A Lark Ascending

I can't speak for your side of the great divide, Bev, but over here we just don't allow such things anymore, or at least try hard to kill them whenever possible. Radio like that just isn't around anymore, at least here... The amazing thing is that he survived so long on Radio 1 (the UK's 'pop' station). He was one of the original DJs from the 1967 setting up of the station (something the BBC mandarins did through gritted teeth, it would seem). From the off he was totally unlike any of the other DJs, most of whom were out to become 'stars'. It would appear the administrators had their knives out for him and he was very lucky to make it through the first few years. He didn't seem to change. He stuck to his way of doing things and won an audience...well, a new audience every few years as his interest in new pop/rock music went ahead of his existing audience...that was there to the end. The side of Peel that people outside of the UK are unlikely to know is the 'Home Truths' John Peel. Over the last decade he made an alternative career as a champion of the ordinary and often eccentric lives of the regular (and irregular!)family. He had never been shy of talking about his wife and family but this programme brought out just how much it all meant to him. His abilities as an interviewer talking to an adult about their experience of bereavement, child abuse or other horrors were second to none. He created a whole new audience who did not know his Radio 1 show. And then a couple of days later he'd be playing the latest 23 second thrash metal opus! An amazing chap.

I suspect so. His 'Impressions' programme in the 1990s always had a heavy 'avant' slant, especially in the sessions; though he always played a wide range of jazz. I think the BBC thought it was too highbrow and replaced it with the current 'Jazz On 3'. I enjoy the latter and commend its commitment to live music and contemporary music; but I miss Morton's approach.

I agree that the quality control has become dodgy over the years; it's almost as if the Penguin has become a routine chore alongside their other jobs. I'd love to see them rope in three or four other writers to freshen it up a bit. I don't think a 'book' will ever address the problem. They need this on a (subscription?) website or CD-ROM where things can be added too rather than replaced. US reader probably have little awareness of Cook and Morton as individuals. Cook I've always found rather unappealing - his editorials in Jazz Review are a bit superior, rather conservative. I attended a talk by him a few years back at a festival. He didn't seem too enthused about anything very contemporary - Eric Alexander was the name he gave us for a modern musician who he enjoyed! Morton, by contrast, is someone I've always enjoyed as a broadcaster. He fronted the best, to my mind, jazz programme on the BBC in the 90s. He had a terrible run in with the BBC a few years back. Apart from reviews in Jazz Review I've not heard much of him since. He has a book on jazz slated for the near future but it keeps getting pushed back.

Yes, I saw that one. He also did some nice bits on that 'Grumpy Old Men' series.

Is it fair to compare Penguin with 'The Essential Jazz Records' (either volume)? The latter very deliberately selects a very limited group of records and subject them to sometimes intense, donnish analysis. At the other extreme you have AMG which attempts to cover everything (well, everything American!) whether in print or out, yet often in a cursory way. Penguin falls in between. It's not hardcore criticism but a very personal reaction from two enthusiasts, trying to give some sort of guide from a very subjective viewpoint. I find all these guides useful, but I don't go to any of them to have my views verified [Cook and Morton's reaction to Bill Frisells record with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones bears no resemblence to mine...I just conclude they completely missed the point to the CD]. Their reaction to the Blue Note 'classics' merely reflects two enthusiasts with different interests/priorities. It might be a particularly Europen perspective - I have to say that I find a lot of that music to be rather meat and potatoes. But then that's probably me missing something. If I find any serious fault with Penguin it lies in certain lack of humility in its introduction. They could do with making more of the subjective nature of the opinions; less of the 'there's only so much time to listen so we're going to sift and throw out what you don't need'. There's an arrogance there, something I don't associate with Morton as a broadcaster. Where I always find the Penguin useful is when exploring a new musician - it can give you a place to start listening, which CD to try. If that connects I'll try something else (all the time checking other recommendations from other sources) and then gradually move away from the Penguin and end up with my own take on things. I do like their humour. But I can see this might be infuriating to others. Penguin has been under assault from some quarters since it first started over ten years ago. I'm still waiting for the critics to produce their volume(s) that correct its faults. I'd buy one!

To the end Peel would go through piles of tapes sent in by hopeful bands looking for something new, something different. He had a habit of moving past bands once they'd made it, using his shows to expose new bands rather than give more publicity to those already established. He had little time for jazz, but even after I lost interest in the music he liked I could still appreciate the spirit of his approach. Why has he been followed by so few radio presenters prepared to put together musical programmes (of whatever musical genre) with such catholicity and integrity?

John Peel shaped my musical taste! I first started listening to his shows in 1970 and was a regular listener until about 1976. To his credit he went on playing the new in rock music when my abiliy to keep up slacked off and stopped. I just remember the early 70s when you could listen to his programme and hear the most amazing range of music - The Faces next to Martin Carthy next to Stone the Crows next to Billy Pig next to Pink Floyd next to Elton Dean next to Ivor Cutler. Thinking back I'm sure my fascination with music crossing genres is rooted in Peel's programmes. In latter years he had a parallel career running a programme called Home Truths, a magazine programme exploring the idiocyncrasies of family life - some hilarious, some tragic. He gained a whole new audience, most of whom wouldn't have known Captain Beefheart from the Archies. Without doubt the best music radio broadcaster I ever came across. Unpretentious, down to earth, real. A huge loss!

Take Kenny's advice. There's a whole new area of jazz (well, new to Northern hemisphere ears) coming out of Australia at present. Some of the most rewarding jazz I've heard this year.

