A Lark Ascending

BBC Radio 3's 'Jazz Library' has Keith Tippett talking to Alyn Shipton about his career this week: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qn1m0 Goes out at 4.00 pm UK time; on iplayer for a week after.

I suspect that a vast number of people who make judgements in print are "ignorant of music (in the technical sense), ignorant of critical and cultural theory, cannot read the materials on which (t)he(y) pronounce()". It's ages since I read the book so can't comment on how well or badly written it was. I do recall it as being somewhat obsessed with the "secret messages" supposedly lodged in the music. He was doing what a lot of musical critics do (including many with strong reputations) - getting hooked by an idea and then projecting it back onto the music. Part of the problem here is that the scholars are rarely that good at writing for a non-specialist audience. I've no technical knowledge of music or 'critical and cultural theory' but am very interested in reading about music. Many's the time I've foundered on books where the discussion of the musicological or the insider-speak of cultural studies has just lost me. Maybe if the scholars were better at writing for a genuinely interested wider audience, books by non-specialists would not get contracts. As it is they tend to prefer to write for one another. You get the same arguments in the world of history - between those who do the mining and those who use the mined materials to construct interpretations for a popular audience. I had to read a great deal of the former when I was training and still have to (very reluctantly) read some of it now for professional purposes; but for pleasure I go for the popular history now.

'was' He died some years back. He was a rock journalist, one of the best in the 70s. I read the Shostakovich back in the 80s when I was just getting interested and found it really helpful. Perhaps he was out of his depth re: the classical world but his book was a nice introduction to a new listener. There's a place for the general introduction alongside the musicological and scholarly. The Beatles book works because it is more in the area he generally worked in.

Have a look here for some of Hyperion's oboe discs: http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/find.asp?f=oboe The 20thC British discs vary from the bucolic to the neo-classical. There's a very nice Vaughan Williams oboe concerto which sounds exactly as you would expect it to. I have it on this disc: I don't know this one, but it looks interesting (especially in the light of the discussion above): Elizabeth MACONCHY (1907-1994) Quintet for Oboe and Strings (1932) [11:21] Arthur BLISS (1891-1975) Quintet for Oboe and String Quartet (1926) [21:26] Benjamin BRITTEN (1913-1976) Phantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings (1932) [14:08] Dorothy GOW (1893-1982) Oboe Quintet in One movement (1936) [14:00] E.J. MOERAN (1894-1950) Fantasy Quartet (1946) [13:27] In fact you might find this webpage of interest: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.oboeclassics.com/RenaissanceCD.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.oboeclassics.com/catalogue.htm&usg=__a5y6J0Kt_fbEzwzH8yMxXLM8DK4=&h=280&w=280&sz=26&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=T2mwRLCGmSfXjM:&tbnh=114&tbnw=114&prev=/images%3Fq%3Doboe%2Bgoossens%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4DSGI_en-GB___GB343%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Some extraordinary stories in this. Makes me feel very lucky to be living where I am, when I am. Smiled at this bit last night: Made me think of some jazz fans. And some musicians!

I bought her first album in the 80s and enjoyed it. No thoughts either way on her singing - I can't recall hearing anything subsequent. I certainly read very positive comments from people with little time for mainstream pop. Maybe I should give her a try! My comment was pure silliness and not intended to be derogatory!

I was expecting a thread about the marquis! A smooth operator at one time, I've read.

I can understand that.

In that sense, my utter contempt is reserved not for their "gang" - AAJ forum participants - but for those who run the joint. I think everyone who left there - either forced out or by choice - has severe reservations about particular decisions made. I still find it a useful resource; in particular for finding out about forthcoming UK based issues and reissues. I just find that every time that AAJ is mentioned you can guarantee that someone will chip in with why they left/got evicted/hate the place within the first few posts. Maybe we should have an 'I hate AAJ' thread for people to work through their anger. Then the other threads can stay on topic. I think this one is actually about hacking into AAJ.

