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A hot summer's night in Church Street. South African township
music floats across the traffic noise. The sounds of Soweto in Stoke Newington make people
look up to the open windows above a second-hand bookshop. Some climb the steep stairs to
enter a room filled with rickety tables and chairs scattered around an uneven wooden
floor. The roof seems to be held up by cast iron beams. The tables are covered with
burgundy-coloured oil cloth and on one of them someone has scribbled, 'the ugliest
tablecloth in the world.' Welcome to the Vortex, one of London's most popular jazz venues.
Despite the dreams of its followers, jazz has always been a minority interest. Some of the
most brilliant musicians in the country scrape a living playing suburban clubs and pubs.
London's Jazz FM radio station has been through difficult times. In contrast, large
amounts of grants and lottery money are poured into opera, and even rock and pop museums.
Some of the most innovative music in Britain is often ignored by those who hold the purse
strings.
Ronnie Scott was probably Britain's best-known jazz musician but even his world-famous
club went bust and had to be bailed out by a record company. Most accountants would tell
you that to open a jazz club is either a sign of advanced mental illness or a case of
misplaced enthusiasm. But David Mossman, an ex-black cab driver, did just that 14 years
ago. Increasing the risk, he and his business partner Irving Kinnersley launched the
venture in the run-down inner-city area of Stoke Newington.
That was not their original intention. Two years earlier they believed they had spotted an
opening in another market and set up shop to sell art materials in the building which now
houses the Blue Legume. Although they had little money, they later took out a lease on
their current building. David says they told 'the right kind of lies' and persuaded the
owner that they were their bank manager's favourite customers. In those days Church Street
had little going for it. Many shops were empty and, apart from the pubs, the only places
to relax were the Fox wine bar and the Anglo Asian restaurant.
In 1983 they opened the Vortex Galleries and a cafe with occasional music. The cafe was
furnished with Lloyd Loom chairs and the food was served on china from the 1920-30s. Their
arty customers certainly appreciated good quality design as the plates, cups and saucers
were quickly stolen. Art and music did not co-exist happily as the artists felt music made
the place 'less serious' than it should be. In any case modern art wasn't selling and the
critics wouldn't come to Stoke Newington.
In 1985 they decided to focus on jazz. They soon established a reputation and were
contacted by jazz musicians who were willing to play for little money in a place which
proclaimed itself London's 'listening jazz club.' This was in contrast to the West End
where it was often difficult to hear the music over the braying of Home Counties types up
for a night in town.
Claire Martin and Jim Mullen playing at the club. Photo: Nicky Dunsire
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