A Lark Ascending

The Wiltshire (and surrounding chalklands) always make me think of the female body. All those curves and folds. A landscape for the voyeur! http://b.geolocation.ws/v/W/File%3AWiltshire%20downs.%20-%20geograph.org.uk%20-%201770515.jpg/-/en Here's another nice one: http://www.robertharvey.net/_photo_13096872.html

I was trying to work out the times I've seen Mike. Vaguely: 80s: Orchestra - The Cortege tour at Nottingham Playhouse (where I ordered the as yet unreleased album) Trio - somewhere on Mansfield Road in Nottingham The Ass - in the Nottingham Lace Market as part of a DH Lawrence Festival Abbey Road - I think that was Nottingham Playhouse 90s Orchestra - at Sheffield Crucible. That was a real stormer. 00s/10s Solo at Jazz Britannia Orchestra up on Dartmoor doing various things one very hot linchtime. Rossini at St. Ives Glad Day at Bath the other night. I'm sure I must have seen the Trio on another occasion but memory is failing me there. ****************** Thanks for the info, Chris. 'Coming Through Slaughter' was another piece from that time that doesn't seem to have been recorded. An opera IIRC.

Thanks Chris. I must have missed that reissue of 'For the Record' and 'Love, Dream & Variations'. The latter was the first Westbrook LP I bought back in '76 - almost my first jazz record apart from a few Jarretts and the SOS album. Would like to see that on CD/download too - my LP is very ropey....lots of inner groove distortion (a result of playing on student record players!). Pleased to see the download side of WestbrookJazz. I remember 'After Smith's Hotel' being performed (in the 80s?). Am I imagining things or did it get a radio broadcast? Hope those solo recordings get out there. Comparing musicians is not very fair, but Solo reminds me of Ran Blake in some respects - unhurried, enjoying the chords rather than chasing after speed or pyrotechnics.

How is the Blake book? I've been dying to read it, but it's incredibly expensive in the USA. I'm 60 pages in and very much enjoying it. There's a big section of plates in the middle that are linked into the text and help you understand his early work as an apprentice engraver (that might explain the expense). Very good on the origins of his worldview in the Dissenting tradition. I've never quite 'got' what Blake was railing against but it's starting to make sense now. I knew he was deeply suspicious of industrialisation and 'reason' but the text makes clear how this was rooted in a general mistrust of authority both civil and religious.

Not exactly aggressive but definitely fiery. Probably not what you are looking for as this is free improv in an arranged setting. But as many people will tell you here, the LJCO are as exciting as it comes if your ears are that way inclined. Again, not aggressive but definitely high spirited: Pin-sharp big band playing with lots of reggae, Latin and African elements stirred in (and a bit of folk music). Lots of self-deprecating humour too - these chaps were never ones to take themselves too seriously. If Monty Python had been in the Woody Herman band... Those two are recently issued live recordings from the '80s. Their first two albums are long MIA which is a crying shame - I'd love click free CDs/downloads to replace my vinyl.

Sheep and hills. These are two of my favourite things. Not in a Biblical sense. They can safely graze.

I'm sure I've asked this before but can't remember a response. Anyone know why these two have never made it to reissue?: Also, I've just been listening to: A favourite since it first came out in the late-70s. I wonder why Mike has never recorded another solo album. I suspect he doesn't think of himself as a soloist and there's nothing flash here. But his playing remains very distinctive with interesting chord choices. I recall hearing him do a very short set at a side gig at the Jazz Britannia event. Equally as absorbing.

I really like the Post a Pic thread but it seems to ping pong between pictures of people and pictures of places (plus plain daft pictures). [Which, of course, might be why it works so well] Thought I'd try out a separate one for 'places' - own pictures, nice pictures from the net, paintings, whatever. Inevitably there will be people in many of the places (as there are places behind people). Here's one I took at Avebury, Wiltshire last weekend just playing with the IPhone panoramic function. No skill involved at all - the camera did it all: Never been able to get so much of it in before.

Fourth in this series of 'Blue Shire' detective novels (though it does have a council estate where some of the troublemakers lurk!). Really enjoying these - quirky main character with awkward family relationships. Though she doesn't half kill off the characters around him quickly. Been meaning to read a Blake bio for a while. The Westbrook Blake concert last Saturday made me pull this off the shelves where its been sat a couple of years.

Wonderful piece of music. Along with Delius and Sibelius, created an image of what I wanted 'classical' music to sound like - liquid, ever moving and with ideas rarely returning without being transformed in some substantial way. I started with a 60s Karajan version (did 3 years for that) but happily settled on a Haitink 80s version. This is interesting if not vital: As well as her own piece, Sally Beamish arranges La Mer for piano trio. When you're listening, always remember that this was what Debussy had in mind as he completed it in the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne: I can recommend the doughnuts in the cafe 50 yards to the left.

I've enjoyed this since the 90s: This one is 'historic' but sound is OK and the music very engaging. 2CDs, lots of music: And this is lovely on another scale: I think this was my earliest Milhaud disc - one problem with Milhaud is finding a Milhaud disc without either of the two 'greatest hits' below: The 'hits' are marvellous, but how many versions does anyone need?

