Dancers/DJ Club History

"The Belvedere Arms"- Paul "Tjader" Haran

Seymour and I met way back in 1984, at an obscure pub called, "The Belvedere Arms". Little did we know that here would begin a worldwide Jazz phenomenon. Jazz Dance started earlier, but "The Belvedere" was where Gilles Peterson first came to prominence.

Crowds danced to Jon Lucien, Sergio Mendes, Cal Tjader, "Bossa to Latin" and most things in between. Not long after, the "Jazz Juice" series started ,and went global, tapping into an expectant new desire for quality music.

Nobody missed Sundays at "The Belvedere", because this is where it was really happening. My week revolved around Sundays, as did many others. From there Gilles, Kevin Beadle, Joe Davis, Patrick Forge, and Chris Bangs, started to branch out, "Cock Happy", "The Wag", "Do at the Zoo", "Dingwalls" etc.

Suddenly Jazz was hip again, and many tried to get on the rollercoaster, but the diehards wanted fast tunes to groove to. The "Bass Clef" (Blue Note) at Hoxton on Sundays, "Hi Hat", "Messin Around", all played their part in keeping the Jazz Dance scene alive.

"Jazz 90" in the Art Rooms, kicking it to Shihib Shihab, everyone there for the love of the music, and each other. I've made many great friends, and after 22 years, I'm still there pushing my frail body to the limit. I like Jazz dance because it pushes me to the edge, sweat dripping, muscles aching, the "Electric Ballroom reunion", left me off work for two days, I was gone.

I can't do the pyrotechnics anymore, for I have a really bad knee, and muscle problems. My balance has gone too, although I was offerred a place at the "Royal Ballet school" when I was 14, halcyon days. Many people are unaware that I am a fully trained classical dancer, I did 7 years at ballet school., on a scholarship.

I met Nureyev in 1981, and still go the ballet regularly. My favourite dancer is Mikhail Baryshnikov, a true genius, and Sammy Davis Jnr my favourite entertainer. "Dingwalls reunion was amazing, heavy Jazz Dance tunes, which everybody went mad too, brilliant afternoon.

I felt so good afterwards, as Seymour and I and few of the boys went for a pizza. This site is special because Jazz is a serious art form, and Seymour and myself want new people to know about the past as its crucial to the furtherance of the music.

Please check my "Jazz Dancers Top Ten", as there will probably be some tunes that you are not familiar with. As Janet Lawson says in her classic, "Harolds House of Jazz", "Real Jazz is for the folks who feel Jazz".

Jazz dancing is for people of all standards, and abilities, so don't be afraid of making a fool of yourself, that's how you learn. Come and say hello, I wont bite, Tjader.

My top jazz dance tunes, they are not in order of precedence, Tjader.

So High- Janet Lawson Quintet
Southern Roots- Michel Legrand
Mambo Mindoro- Cal Tjader
Lenguas- Raices
Caravan (Drums on Fire)- Art Blakey
Song Of The Yellow River- Cal Tjader
Pao De Acucar- Pacific Jam (Featuring Flora Purim)
Wild Rice- Eddie Lockjaw Davis with the Ray Barretto Latin Section
Caravan- Johnny Scott Quintet
Om Mani Padme Hum- Shahib Shihab And Francy Boland

Dingwalls "Talking Loud" Reunion 2007

Well what another incredible Sunday. The furious speed of Raices "Lenguas", Poncho Sanchez's electric congas on Cal Tjaders "Mambo Mindoro" , the atomic "North Station" by Harris Simon, and Art Blakey's seminal "Night in Tunisia", it just dosent get any better.

No compromising on the quality of the music, nowhere in the world can you hear such a rich texture of sound, driving percussion, and myriad multi layered rhythms, and when Patrick dropped Stevie Wonder's "Another Star", everybody took off, a profound feeling of joy just permeated the room.

Nice to see Gary (Seymour's twin brother), Jerry Barry, Simon Mansell etc. Lots of new faces, taking it all in, the Dingwalls vibe spreading its sinewy tentacles ever further. I felt totally invigorated the next day, although a little tired, as I walked to Wimbledon to pay some bills, in my head I was there in the jazz zone.

Janet Lawson, Sahib Shihab, no time wasters please, I just love it. I'm forty six on the 9th of December, but I'll just keep on dancing till the quadraceps wither, and the brain atrophies, thats jazz, once you're in, you're in for life.

Respects from "The original Belvedere member 001", its growing still, Tjader, Founder of "The Wimbledon Samba Crew", I'm the only one still dancing, their loss, cheers Paul.

Paul "Tjader" Haran