Wallace confirmed Scots jazz legend was ‘not an imposter’
ONE of Scotland’s greatest musicians asked then deputy first minister Jim Wallace for help reassuring the authorities he was “not some charlatan imposter”.
Newly opened archives show saxophone legend Tommy Smith wrote to the Orkney MSP asking for a character reference to help him create a new jazz academy in 2004.
At the time, the Edinburgh-born musician had run the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra for almost a decade and wanted to name its teaching arm the Scottish Jazz Academy.
In a letter to Mr Wallace, Mr Smith said Companies House, the government body which registers businesses, “requires references from important people like you as the use of the word Scottish is sensitive.
“Companies House are careful who they designate... and trust we are worthy of the title, and not some charlatan imposter.”
Mr Wallace drafted a reply saying use of the word Scottish would be “entirely appropriate”.
He wrote: “Your personal contribution to jazz in Scotland, and indeed internationally, is both known and most highly regarded. I would certainly hope that Companies House would be willing to register your chosen name.”
But before sending it, he checked with the Scottish Executive’s top official, the Permanent Secretary John Elvidge.
He said it would be reasonable for Mr Wallace to lend support as a constituency MSP, but trickier as deputy first minister in the Libdemlab coalition.
He said the Executive first had to come to an official view on “potential demands for financial support” and “the validity of claims to being a national institution”.
Mr Smith never set up his academy, but his Jazz Orchestra and Youth Jazz Orchestra continue.