Returning to London in 1967 to attend Art School, he failed as a painter but found work in animation. Whilst working as a producer with TVC in 1976, (the studio that had recently produced "Yellow Submarine"), and inspired by bands such as Weather Report and Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" Sextet live at Ronnie Scott's, he decided to become a freelance illustrator.

Over the years Alastair has illustrated books for Walker Books (UK) and Random House (USA) whilst continuing to design and storyboard animated films. In 1991 his first solo book, Full Moon Soup was published, and two years later worked for Disney on their Chinese feature "Mulan." More recently he devised and designed a 30-minute TV special "Katya and the Nutcracker" which was broadcast just after Christmas 2001.

2002 saw the publication of Impressions, and the first exhibitions of the collection were hung in Cheltenham (UK) and Vitoria (Spain), this last provoking an enthusiastic e-mail from John Scofield.

Visit Alastair's website at www.jazzfolio.com.

All illustrations copyright © Alastair Graham. All Rights Reserved.

Miles. Keypoint Prometheus where orbits and opposites intersect and where sparks take wing.

Chet. Frailty and Fragility somehow make it through.

Elvin. The wheels,the wheels.....

Kirk. Baron Samedi,old as the music itself,carrying its origins into the day.

McLaughlin. More for the great industrial chords unleashed on "Jack Johnson " than for the barbed wire of Mahavishnu.

Bill Evans. "My Foolish Heart."

Ornette or not.

Ray Charles. The knowing little sob in the organ solo on " I'm gonna move to the outskirts of town " ( Genius + Soul = Jazz )

Jimmy Smith. Barely - contained animal vigour spiked with something dark.

Trane. There are times when only Coltrane,the Real Thing, will do.After the glare of his intensity,much of what followed feels fatuous by comparison.