A Lark Ascending

The Betty Carter programme is there now - only two days left. Well worth a listen - if only for Christine Tobin's lovely Irish accent! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dpt98

Pee Wee Herman? A swing clarinet player I should know about?

Tim Waterstone (the chap who started the main UK high street bookstore) was on the radio today and made what sounded to me like an exaggerated claim - that the UK had more books in print than any other and that it was 5X the USA. Tried to hunt some statistics but could only find a fairly ropey list of 'most new publications' on Wiki (note variable dates): United Kingdom (2005) 206,000 [2] United States (2005) 172,000 [2] China (1994) 100,951 [3] Germany (1996) 71,515 [4] Japan (1996) 56,221 [3] Spain (1996) 46,330 [4] Russian Federation (1996) 36,237 [4] Italy (1996) 35,236 [4] France (1996) 34,766 [4] Netherlands (1993) 34,067 [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_publish...ountry_per_year Anyone know of any hard statistics? [interesting to hear Waterstone praise Amazon - he said he had predicted ten years back they would wipe out the high street bookstore; instead they seem to have stimulated demand]

Diagnostic Overview: Your responses indicate that you're basically normal, except for your obsession with sheep and running naked in the moonlight. Electroshock therapy might help; taking foolish inkblot tests on the internet sure as hell won't. Get a hobby (one not involving sheep) and try to keep your twisted impulses under control. People who answer as you did are almost always crack addicts or sleazy porn film extras. Long-Term Prognosis: With luck, you could exist in a vegetative state, doing phone sales or selling insurance. Just don't push it; too much brain work will make your butt ache. You don't hate your mother and father, but you hate total strangers and anyone wearing blue. Prozac is prescribed in your case, lots and lots of Prozac. Additional Fears: You're also afraid of Austin Powers, cats, and the doorbell. This is silly- when was the last time the doorbell caused you any harm?

Another good label appearing: Maya Recordings The label of Barry Guy and Maya Homburger. I'd strongly recommend this:

Just wanted to thank Bev for this recommendation. Never would have heard of this excellent group otherwise! Everyone who has chanced those two has been well pleased. Try and find the two Jamie Oehler's 'Double Drummer Group' discs - equally as exhilarating. Not on e-music - Jazzhead only seem to put up some discs.

Where the info on the back sleeve is duplicated within I normally ditch it. Where it's not I'll cut the back insert down to fit in the clear sleeve. Or, in some cases where important info is spread right to the edges, I just fold it in two.

In the age of... ...Henry Cow did... Some details of HC here: http://musictravellers.blogspot.com/2007/0...w-concerts.html

George Coleman's 'Amsterdam After Dark' should be seized immediately. I've had it on vinyl since c.1980 - one of my all time favourites. Exciting, muscular, very melodic. If you only know Coleman from the Miles discs, this is the one to go for.

Not nearly as much as I do! My dad's idea of a 'day out' in the early 70s was a trip to Trago Mills to feed the ducks (and buy plastic ceiling tiles which had a habit of detaching themselves from the ceiling and landing in your soup!). I think it was near St. Austell (and how small is St. Austell?...it was one of the 'big towns' we visited from Newquay. When I visited last month it took me three minutes to walk the high street!). I did visit one near Plymouth about fifteen years back to see if I could make peace with my traumatic memories. Didn't work...tacky as ever! Apologies...can never let a chance to relive my Cornish childhood pass.

Lengthy account here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._4_(Shostakovich) It would seem that it was LMofM that got him in real hot water. But he carried on working on No.4 for a time regardless.

On normal IKEA/MFI type bookcases Jazzjet (bet you can get them at Trago Mills!!!!!). By using the occasional clear jewelcase with a label on the spine as a marker ('Ellington 40s', 'Hard Bop Trumpet' etc) I can find what I need.

My memory is of sitting in a school staffroom and saying 'Did you hear Miles Davis died yesterday' and a young colleague asking 'Who's Miles Davis?' Our icons are far from universal.

