A Lark Ascending

A couple of new Norma discs in the offing. One with what seems to now be her working group: And, according to a Jazzwise interview, a disc with larger forces arranged by Mike Gibbs, along the lines of the excellent disc she did with Colin Towns a few years back.

Not bothered about 'who's best' - lots of names I enjoy above on an instrument I really like. One name I don't think has been mentioned so far - Tony Coe. Alan Barnes is also a very fine player. Recently I've been really enjoying Ken Peplowski - always assumed he was a 'mainstream' player but on a couple of albums recently acquired he's doing much more modern things.

Read this over the last 2 weeks whilst out in the country. A lovely book, recommended to anyone with a fondness for the British folky music of the late 60s/very early 70s. Doesn't really hang together as an overall thesis because I'm not convinced he knows what it is - a general feeling that the British/English have throughout their history reacted against modernity by retreating into an imagined, idyllic myth of Albion and the countryside. He explores that through the early 20thC folk song collectors and the classical composers influenced by the folk music (often the same people) and then through the folk revival of the 50s/60s and into the heart of the book, the folk-rock movement from c. '69 to '72. Loses his way at the end where he paints a picture of a music largely lost and then presents a few random poppy examples of where the desire for something rooted in the English past bursts forth - Kate Bush, David Sylvian, Talk Talk, Julian Cope are his main examples (none of whom I've paid any attention to). Surprised there was no mention of XTC who very much went back into the idyll of an imaginary England. The biggest flaw in the book is his complete oversight of the major revival of interest in folk music that has flowered since the mid 90s in this country; a whole new generation discovered the music then and another bunch of 20-somethings are discovering it again now. The usual problem with critics presenting their prejudices and blind-spots as the truth; but I was impressed with his honest assessment of Sandy Denny's output. Her early death has led to uncritical hagiography - Young' assessment fits with my perception of a wonderful era with Fairport and two magical albums with Fotheringay and the Northstar Grassman, followed by a steady loss of focus and increasing blandness. He lays the blame at husband, Trevor Lucas' door. Nice to know I'm not alone in seeing the English early 20thC classical composers, the folky/folk-rockers and some of the more pastoral rock bands of the late 60s and early 70s as part of some sort of vague continuum.

And we really should stop these locomotive things...they'll stop the chickens laying properly. Haven't the more recent iPods capped the volume available? I think volume goes up not so much out of a desire to listen to music loudly rather than a desire to drown out surrounding noise.

And a few more: A couple of cropped ones:

A few views from Cornwall, Aug 2010:

The third of Downing's excellent series about a British/American journalist living in Nazi Germany. This one is set in the weeks leading up to the first setbacks in the Russian campaign in 1941 and the US declaration of war after Pearl Harbor. Beautiful book about a family in St. Ives Cornwall during World War I with D.H. Lawrence and his wife who had retreated to Zennor nearby playing a key part. Now really enjoying this Daphne Du Maurier/Wilkie Collinsesque ghost story: Bev

There's an article here from January about the digitalisation of MM: http://paidcontent.co.uk/article/419-ipc-may-re-publish-premium-melody-maker-archive-online/ Gramophone have done it so it should be possible for MM - though Gramophone has been a monthly for most of its life so there are only 12 (13?) issues for each year to digitalise as opposed to 52 for a weekly.

I was mainly an NME reader but used MM too. Can't recall what NME's jazz coverage was like. Not as strong, I suspect, though during the mid-70s it had a very catholic approach to music so there must have been jazz stuff in there.

I can do that without the aid of technology. It comes naturally.

That would be fascinating! I can still remember reviews that made me experiment with things (Jarrett, Westbrook) - I'd love to read what caught my interest again.

I was googled a couple of times by kids at school (when they were meant to be working!!!!) and they landed here (my name is not common!). They got distracted! For a few seconds, before they found it all quite boring. Thought it best to avoid such situations.

In 1974 an LP cost around £2.50; say around the £15 mark for a premium priced CD today. So entry to Ronnie's would have been around £30 in current money. Double what I'd expect to pay for a jazz concert ticket (though you'd pay far more for a big name rock act or jazz 'legend'). Would the £5 get you in for the night or just for a set? Doesn't seem extortionate for a club setting with high overheads. I've never been to Ronnie Scott's. Been to the Village Vanguard, but not Ronnie Scott's!

First Ellington I heard was actually Steely Dan c. 1974...their reconstruction of 'East St. Louis Toodle Oo' for rock instruments but quite un-rock like. Then a version of 'Creole Love Call' by Mike Westbrook's Orchestra. I think I'd read about Ellington or about other musician's (Stan Tracey) love of Ellington before I bought a record by him, though I must have heard things on Jazz Record Requests. I then took a chance with this: A 3 LP set put out by The Sunday Times in the UK in conjunction with RCA. It was a real leap in the dark for me in 1978 but proved a wonderful primer. One LP of 'popular' Duke, one of 'historic' and one of 'longer' (including BB&B), drawn from across the full timespan of his RCA recordings. I was smitten. The strange thing is that, apart from Billie Holiday, it would be another 15 years or so before I began to develop any interest in any other pre-1940s jazz. Over those years I built up my Ellington knowledge through those French RCA black and white twofers and some of the later RCA and Columbia things. And, of course, I was constantly bumping into other musician's takes on the Ellington/Strayhorn music book. When the big centenary box came out in 2000 (?) I made my most expensive single recording purchase ever!

I know. But they should have released.....

A favourite of mine since being bewitched by My Funny Valentine and then Amsterdam After Dark in the early days of my jazz listening. Seemed to be a regular in the UK - I got to see him at Cheltenham about ten years ago; I think the late Martin Drew was on drums, though I might be wrong.