Very sad. And strange as I was browsing the online stores only yesterday trying to see if there was an overview I might get hold of. He was a bit before my time. When I became interested in music in the 70s he was part of a very 'luvvy' TV series with Cleo, James Galway, John Williams etc so I blanked out on him. But hearing things on the radio from the 50s and 60s has made me realise that there was so much more to him. And that music is wonderfully evocative of that time. Two very talented kids too. And dedicated to music education. Turned his home in Buckinghamshire into a performance and education centre.

This is a lovely disc from the latter end of his life. From earlier didcussions I believe it was a European release with limited availability in the states. Steve Coleman (as -1,2) Joe Henderson (ts -9) Mal Waldron (p) Reggie Workman (b) Andrew Cyrille (d) Jeanne Lee (vo -2,3,10) Abbey Lincoln (vo -5,7) "At The Groove", Schelle, Belgium, August 15-17, 1997 1. Judy BMG 74321 53887-2 2. Soul Eyes - 3. Fire Waltz - 4. Spaces - 5. Straigh Ahead - 6. From Darkness Into Light - 7. God Bless The Child - 8. Dee's Dilemma - 9. The Git Go - 10. No More Tears -

This gang has its fair share of musical Moses'. Where it differs is having a nice, open-minded, tolerant chap running it.

Bev, This set is available on iTunes, but it looks like there's a companion piece featuring the same band at the same venue. There are three tunes on the Waldron Quintet album you've pictured; Snake Out, Judy and Seagulls of Kristiansund, and two on the other one, Status Seeking and Git Go . The second album is called The Git Go - Live at the Village Vanguard.. Any idea what's up with that? It's music from the same engagement. I prefer Seagulls but the other is great too. The tracky 'Seagulls...' is wonderfully peaceful! From: http://www.jazzdisco.org/mal-waldron/catalog/

You missed a great Stan Sulzmann track. Made me think that it's Joe Henderson he reminds me of most (though I was listening to Stan ten or more years before I heard Joe!). Henderson seemed to have a big influence on the tenor players at the turn of the 60s/70s. I can hear him in Ronnie Scott too.

Whenever AAJ turns up in a thread title it quickly sidetracks into 'our gang is better than their gang.'

Jazz Library on BBC Radio 3. Alyn Shipton and pianist Gwilym Simcock enthusing about Jaco Pastorious for an hour. Very enjoyable.

Well, kids vary from the ultra-timid to the eternal party-goers. I have to say that some of the stories I hear (or overhear) on a Monday morning make my toes curl! But then I don't go clubbing!

It's always well worth listening to those with a wider experience of music than yourself (or a wider experience of a particular area of music). Just don't feel obliged to like what they like or follow their suggestions if they don't suit. Most of the teens I teach are perfectly capable of finding their own way - they are perhaps more susceptible to commercial pressure but that's just lack of experience. In general they are trying to establish an independent identity, just like we all did, by trying on different clothes. I'm more impatient with the adults who rush to align themselves with the tastes of dominant personalities.

Night Lights is gorgeous - turns up as part of the Sextet compilation on Lonehill too. A great 'Festive Minor' on it. Have taken some of the recs here - the two Desmond duos, Storyville and the Columbia Jeru from download sources. THe Webster and that second hand Age of Steam that Jsngry linked to. Should keep me busy for a while. Thanks again, everyone.

Very fond of Waldron - nice and understated. This one is a dream. It also has my favourite Charlie Rouse playing: I saw Mal Waldron with Steve Lacy not long before his death in Brecon. Magical concert.

Just stumbled on this... http://vzone.virgin.net/davidh.taylor/bebop.htm Not sure how well known it is but the discographies on each artist page are very handy.

Thanks again, everyone. Lots to choose from here. I'll be following up some leads.

It works, Shawn! The only difference: 1. Doesn't need that first 'Compilation' line - for some reason it excludes tracks. 2. You need a line with 'Genre' 'is' 'Jazz Mix Album' (or whatever you have labelled the tracks as). Many thanks. This makes the iPod far more user friendly for random playing.

Wel, I've yet to receive downloads with glue stuck to them!

Many thanks for all the responses. I get the idea that I'm not missing any major gems. Will use this thread to guide any further exploration.