This has built into a marvellous series that should be of wide interest. I believe the BBC player can be accessed internationally so a thread alerting to the upcoming programmes seems apposite. Unfortunately the new Betty Carter programme with Christine Tobin commenting isn't up (yet?). But there's a good rebroadcast of an earlier programme on Duke Ellington from 1940. Shipton talks with Pete Long who runs a UK Ellington tribute band. Has some interesting things to say: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007tbdl

Is it just me...or the UK...but e-music has been inaccessible since last night. Also strange - most of the ECMs mentioned earlier have vanished. A random 5 remain plus a few more of the New Series. Manfred having second thoughts? Or tied in with the technical problems?

Back in December/January I turfed all my CDs out of their jewel boxes, putting the disc + booklet in plastic sleeves. You just have to take care with the back label - sometimes the info is not duplicated in the booklet (especially track info/timings). I initially stored the boxes in the loft, just in case I regreted the decision, but I plan to get them to a recycling centre soon. No regrets - lots of space saved. It makes finding CDs a bit harder - but I use some of the cases with labels as markers for performers or sub-genres. I bought the sleeves online. This is the UK site I used: http://www.jetmedia.co.uk/wallets.htm I'm sure there are Canadian/US sites providing the same service. I actually prefer the look of the CDs in plastic sleeves - like mini-LPs. I now find jewel boxes look way too chunky.

My goodness - this will be like reliving my youth. I saw them on five occasions between late '73 and summer '76, every one a quite different and completely extraordinary event. First time they screamed at the audience for five minutes and we all ended up screaming back. Second time I recall them leaving the stage and wandering around Reading Town Hall for ten minutes playing. This was the era of grandiose stage sets by Pink Floyd, Yes, Rick Wakemen etc. They had old settees, a standard lamp and a general chintzy atmosphere of the decaying bourgoisie. I wonder if I'm on any of these...I'm on the Robert Wyatt track on 'Concerts' clapping away merrily! Very good news.

I did Shostakovich by total immersion in the 80s after initially being unmoved. I'll put in a word for the 7th - often gets criticised for its first movement (which Bartok parodied in the Concerto for Orchestra). But I think there's some incredibly moving music throughout the symphony, especially the slow movement. The 15th is another stunner. I'd say the 5th and 10th are probably the ones that seem to be most clearly structured; but I find something in all (though I don't play 2 or 3 much). Big, big thumbs up for the First Violin Concerto. That one did disappear into a draw until after Stalin's death, as I recall after Shostakovich's second dressing down during the Zhadnov crackdown after WWII. Shostakovich's music works as pure music - but I find him to be a composer where your enjoyment is increased by having some understanding of the political context of the music.

I saw this band at Cheltenham a few years back and they were electrifying. Not sure about the bass player but the other two were on board.

April 1st would seem to be a little late this year:

I'm only using the first half up to 1945 - it's a nice first hand exemplar of what they're reading about elsewhere. Though they have been treated to Big Bill Broonzy ('Black Brown and White') this week and will get a dose of Josh White ('Uncle Sam Says') in the lesson that Mr. Dixon makes an appearance. Lots of scope for Mingus, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Coltrane etc later on.

Whilst putting together some lessons on the impact of WWII on the Civil Rights Movement I came across: http://www.blackww2museum.org/BillDixon-TapsToJazz.htm Thought it might be of interest.

And a final observation which I like very much: How often have I read grumbles that jazz today is not exciting, when is the next Coltrane coming along? etc Also a nice refutation for those who persue the 'You shouldn't be listening to that, you should be listening to this' approach to jazz discussion. *************** The book was published over 15 years ago. In his conclusion Gioia makes a point about how the relative neglect of West Coast jazz can by explained by its lack of the support structures that the east coast had - especially an interested critical establishment. He suggests that with the economic importance of the West Coast growing on the Pacific rim, this might lead to a corresponding increase in the general importance of the west culturally. Has that happened in any way in the last 15 years?

Just listened to that myself - always a good place to hear new things/remind you of the things hidden in your collection.

I think that I am the exact opposite, 9 days out of 10. I envy your powers of concentration (no sarcasm intended!). I generally get in about 6.00 pm, have to start up work again at 7.00 and generally don't finish until about 9.00 - I have music playing at that time, but it's not close listening. By 9.00 it hardly matters what I put on - I'm asleep within twenty minutes! I tend to save new recordings and 'knotty' stuff for the weekends!