The column they’re queuing to be in...

This column raises a glass of very fine 1982 Chateau Latour Pauillac in honour of saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock who recently trousered £10,000 for bagging the Arts Foundation Award 2006 for Jazz Composition. The other nominees were Huw Warren and Byron Wallen who both deserve a glass or two themselves… Dave O’Higgins putting together an interesting new band with trombonist Barnaby Dickinson, trumpeter Graham Flowers. Pianist Andrew McCormack, bassist Rob Mullarkey and drummer Ralph Salmins. Currently they look like being called The Mantra, but that could change… Our thoughts go out to saxophonist Elton Dean recently touring with the Soft Machine Legacy, who has been admitted into Homerton hospital intensive care unit with serious liver problems… Jazzwise writer Stuart Nicholson's new book Is Jazz Dead (Or Has It Moved To A New Address)? attracted an unprecedented three reviews in the February edition of America's biggest circulation jazz magazine Jazz Times, and only one was a bit sniffy…