Dom Servini

About Dom Servini

What was the album that introduced you to jazz?

When I was a toddler, my mum was heavily into SInatra, Ella and the whole crooner thing. My dad was into Chicago, Billy Joel and The Doobies and that whole "blue eyed", jazz influenced soul/rock thing. So I guess they both introduced me to jazz in their own ways. It was only when I was about 19 years old and I discovered Galliano, that I was introduced to the whole world of Roy Ayers, Archie Shepp, Leroy Hutson et al via the samples and covers on their records. My whole world changed after that.

What are your three top jazz albums of all time?

Top anything is always tough and changes all the time, but today I'm gonna say Pieces Of A Man by Gil Scott-Heron, The Blues & The Soulful Truth by Leon Thomas and Everybody Digs Bill Evans by Bill Evans Trio.

What is your favourite jazz story?

In my very early days of Djing at The Jazz Café I was calling back Dr Lonnie Smith for an encore, but - in my naivety - I announced him on the mic as Lonnie Liston Smith! He never returned to the stage. It took me quite some time to recover from the embarrassment.

Tell us about your most memorable jazz gig?

Probably supporting Amy Winehouse for her first ever big show, again at The Jazz Café, to launch her debut album Frank. She wasn't very well known at that time but when she opened her mouth and sang, the whole room knew they were witnessing something magical.

What is your favourite tune to hum in the morning?

It varies week to week, but at the moment it's "Set A Little Trap" by Phyllis Hyman. Not an easy one to hum, but an earworm nevertheless!

 What are your favourite lyrics?

"My life's OK, I've seen the highs of freedom, highs of loving, highs of living. My life is fine." Shira Small (My Life's All Right)