, sense of humour nor his ear for a good tune.

He's something of a legend among local jazz aficionados, having survived the booze-laden trip to see Stan Kenton in Dublin way back in 1953 when the ferry crossing the Irish Sea put the Big Dipper to shame. Mention of it can still bring a tinge of green to the faces of those who were on that trip but Derek, who would have been a lion among party animals, has only the happiest of recollections, though he admits they are extremely hazy.

Anyway, the selection of jazz CDs and tapes he had chosen to mark his 76 years was, as one would imagine, a tribute to most of what is memorable about jazz through the years, a spectacular walk down memory lane or wander through the ages.

We had Francis Albert, Basie, Ellington, Ella, a compilation of Benny Goodman dating back to the early 1930s and Edie Gormay.

I had forgotten just how marvellous was Edie Gormay's voice. The tape I heard contained most of her best work and I would imagine, given the current trend, that there are CDs which have been remastered and which will therefore do even more justice to her.

The most evocative piece on the album I heard on Sunday was a stunning version of Guess Who I Saw Today, the poignant statement set to music of a married woman who, quite by chance, catches her husband with another woman. The words are so moving, the voice so heavy with emotion, that anyone who has been there (and, let's face it, many of us have) cannot fail to be affected.

It is therefore, with heavy heart, that I can only recommend this album, brilliant though it undoubtedly is, to anyone who is either totally blameless in the philandering department, or has been there, done it and somehow survived to tell the tale, like Derek on that Kenton-inspired sea trip, 50 years ago.

The Rhythm Station at Rawtenstall will next Tuesday welcome tenor sax legend Don Weller, one of our most respected and admired jazz musicians.

Weller has never been a conformist, prefering to ply his trade in clubs and pubs in London and the rest of the UK, thrilling his legions of loyal fans with his hard bop style and eclectic approach to modern jazz. He really is something special and I am certain that everyone familiar with Weller's work through the years will make the effort to be at The Rhythm Station to again hear him live.

A final reminder that a week tonight the Big Band Weekend will be launched at Pontins, Blackpool, which sadly will include the final appearance of the Andy Prior Band.