Feeding frenzy in the back garden.

I love this bit: Stewart Lee curated an avant-garde sequence at Cheltenham this year including Evan '2ft 4in' Parker. I like the idea of calculating your collection in terms of feet and inches (instead of how many CDs). Though as I dispense with the jewel boxes, my Miles Davis is a mere 1ft 3 1/2 inches (those boxes pad it out somewhat).

Not much has got across the Pennines. A brief heavy spell yesterday refilled 1 and a bit water butts. But apart from that it's been overcast, threatened rain but kept dry in eastern parts. And we're the ones with the hosepipe ban! Yes, ironic isn't it? A shortage of rain in Manchester!

Not much has got across the Pennines. A brief heavy spell yesterday refilled 1 and a bit water butts. But apart from that it's been overcast, threatened rain but kept dry in eastern parts.

Just caught the end of that - must use the iPlayer to hear the full thing.

Yes, when getting really excited by a new purchase I'll usually ration my listening to it. That way I can keep going back to it afresh. There's an optimum period when a new purchase can completely overwhelm you. That passes and the pleasure you later get is still considerable but not quite so intense or overwhelming. So rationing can extend the 'head-over-heels' phase of the relationship!

Good point. Quality analysis of a recording or performance often adds to appreciation and understanding. It doesn't even have to be highbrow. Look at something as available as the Penguin guide to jazz. It's imperfect, and is flawed by only covering things in print (and not all of those), but as an introduction to the music it is very good. I have a whole pile of books that I have picked up over the years that I re-read, sometimes when I'm listening or going to see a particular artist. A well-informed writer also can lead you to things you haven't heard before. The book "Delta Blues" by Ted Goia is a personal example. I like (1) writers about jazz who have done the research and can put forward a strongly evidenced-based interpretation of the music or musicians. I like writers who (2) are good at explaining what is going on in the music and why it matters. I also like (3) reading people's personal reactions to music when it's expressed with some humility and an understanding that others might hear different. Where 'criticism' has got itself a bad name is that too often the critic is passing off the third (without the humility) as the first or the second. I thought Ted Goia's book on West Coast Jazz was a model of (1).

I saw this band (or a version of it) earlier in the year - to be honest my mind drifted. Lots of electronic backwash with the music ebbing and flowing but no clear sense of structure. A pity, as Iain Ballamy is one of the UK's most distinctive sax players but he seemed quite anonymous in this. Might appeal to those with more of a taste for electronica.

A stalwart of the UK scene - behind a series of recent marvellous releases in the vein of the Jazz Couriers. Look at this for a list of some of the people he played with: Al Cohn - Al Haig - Alan Skidmore - Alec Dankworth - Andrew Cleyndert - Anita O’Day - Anita Wardell - Art Farmer - Arturo Sandoval - Barbara Dennerlein - Barney Kessel - Benn Clatworthy - Benny Carter - Benny Goodman - Bill Holman - Bill Perkins - Bill Watrous - Bobby Hutcherson - Bobby Shew - Bobby Wellins - Bob Wilber - Bosko Petrovic - Buddy Childers - Buddy DeFranco - Bud Shank - Carmen McRae - Charles McPherson - Charlie Mariano - Chet Baker - Chico Freeman - Chucho Valdes - Clark Terry - Conte Condoli - Count Basie - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa - Dave Green - David Gazarov - Davide Petrocca - Dexter Gordon - Dick Morrissey - Dizzy Gillespie - Eddie Daniels - Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Ella Fitzgerald - Frank Rossalino - Frank Wess - Freddy Hubbard - Gareth Williams - Gene Harris - George Coleman - Georgie Fame - Gil Evans - Hank Jones - Harold Land - Harry "Sweets" Edison - Herb Ellis - James Moody - James Morrison - Jim Hart - Jim Mullen - Jimmy Smith - Jimmy Witherspoon - J.J. Johnson - Joe Henderson - Joe Pass - Joe Temperley - John Altman - John Critchinson - Sir John Dankworth - John Lewis - John Pearce - John Taylor - Johnny Griffin - Julian Joseph - Junior Mance - Ken Peplowski - Kenny Davern - Kenny Werner - Kilian Forster - Laurence Cottle - Laurie Holloway - Lanny Morgan - Lee Konitz - Lew Soloff - Liane Carroll - Manny Albam - Marion Montgomery - Mark Murphy - Michael Brecker - Michel Legrand - Milt Jackson - Monty Alexander - Mornington Lockett - Mundell Lowe - Niels Pedersen - Nigel Hitchcock - Niki Haris - Oscar Peterson - Paul McCartney - Paul Morgan - "Peanuts" Hucko - Peter King - Phillipe Catherine - Phil Woods - Plas Johnson - Ralph Sutton - Randy Brecker - Ray Brown - Red Holloway - Robert Farnon - Robin Aspland - Roland Hanna - Ron Carter - Ron Mathewson - Roy Eldridge - Ruby Braff - Scott Hamilton - Simon Spillett - Stan Getz - Stanley Turrentine - Stephane Grappelli - Steve Melling - Terence Blanchard - Terry Gibbs - Tete Montoliu - Tommy Smith - "Toots" Thieleman - Ulf Wakenius - Vic Lewis - Warren Vache - Woody Herman - "Zoot" Sims. http://www.martindrew.co.uk/ Though I'd add Ronnie Scott and Louis Stewart who along with Drew, Taylor and Mathewson make up one of my favourite discs with his playing - Scott's 'Serious Gold'. Very sad.