Well done, Duchamp. Exactly what I think of whenever someone starts banging on about 'Art'.

I always take my walkperson and some CDs on trips and find the conjunction of particular music with particular places very affecting. A few examples: Maria Schneider's 'Concert in the Garden' which I played whilst sat in the magnificent gardens in Seville, Cordoba and Granada this year. A few years back I spent a rather dead Sunday afternoon strolling through the streets of Florence with 'We did it, We did it!' by Tiziano Tononi in my ears. Magical! Last month I spend an hour strolling through a very damp, Autumnal St Stephen's Green in Dublin with a Kenny Wheeler/John Taylor disc evoking the mood quite perfectly.

Our Home Secretary sent a letter to all head teachers advising they restrict students having mobile phones in school because of the health dangers. A few days later an education minister announced a wonderful idea to issue teachers with mobile phones so students could phone them in the evenngs and at weekends if they got stuck with their homework! Clearly a plot to kill off the UK teaching profession!

Seems likely. The tiling in the room looks the same.

It was at the Crystal Palace Bowl. A roundish covered stage that they stood within, with a pond in front (presumably to stop us rushing the stage!). In fact here's a pick of the Blockheads at the place a few years later. Those punks were far more badly behaved than we were!

I saw that band at an outdoor concert in London in '75. I remember enjoying it greatly. Maybe I should spring for this CD.

Which single? 'Massive' is a joyous affair and the band are superb live. Worth it for the great version of 'Footprints' alone. A fun record with lots of meat!

'Songs for a Tailor', 'Harmony Row' and 'Things We Like' are all very enjoyable recordings. But to my mind Bruce's finest hour (with or without Cream) are his spotlights on Carla Bley's 'Escalator Over the Hill'. He handles a number of vocals across the six sides and plays bass. The highlights are 'Businessmen' on Side 2 and the breathtaking 'Rawalpindi Blues' on Side 5; both have John McLaughlin in blistering form.

I've never heard the original (I'm more familiar with Wainwright's parents' music!) but agree that this is a very special track. Love the way the bass clarinet moves along beside the trumpet.

Pieranunzi's trio and solo recordings are marvellous. I'd strongly recommend his disc of Wayne Shorter tunes - a huge favourite of mine over recent years.

A great record - iconic status in the UK! There's another version from 1976 with Art Themen on sax and a narrator reading short extracts from the play. I heard that one first after seeing a performance; the Wellins version I came to much later. The Themen version gets little mention (and is currently unavailable) but I love it. There's also a more recent recording from a live gig (again with narration). The Wellins version, however, is the one the fuss is all about. Great disc.

Some details of the live '70s Hatfield CD are now available here: http://www.hatfieldandthenorth.co.uk/ Looks like a mixture of live and BBC recordings. I once had some of those BBC recordings on tape! First of a series they say.

Thanks. That's very helpful. I can certainly hear that difference between her playing on the Chicago disc and Theoria.

Jazz CDs is worth supporting. It's connected to this lot: http://www.bashomusic.co.uk/ Christine Allen who plays a major role in it gets a lot of warm praise from musicians. A great way of accessing and supporting UK jazz beyond the major labels. (p.s. I don't work for them!) Here's a few reviews of Jigsaw: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=14833 http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/sto...1311059,00.html http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=7979 http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/ronnie_scott...otts/151/10.htm

It gets my vote. Sulzmann is one of my favourite UK players - rarely gets a mention in discussions on UK jazz. Interesting, memorable tunes and improvisations that keep you paying attention. Avoids the potential danger of UK-USA collaborations of sounding mid-Atlantic (in my view the Tommy Smith Sextet recording last year suffered from this). The other musicians clearly respect Sulzmann and allow his musical character to shine out on the disc. Tenor, soprano and flute. I have a particular liking for his playing of the latter. All of the reviews I've read so far have been very positive; except one which described it as one of the year's disappointments (Jazzwise, I think). If you like Kenny Wheeler or John Taylor's recordings this one will probably appeal...less atmospheric, more swinging but clearly from the same area of operation. Hopefully someone, somewhere will get around to reissuing Stan's 'On Loan with Gratitude' from the mid-70s. My vinyl is showing its age! I'd also recommend two other recordings featuring Stan prominently: Featuring: Nikki Iles - Piano Stan Sulzmann - Tenor/Soprano Saxophones Mike Outram - Electric Guitar Mick Hutton - Double Bass Anthony Michelli - Drums Liam Noble - piano, Stan Sulzmann - tenor and soprano saxes and flute, Chris Biscoe - alto, soprano sax, alto clarinet, Mick Hutton on bass, Paul Clarvis drums. Sorry - more info than you asked for. Sultzmann is a player I think deserves more attention. Hope this gives you some help in making up your mind. Even if it is totally biased! *********** http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/store/commerce.cgi is a good source for these discs and much contemporary UK jazz. They seem to be having difficulties with online paying at present but have an easy solution on their home page. I've used them alot over the last two years. Very reliable.

Thanks, JAW.

Please take this as a genuine enquiry, JAW. The freer, more experimental end of jazz is an area I only visit occasionally. Generally it confuses me but I keep coming back, partly because I do find things I enjoy and partly just to push my own listening boundaries. A live experience of such music can also enthuse me where records might lose my attention. I've heard little Schweizer beyond the discs I mentioned above. I'm interested in what makes you feel the Chicago disc is better than her other solo discs. What is it about those recordings that qualifies your enthusiasm? As I say, a genuine enquiry, not a challenge to your judgement.