The campaign starts here: Evan Parker should be asked to curate Meltdown 2012

The past five nights have seen the mini-festival Suggested by Evan Parker running at The Vortex. Each night the club has been packed to capacity with an excited, enthusiastic atmosphere pervading the place. The music has been different on each night, but the standard has been uniformly high; the musicians have all risen to the atmosphere and sense of occasion. Evan Parker himself played on three of the five nights, in three contrasting settings - with Django Bates' trio in a tribute to the music of Charlie Parker, as a soloist in Hans Koller's ensemble launching their album Cry, want, and in an improvising duo and trio with the legendary Stan Tracey and his son Clarke Tracey. The other two nights featured exciting young talent in the shape of Alex Hawkins Ensemble and Empirical

As a result of all this, the conclusion is clear: Evan Parker is an obvious choice as a great curator for Meltdown. Next summer's Meltdown already has a curator in the estimable form of Ray Davies, http://meltdown.southbankcentre.co.uk/ so 2012 is the one for Evan Parker to curate. (As a matter of interest, Parker is older than Davies by two months.) Anyone wary of an improvising musician as curator should take a moment to remember the runaway success of Meltdown 2009, curated by Ornette Coleman. Parker played at Coleman's Meltdown and also at Scott Walker's Meltdown in 2000.

Parker has all the characteristics of a successful Meltdown curator. He is widely respected and liked by musicians and punters alike. He is eclectic in his own music, playing in a great variety of settings - in the past these have included recording with Scott Walker and Vic Reeves! - and seeking out new ones. He has a track record of encouraging and bringing on talented younger players.

Yes, he is the man for the job. OK folks, get lobbying!