A Lark Ascending

Further explorations into the nether regions of my collection: Recall this band on a release around 1978 - this sort of music had all but vanished on record with the punk revolution. So it was nice to hear it done so well. Keith still playing with electric piano here. The wilder end of jazz-rock. On the work run: And while making the tea: Roberto Bellatalla double bass; Gary Curzon saxes; Jim Dvorak trumpet; Nick Evans trombone; Jim Lebaigue drums; Keith Tippett piano In the Isipingo-type mould. Clear themes that dissolve into freeform blowing every now and then.

I think you're dead right there. If I had a free choice of where to live I wouldn't stray much further than the edge of the south-west of England. The coastal proximity you mention is important to me too...though it has to be a west coast ('There's a feeling I get when I look to the west...'). The east coast of England doesn't resonate for me as loudly. There's no way I'd live in London; too hard to get out to the countryside. Which would put me off most cities. I could do small cities with some nice old bits like Bath, Oxford, Exeter or Truro. But out of choice I'd go for a small town or village where I could hit the farm tracks pretty quickly. No amount of night clubs, theatres, restaurants...even jazz clubs...would compensate for being close to a rural area that I have a historic context for, one that sets off a personal resonance in my bones.

JCC are up to 179 already on e-music. Looks like they are going for it big time. I'm especially pleased to see some of the Fats Wallers. I have a gap between a JSP set and the first of three successive RCA sets that I've been waiting to fill, without buying another JSP with huge overlaps.

Now that is good news...I'm partial to the odd Criss Cross release.

Only paper, I'm afraid.

True. But I don't think it aims to be an intellectual magazine with critical evaluation. More a general interest magazine. I find it useful to see what's coming up (and to annoy myself by reading Stuart Nicholson's repetitive rants!). I can cope with gushing superficiality; it's the Olympian disdain of the critical "Great Mind" that drives me nuts.

I gave up on Jazz Review about three years ago - took itself far too seriously. Some of the reviews were jazz snobbery in excelsis. I also got a bit tired of Richard Cook endlessly worrying about crossover performers at British jazz festivals. Though the main articles could be quite wonderful. Jazzwise is a different animal - glossy, reflecting current releases and always trying to be up with the latest new jazz fashion. It might not be incisive but it's the longest surviving UK jazz magazine in my jazz listening lifetime to keep selling on the regular news stands (Jazz Jorurnal was something you had to hunt for!). I'm sure other Brits will recall a string of attempts in the late 80s/early 90s that fell apart after six or seven issues - often with CDs on the front cover.

In that format? Or with slightly different sleeves under the label name 'Complete Jazz Series' like this: There are 572 at present on UK e-music. I'd still like to know if they have the blessing of Classics. Edit: Just looked and the ones you mention are also there under the label "Chronological Classics / Abeille Musique". Which poses big questions about the Complete Jazz Series!!!!

A good one - a lot of earlier tunes used to launch from. Whereas the 'Tapestry' album that came out around the same time is a new large group composition (again with lots of Italians). My Tippett desert island disc is this one: A similar concept to 'Septober Energy' but with fewer musicians (all in pairs...thus Ark!), none of the rock sections of Septober and just the advantages of greater experience and maturity. Two more on the go last night and currently: Tern must have been recorded at the same time as Larry Stabbins was involved in Working Week. Very different - full on blowing.

No, I'd have noticed Tracey. I'd seen him the previous autumn - my first 'proper' jazz concert (I bought my first beret and pencilled on a goatee especially). Could have been one Frank Roberts.

Yeah, I remember that one at 'The Pavillion'. Had a ring-side seat for it. Is that the concert where you mentioned you set fire to your book? Might have been! Though I vaguely remember the Mujician being on a Saturday and the candle/chilli con carne/book fiasco on a Sunday! ************** Working my way through the Tippett hoard (a fair bit off e-music) I've just played this little beauty: I believe Fairclough is from up this way - Sheffield to be precise.

According to Wikipedia (and I recall reading this elsewhere) Keith's original name was Tippetts. I assume he dropped the s because it was hard to say things like Keith Tippettses Centipede!!!! No idea why Julie stuck with the original...unless they married before he dropped the s.

Continuing the Tippett fest, over the last day I've had fun with: One from e-music I've never heard before. Very poweful. On the work run: A band I saw c.1977...though someone else depped for Tippett that night. On this one he is wonderful...I love those long, snake-like, strings of notes he runs through in his solos. Lots of that here. And at present, a favourite solo disc: I'm far from a diehard free jazz fan but the Mujician performance at Bath about ten years ago was one of those concerts that sticks in my brain to this day.

