A Lark Ascending

Read the first 100 pages of this yesterday. You've got to hand it to the Kennedys - they really knew how to manipulate their public image. They sound really awful as a family in this telling.

Not quite jazz, though jazz musicians were involved. A friend and myself were nuts about the whole Soft Machine/Henry Cow/Canterbury thing at university and would have made the trip from Reading for this one - I think it was Wyatt's first performance after his accident and tied in with the release of 'Rock Bottom'. Unfortunately it was still the university vacation and I was in Germany stacking shelves in the NAFFI to earn my pocket money. Remember reading about it in NME and being very green.

I read it back in 1976 when I was just getting interested in jazz - don't think I yet had a Mingus record. Found it fascinating if full of braggadocio and tall tales. I recall being struck by his love of Ellington - again I knew little of Ellington at the time.

According to a BBC blather page: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25684040 And according to the interview with Rick Wakeman I assume this came from: I'd have thought he's have been a Pink Floyd fan. All those pigs must bring back memories.

You're all late to the party. According to something on the radio the other day we are now expected to rebuy our collections on something called Bluray Audio (it's been around a while but classical companies seem to be getting rather interested in it). Will it ever stop?

Oh, much the same. I know many people are attached to particular formats, vinyl in particular. I like paperback books even though it would make every sense to move to a Kindle. Not sure I'd want a 'What paperback books' are you now reading thread separate from the now reading thread.

Agreed. It's time we had a section for threads relating to jazz via streaming/downloading. How about it Moderators? I still tend to think in album terms - 'Kind of Blue', 'Giant Steps etc'. I already find the idea of a separate thread for vinyl a bit odd. Having another for downloads seems even odder. Seems to promote the medium above the message. Those for whom it matters can always indicate the preferred medium in the main 'What are you listening to?' thread. . ********************** I could never guarantee I've stopped buying a performer/composer etc - they often return to haunt. But I'd like to think I've stopped buying reissues purely on the promise of a sonic upgrade.

Interesting BBC World Service 30 minute programme covering some of our common concerns here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01nrgdn Far from the usual 'mp3 is crap'/streaming is killing music hysteria. A more nuanced and balanced explanation from both business insiders and performing musicians. Concludes that we are only at the start of a journey where the real potential has yet to be realised.

First read it 40 years ago and went on a 4 year Lawrence binge. Bizarrely after I moved to Nottinghamshire I only read one ('The White Peacock') even when my parents moved to Eastwood - everything is named after him there. Had quite forgotten what an amazing writer he was. The way he captures the sudden twists and turns in human relationships is uncanny. It's really interesting reading it this time having lived and worked in the sort of community he describes. Will follow this up with 'The Rainbow' and 'Women in Love' over the next few months (though I'll give 'Kangaroo' and 'The Plumed Serpent' a miss - remember reading those was like walking through treacle).

It's funny how things have changed. 30 years ago you had to wait years for a Kenny Wheeler or John Taylor album to appear. Now there's an embarrassment of choice. It seems to have become so much easier for musicians to get music out there that some take full advantage of the possibilities. I can understand that - the desire to document all your work and have it available as a means of making a little more money or a least as a calling card. And what might seem like more of the same to us might have very special significance to the musician and be really exciting to a new listener buying a latest recording linked to a recent tour. Jadedness might be a price we pay for a wider historical awareness of the performer's prior journey. Those of us who buy records need to be much more disciplined - the fact a musician has recordings out there doesn't mean we need them all. Easier said than done. I actually find taking a break from a favourite musician for a while can help. I stopped buying Metheny records a fair time back but a chance hearing of one of the Unity band records reignited my interest. It doesn't need to be 'that's enough'. It can be 'that will do for now'. Of course the record companies know how to manipulate the completist in us to perfection.

The pictures we're seeing here took terrifying. Stay warm.

I'm sure the remake in sunny California is already being planned. Anyway depressing Scandi-dramas are considerably more cheerful than Victorian serial killer costume dramas. And if you want cheerful, there's no end of X-Factor programmes overwhelming with 'you can reach for the stars' optimism. To say nothing about the DC + GO pre-election 'everything is rosy' briefs we'll be getting regularly from now on.

The start of the second series of 'The Bridge' as Scandi-Saturdays return. Gripping stuff, looking, as always, as if the action is taken place in a gloomy, ECM-sleeve landscape.

There goes Meryl Streep. Impressive hailstones, Sidewinder. Here's one from Pembrokeshire:

Finally finished this - harrowing. I knew the story in outline but was unaware of the scale of 'ethnic cleansing' that went on, particularly in Poland. Quite like this series but this one didn't engage me as much. Currently struggling with this - West Coast sci-fi meets Ian Fleming meets Rudolf Hess meets Alistair Crowley... Not sure where it is going. I only really know Reagan from having lived through the 80s and from having spent more time than is sensible with his part in the end of the Cold War. This was a nice, short account giving a rounder picture.

I know our worries are minor compared with other parts of the world that experience real devastation from cyclones, tsunamis etc but I can't help feeling for those whose life gets turned upside down by all of this. The outlook?

An absolutely exquisite Rameau aria - 'Tristes apprets'. Was thinking this was a sure fire winner as a signature song for a film or TV series to discover that it had been used in a film about Marie Antoinette amidst a mainly post-punk soundtrack! It's the sort of thing Morse used to play as he drove round Oxford in his red Jaguar.

That picture seems to be Newquay. There's a bit of amateur video on the BBC News site. Assume it's down in the harbour area. Will have to do my house hunting in Cornwall in 18 months time a bit up hill!

Lots of rain overnight but also getting the clear skies here. Seems like the West got the worst of it:

Today was beautifully clear - but we've had a few of those in between recent storms. Forecast is 'Exceptional weather' to hit UK. Doesn't look good, especially in the West Country: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

Thank the lord for online translation services.

Thanks for that rec, Lon. Looks up my street. I notice there are a couple of other discs by Matta available - and that he is a member of the Brazilian Trio who I have an album of (Forests) - will have to dig that out.

Athbhliain faoi mhaise dhaoibh, y'all.