Top notes

Between 1963 and 1970 Mike Smith produced six No 1 records for Brian Poole, the Tremeloes, Georgie Fame, Marmalade, Love Affair and Christie. He produced many other hit records too – but he missed out on the Beatles, turning them down at their audition for Decca Records on New Year's Day, 1962.

Drums - Ginger Baker
I think we need to go with a vintage drummer such as Ginger Baker, who played in bands like Cream and Blind Faith, because he was a machine. There's no other word for it. I used to play drums, it was the first instrument I learnt, and although I never really got into Cream that much, I used to drum along to what he was doing on record because I thought he was great.

Police in Los Angeles are advising the city's schools to tighten security after a rash of burglaries in which thieves have broken into music department classrooms and made off with tubas.

With German Christmas markets springing up like mushrooms in British cities, it was appropriate that the Armonico Consort should present a seventeenth-century musical complement.

Koko is bursting at the seams, limbs hanging over balconies, enthusiastic fans crammed in at the front needing water from security, gasping before an empty stage. The phrase "sardines in a can" comes to mind and the electric excitement brewing is almost killed by the late starting of the show, but all is forgiven as the Peckham star bounds on to the stage.

On the intriguing Teeth + Teeth = Teeths, Leeds combo Trumpets Of Death investigate a niche, but potentially fruitful area where traditional folk music rubs up against avant-noise, post-rock textures.

Arthur Wilson was a master of the trombone and a mainstay of British orchestral brass in the second half of the 20th century, both through his playing and his teaching. Seldom in the orchestral spotlight, he none the less made audiences aware of the trombone in the quality of his playing in the Philharmonia, which he joined as second trombone in 1951, becoming principal in 1962 until leaving the orchestra in 1979. During this time he played regularly under Karajan, Klemperer, Giulini, Muti, Maazel and Frubeck de Burgos, all of whom appreciated his musicianship and the skill with which he brought the orchestra's trombone section to such a high standard. He was Professor of Trombone at the Royal College of Music from 1967 until 1999, seven years beyond professorial retirement age, and many trombonists in British orchestras today owe the development and honing of their skills to his inspiration and care.

What do you call a beautiful girl on the arm of a trombone player? A tattoo.

Requiem in Blue is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary work in tribute to the composer's late brother, featuring sections of the Latin Mass in alliance with folk and jazz elements: in the opening "Introit & Kyrie", for example, Natacha Atlas's rendition of "Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair" presages the Latin text.