Here's where I downloaded it: http://www.emusic.com/album/Nostalgia-77-N...d/11431823.html Might be UK or Europe only. As Alex says, it is a project called Nostalgia 77. But the two Tippetts are right up front! The album is more in line with her Auger style than with her later free jazz approach, so should interest you.

For contrast, just thoroughly enjoyed this one from the total free improvisation end of things:

A while since I read one and think I'm two behind, but the first 5 or six are excellent. Takes you to parts of the pre-War/WWII world you don't usually think about (e.g. the Balkans). 30 years ago these would have been ripe for BBC serialisation.

Amazed to find no thread on these marvellous musicians. This new release seems an excuse to start one: Keith Tippett, Julie Tippett, Gary Boyle...there's a blast from the past...(guitar), Mark Hanslip (sax), Adam Sorensen (drums) and Fulvia Sigurta (trumpet, horn), Ben Lamdin (production) and Riaan Vosloo (bass). A real surprise - both have worked mainly in the free jazz arena since the 70s, but this is a song based album with the musicians very much supporting the vocals. Julie Tippett (once Julie Driscoll of Brian Auger and Oblivion fame for those unaware) has one of the great voices and the years seem to have taken nothing off the power or tonal variety. Keith basically supports but in his very distinctive way - listeners of a certain vintage will be thrown back to the 70s Ogun albums or even three of the King Crimson albums (where I first bumped into him). Even though some of his free stuff can lose me, Keith Tippett has always been my favourite jazz pianist. Good to hear him again in a more structured context; and to hear Julie in conventional song format (anyone who knows Working Week's 'Storm of Light' will know what to expect; a cameo on a recent album by pianist Dave Stapleton also pointed towards this record). I'm not sure what Nostagia 77 is all about - seems to be a production or concept team working with various musicians. Worth seeking out - should be easy as it's on e-music. ************** Hoping this thread will provide a point for comments on other Tippett-related releases etc.

You might find this is localised. There is a famous example of a pressing plant in the UK that did something wrong in the processing - I think it allowed the ink from the printing to penetrate to the disc. This led to 'bronzing' and, sometimes, pinholes. It's proved an issue with some of the discs I have on the classical Hyperion label, bought around the early 90s. Hyperion are up front about it and have a way to exchange defective discs: http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/bronzed.asp I doubt if this sortof thing would be isolated to one plant, so maybe your disc comes from a similar situation.

Very wise. I think over the years I've rebought most of the classical music I enjoy on either CD or download. But that had more to do with wanting to hear it without the clicks and scratches. In the end we all have different levels of tolerance for different things. I don't really notice differences in sonic quality a great deal - I'm driven hairless by any physical interruptions which I know others can listen past.

I think that's a matter of perception rather than fact (much like the debates over the quality of different download rates or downloads and CDs). Maybe the difference is more noticeable on a high end system. I associate vinyl with surface noice, off-centre pressings, flutter and wow etc (most of my vinyl buying happened between 1970-the late 80s when the quality of the vinyl used was poorer so I might just have had bad experiences). Quite. For me the real point about Lyrita was its making available for exploration a whole area of music that had been marginalised by critical fashion. I bless it for allowing me to listen to Frank Bridge alone.

I have a fair bit of the vinyl. Can't tell the difference between it and the CD/download version. Maybe I could if I had an expensive system but that isn't going to happen. I'd hate to see people scared away from exploring Lyrita's wonderful catalogue, that is available in the newer formats, by the usual 'it's not as good as the vinyl' assertions. For most of us listeners choosing one format over another is just a lifestyle choice.

Have just booked a ticked for the BBC Friday show. I'm usually knackered on Friday after a day at work, the drive and one concert. But I realy want to hear your band, Alex. Looking forward to it. Good luck with the tour.

Most of the Lyrita catalogue has been issued on CD in the last two or three years. A substantial amount of it is available for download from e-music. http://www.lyrita.co.uk/ http://www.emusic.com/browse/l/b/-dbm/a/0-...00156301/0.html Not of much interest to those for whom vinyl is a premium medium; but it's there in other formats. I've replaced most of my 1970s/80s Lyrita LPs from one source or the other (preferring to listen via CD).

Finished this - highly recommended if you like an exciting telling of the story of Cyrus, Darius and Xerxes and the collision with Athens and Sparta. The author looks very young, almost punkish and his style can be a bit breathless and and tabloid-ish with lots of use of contemporary terms to describe these events (part of his aim - to indicate the relevance of these events to our world). I imagine lovers of 'fine writing' will be outraged and immediately turn to their Herodotus but everyone else is promised a good time.

The one he did of music by Fred Frith and Bjork is marvellous too.