Coming back from a photography exhibition in central London I saw an interesting scene on the South Bank. There was a musician playing the clarinet (I think!) accompanied by a couple of kids with some little hand-bell instruments (I’m not very good with musical technical terms so bear with me!) I wondered at first if this was some family affair – if so the kids were really enjoying their job because they were grinning from ear to ear. But then he handed another little bell set to another kid, who joined in, and then a lady who also joined the assemblage. Then he started playing another tune – a lively 1920s song I guess because the lady started dancing the Charlston to it.

I realised that this was a very inclusive musician who not only played fun, quirky songs but wanted us all to join him in the act. It was an absolute pleasure to observe how he brought random strangers together through his music and how keen so many people were to let their hair down and enjoy the party, as if it was an opportunity they’d be yearning for but hadn’t realised it.

I hope to see him many more times in my patch, and I’d love to give him a plug if anyone knows who he is! (I should have asked I guess but I just didn’t want to interrupt the fun!) Until then I’ll think of him as the Pied Piper of the South Bank.