A Lark Ascending

From the preface to Gaddis' general account of The Cold War, where he explains why he decided to write a one volume survey:

Me too! Heard bits of that BBC version last night, drifting in and out of sleep. Sounded intriguing but I can't imagine I'd be any more successful reading it now - I like a narrative! Just started this: I love Gaddis on the Cold War (though not always his conclusions!); thought this a good way to kick start yet another year teaching the topic.

Jazz left cool behind in 1960... (or maybe I've always read it wrong...maybe it means emerging from the cool rather than leaving it behind). ************** I'm reminded of a kid who'd gone through school a loner but on one non-uniform day made up for it be arriving in perfect street gear - backwards baseball cap, hoody, personal stereo plugged conspicuously in his ears. The trouble was everything looked brand new, the backwards baseball cap was at 180 degrees and it was all so neat. Needless to say, he did not get welcomed into any of the in crowds. The current strange fashion in my school is wearing large, D.J-style, headphones round your neck. I have a feeling this is one of those signs of cool that will date very badly.

Perhaps amongst certain classes (or those aspiring to those classes). But the bulk of the population has always listened mainly to either contemporary popular music or the popular music of their youth that is soaked in memory (Dennis Potter knew that!). My dad used to constantly flaunt his preference for 'the classics' - he was actually clueless, but did have a very genuine love of opera arias and big tunes from classical music. The desire to be seen as an appreciator of 'the classics' was part of his need to be seen as someone who had made something of himself, no longer a farm hand but someone with a house, some of the good things of life and the ability to provide comfort for his family. He was very much of the opinion that I would grow out of Led Zeppelin and go on to listen to 'proper' music. He was right in one sense in that my musical interests widened considerably; he was wrong because I still love Led Zeppelin! I think that is a common experience of many of my generation - we ditched the idea that one type of music was 'better' than another (even if it might vary enormously in complexity, innovation, insight, technical command etc).

Never mention that Armstrong quote on a folk music forum. It has been quoted so often you'll get torn to bits! I recall 'cool' coming back into fashion round the 90s, and it doesn't seem to have gone away. I think it has a general use meaning just good. 'Can I have a new exercise book?' 'Of, course.' 'Cool!'. The sense in that article seems to be that place where you're definitely not one of the masses but you are part of a sub group that just happens to have caught on to something worthwhile. It is ever changing because often (but not always) it gets appropriated by a larger audience in which case it's time to move on.

Bob Dylan's mouth organ playing. Well...

You'd be amazed how many parents get uppity - 'she's got to have it on; her granny's not well.' The kids cannot comprehend a world where instant communication did not exist - 'I've got to have it on...what if there's an emergency?' Some UK schools ban them. My school works on the principal that this is real life (and they can be used creatively in lessons); they must be turned off in general or they get confiscated. Any kid who gets uppity about it and parents have to come in to collect it.

Dave Frishberg dealt with this... But it appears no-one listened! Those who see are often not heard. Being seen and heard whilst appearing not to care seems to be what cool aims at. Is using "whilst" cool? It was in the latter half of 1883. The serious point of the article is the problem getting folk music a place in the sun has (one shared by other less commercial musics like jazz). Sometimes it stumbles close to the awareness of the mainstream; but invariably the mood passes. So those who feel it should be part of that mainstream start worrying about making it 'cool' so it can get a permanent place there. The trouble is that usually compromises what makes it unique. Glasper territory! All part of that 'How do we reach the young folks' angst - you've got to make it 'cool'.

Dave Frishberg dealt with this... But it appears no-one listened! Those who see are often not heard. Being seen and heard whilst appearing not to care seems to be what cool aims at.

1980s hipster. 1990s nerd. I think I might have just committed jazz-hipster sacrilege.

Missed them! Just tuned in now. Perhps I'll catch up with the first numbers on the i-Player later. Might not be your thing, Bill - sort of Brazil meets Spain meets general Latin meets film music - but worth giving it a try.

Dave Frishberg dealt with this... But it appears no-one listened!

JRR Great to hear one of my favourite contemporary bands played - Oriole. They can convince you it's summer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't this bloke one of The Rat Pack?

Read on.... http://www.frootsmag.com/content/issue/chipping/ I'd just throw in 'hip' as well.

There's a bit of an insight into what might be going on at places like Cheltenham and Bath here: http://www.frootsmag.com/content/issue/edsbox/ From the editor of fRoots magazine (a fine UK folk/world magazine of long standing). Ian Anderson knows the business as performing musician, event organiser and magazine editor:

According to yesterday's news we can expect summer in late September. According to this morning, it's due in 2013....perhaps! All to do with El Niño, they say.

On the day I bought my first CD player in 1985, this was one of the three discs I bought. I've never had need of another version of the Ravel. On a different subject, this bio is quite recent - one I keep meaning to buy. Nichols is a superb writer and broadcaster; incredible knowledge on French music but able to communicate in an unstuffy way:

Many thanks, Frank.

I recall institutional food, overcooked and lacking in colour - and I distinctly recall leaving my veg! But the meals were very much meat (or fish) and two veg. In the school where I work until the 80s a single meal was taken by monitors to a table of 8 and then dished out. Sometime in the 80s we went cafeteria but still the menu was very controlled to ensure a balance. That, of course, could not control what kids chose to take; but they could only take chips once a week or fortnight. I'm not trying to romanticise the olden days - school dinners were pretty dull. Only the stodgy puddings - jam rolly polly, etc - were greeted with much enthusiasm.

The reason for crap food in schools is the primacy of market forces. 20 years ago school meals were regulated to ensure a balanced diet. Catering is now run privately (in my school we are locked into a company who won the tender to build a great new eating area but got X years providing the food in return). Although there are some limitations and 'healthy meal' options are available, kids now get 'choice'. Guess what they choose.

Whilst I can see the value of this in one sense, it disturbs me in another. Do any of us want the deficiencies of our work exposed on public view like this? By all means take the evidence and then approach the right people who need to know. The issues can (hopefully!) be addressed in a professional manner. But exposed for ridicule like this seems to be just another form of happy-slapping. The kid, of course, is completely innocent in this.

Could someone point me to a link with the line-up of musicians on the disc? The download only has a front cover. Merci.

I'd be more interested if it was a Jarrett + saxophonist we've not heard him with (there are a lot to choose from!) quartet. I like the European Quartet - especially 'My Song' - but if it comes to archives would be more interested in hearing the American band.