A Lark Ascending

When I was young my grandfather always sent me a sprig of shamrock to remind me of my roots. Make sure you play something by Louis Stewart, Planxty or Van Morrison today. Or, maybe, Chico O'Farrill!!!!

"Night Lights" archived programme on Lee Konitz. Especially taken by what I heard from: Sadly, MIA.

Anita O'Day is the subject of the Good Friday edition of BBC Radio 3's Jazz Library - can be heard for a week afterwards: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazzlibrary/pip/9g85b/ I'm not sure that Gwyneth Herbert* will have much of note to say but Alyn Shipton always does his homework. * A young UK singer being pushed in the Jamie Cullum/Claire Teal market.

No system. Something will randomly hit my brain or I'll read something in a book (Alyn Shipton's jazz history is steering me at present), magazine or on a forum like this and off I go. Something familiar in a TV programme can set me off. The weather/seasons have a major influence. Folk music/English classical will get a big push in the next couple of months as the world returns to life. I also have thematic binges ('Britain's binge-listening culture denounced by archbishop!') - either individual artists (Ellington most recently) or particular eras.

The latest wheeze: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7287984.stm Can't imagine where they got that idea from. I look forward to preparing students for the great day!!!!!

Well, it is 10 in the moning in the UK - not much different in the rest of Europe. Guests could be watching from anywhere between St. Malo and Auckland!

Bobbing bobcat. A bit sad, given that herding sheep and stopping them making a break from the fold is my day job. Must be all that Vaughan Williams.

The one problem I've had with Vista is that my year old HP printer-scanner won't work with it. Managed this morning to download the necessary from the HP site and it's now going perfectly. Took a bit of patience trying to find the vital things to click amidst oceans of geek-speak but got there.

Makes sense to me, Bill. Although it would seem to benefit mainly established performers who already have a fan base to get that 1000 investors. I recall something like this in the early 80s - I went to a performance of Mike Westbrook's 'The Cortege' where they were taking subscribers, prior to going into the studio. I stumped up and several months later a 3CD set appeared in the post. The reissue still has my name on it as an...ahem..."patron of the Mike Westbrook Orchestra!" Makes me sound like the Archbishop of Salzburg!

They were at the peak of their popularity when I first started listening to music attentively c.1970. 'Bad Moon Rising' was a hit. I had a friend who was obsessed by them and I reacted the other way - too American for my ears at the time. But I came round to enjoying them much later (though never beyond the best ofs) - I like that rough, chunky, barroom sound now. Some great individual songs.

Although I have no nostalgia whatsoever for the LP soundwise, I do miss the sleeves. I spent much time as a 15 year old staring at this one: Doesn't work at all at CD size...or even on a computer screen!

It sounds like a good plot for a romantic movie with Meg Ryan. "Discless in Denver" The Mosaic is wonderful - just completed my second trip through.

I'd never noticed that! Obvious, once you're told!

Had me thinking that I have a Burrell version somewhere - turns up here:

Every now a tune sticks in my brain and won't move. I've had versions of this for years without really noticing it - but recently the main riff has been going round and round in my head. There's obviously the Basie version (probably several) and I have a version on an old disc by James Carter. The Bennie Moten version, which I have on a Classics disc, is interesting because the famous riff doesn't appear in full until towards the end. Today I was listening to the Bob Brookmeyer version on 'Kansas City Revisited' - I was struck by how that insistent rhythm is actually very hard to hum along to, some of the notes falling in unexpected places. A great example of how a theme can be made memorable yet quite unsettling, keeping a constant sense of unpredictability. Good versions of 'Moten Swing'? Or observations from those who know it far better than me?

Ireland?? Ireland is GMT just like England! Isn't it? I know when I telephone Ireland they're an hour behind Paris, same as when I telephone London. Well, technically you are right. And the clocks will tell you the same thing that English clocks tell you. But try going to a session that says 'Starts 9.30 p.m.'! Last time I was there the authorities were tearing their hair out about a Gaelic football final where the habit is for the game to start....and then the pubs start to empty, causing a rush on the gates. Read Flann O'Brien. It will all make sense.

I might have spoke too soon. Pressed 'View New Posts' and got: Do I have to put sandbags against the computer screen?

It was wet today but some nice sunny spells too. No-where close to the madness of last July.

I always forget the different time zones in the USA - just assume a 6 hour difference from the UK. I notice San Francisco is 9 hours different. The only place in the British Isles with a different time zone is Ireland. You might as well throw your watches away on arrival!

So much for the jazzers as night owls cliche! Interested to see so many early risers. I've only recently discovered the joy of getting up early on days off. Agree with what's been said above. They day seems so much longer

I'm curious - I'm always amazed that people are posting at what seems like it must be 4.00 am in the States! Maybe you stay up late! Me: Weekdays: 5.15 a.m. Weekends: Between 6.30 and 7.30 a.m (used to be much later but I've adapted).

It's been gorgeous here all day - not a sign of Gotterdammerung. Disappointing: a) Because I had to stay in and work all day - some nasty end of term deadlines. b) I was hoping we'd get a call saying the school was closed tomorrow due to the end of the world, reopening Tuesday. Looks like I'll have to head in whilst a maelstrom sweeps around me.

In which case, you are spared that circle of hell, Mr S. **************** I've never really cared for 'Basin Street' or the other two tracks from the same session on 7 Steps. They seem so disconnected with everything he was doing at that time (where the other three tracks fit in perfectly). My loss entirely. By contrast, I find the above mentioned 'Sanctuary' much more affecting - along with the even later 'He Loved Him Madly'. I like Ella's version of 'Basin Street' from the late 30s/early 40s.

You don't have to be a student of architecture to get the message of a cathedral. Of course, if you are a student of architecture you can enjoy it in a way the average visitor or worshipper will never understand. And if you are within the cultural context of the cathedral, then it's likely to speak to you more quickly. But the architecture is the means, not the end. I'm suspicious of music that requires the architectural understanding in order to get the message. In some cases, I wonder if it is there at all.

I've never even heard of De Severac! One to explore. Two Honegger pieces that might fit: Pastoral d'ete Symphonie no.4 'Deliciae basiliensis' Sorry - anothe 'pastoral' - I think I was meant to be a shepherd!