Words cannot adequately express my feelings at the loss of a good
friend and wonderful arranger.  I once described John as a genius,
perhaps exhibiting my usual weakness for over-reaction and hyperbole,
but to me he was the main reason for an accelerated interest in player
pianos, and an appreciation of the music becoming available through his
untiring efforts.

In 1997 I gave a "concert" of his music outside the Bencoolen Inn at
Bude Jazz Festival, using my collection of a hundred or so Hot Piano
Classics rolls so eagerly added to every six months.  I seem to recall
giving notice of it in the Digest just prior to the festival.

Halfway through pumping "Canadian Capers" a business card appeared on
the keyboard in front of me.  Not having met him before, I turned to
see the man who I had so praised in print.  We chatted amicably and
I told him how much people liked listening to his up-tempo arrangements
of the great jazz numbers.  Whether it was in the open air at Bude
in sunny August, or in the foyer of the Theatre by the Lake in a wet
Keswick, the results were always the same: "Play some more of that hot
stuff, Roger!"

His home was a veritable museum of artifacts and mementos from the age
of jazz, and the signed photo of his hero Fats Waller always took pride
of place on the wall by his player.

He gave me a 73-note Claviola pushup that he had started to restore,
but subsequently gave up on.  It is now nearly finished, and I look
forward to my first concert with it.  The dedication will be to a man
who brought a whole new level of pleasure to a fascinating and
wonderful instrument.

Roger Waring - The Pianola Workshop
Solihull, West Midlands, UK
www.pianola.co.uk