Jazz on 3 on Monday, 1st June: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05wytjc Heard this piece a couple of years back at his Vortex residency. Maybe a CD is not far off? I think Alex Hawkins has a session shortly after that.

Interesting one for June: http://www.marlbank.net/news/2828-stan-tracey-and-mike-osborne-duo-from-1974-to-gain-first-time-release

English folksinger/guitarist inspires new Al Pacino film...sort of... (John Lennon angle included!): http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/21/letter-john-lennon-singer-steve-tilston-al-pacino-film-danny-collins (Steve Tilston is an excellent guitarist (serviceable singer); also Martha Tilston's dad).

A relatively recent book: http://www.toccatapress.com/cms/book/martinu-symphony-crump.html Haven't read that but I read a bio many years back - very interesting life. Martinu strikes me as one of those composers who just had to write - whether from inner compulsion or in order to earn his keep. So you inevitably get a mixture of very intense and quite pretty music. He reflects a number of the different trends of the time - from the relatively 'serious' symphonies through neo-classicism, that strange mid-European take on 'jazz' and a Hindemith-like wish to write functional music. The symphonies are remarkable - I first got to know them on those 70s Supraphon CDs. There's a strange, phantasmagorical world in amongst the motor-rhythms - reminds me of that description that Bartok gave to some of his music as 'insect music'. Been enjoying the string quartets on Naxos that Soulpope mentions above in the last couple of years. I don't know the full Juliette but this is a recent disc of abstracts: Martinu is one of those composers who every now and then I overdose on. Probably because there is a lot more music than Janacek.

Dropped into the Chippenham Folk Festival for an evening concert - four acts. As is the nature of these things, a mixed bag. A couple from the twee end of the genre in the middle. Patterson/Dipper were excellent at the start - guitar/vocal and Hardanger fiddle. John Dipper, the fiddle player, is superb - to be found on many an English folk project. A really distinctive player who keeps your attention with his ornamentation rather than just scraping away. Top of the bill were favourites of mine - Mawkin. Five piece band with a centre based around English folk song and tunes but who regularly veer off into Balkan, Swedish and other exotic instrumentals; and a great guitarist who knows his jazz. All done with welly. Marvellous arrangements too - they don't just cycle through the verses and choruses but write in lots of contrasting sub-clauses. A fair few jazz bands could learn a thing or two there. Just the band to take someone who thinks they don't like folk music to. Why they are not festival headliners is beyond me.

Ooooh! I clearly didn't check those dates with enough care. I'm in Sidmouth on July 31st - slight holiday readjustment and I can be there a day earlier for the Exeter show. And I'll certainly sign up for an advance copy. I often use my Patron of the Mike Westbrook Orchestra status from The Cortège on job applications or other circumstances where indications of superior standing are required for preferment. Thanks, Chris

Indeed - I've been lucky enough to see him three times in the last few years - but only because the gigs coincided with holidays when I was in the vicinity. unfortunately his new concert show is being performed a while before I get down this way again in the summer.

Westbrook Blake wonderful tonight in Bath. The version that was recorded and videoed a couple of years back. I had doubts before I heard it - given how important the reeds were on the late-70s disc I couldn't imagine how an accordion and violin could substitute. The recording won me over instantly and tonight confirmed its success. All three soloists - Billy Thompson, Karen Street and Steve Berry were superb. Phil Minton was incredibly powerful in his pieces and Kate Westbrook very effective in hers - this piece doesn't encourage her to overdo it. Mike played that very distinctive minimalist piano to perfection. And special praise to the choir who were a joy. Excellent sound too - rarely the case in a church. My second favourite Westbrook piece - glad to have finally heard it live.

Excellent record. With some excellent Kenny Wheeler.

Signed up for a few Proms concerts yesterday. Had a great few days last year there so thought I'd repeat the experience - falls nicely between my two sets of exam results days when I have to be in work (for the last time!): Messiaen: Turangalila and John Foulds Three Mantras Sibelius: Symph 1 & 2 Sibelius: 3 + 4 and Violin Concerto Sibelius: 5, 6, 7 Nothing unfamiliar there apart from the Foulds - I usually prefer to have something I'm unfamiliar with. But I've been smitten with Sibelius since he opened my ears to classical music in 1973. So this will be a marvellous wallow. It took me a couple of hours to get to the top of the online queue. Amazed to see the Rattle performance of Gerontius was already sold out by then, just a couple of hours after tickets going on sale. As I remember last year there were empty seats in most concerts I saw except for the Haitink Mahler 4.

Another contemporary band who operate in a similar area to Spiro - driven, full of ostinato, memories of Steve Reich etc in amongst the folkiness. The article gives the impression that this is a very recent renaissance - but all these albums are superb representations of mainly instrumental explorations of English (as opposed to Irish or Scottish) 'folk' music: The Chris Wood/Andy Cutting duo are touring together again periodically and real should be seen - they do this amazing thing of taking the tunes down to an unhurried pace and then enter some sort of zen territory. It has to be heard to be believed. Mawkin (the band on 'The Fair Essex') go a bit broader in their later music including contemporary song and Django-ish guitar! They seem to be a bit more active tour wise this year with a new album coming - one of the hidden gem bands that seem to be known by reputation but have yet to break through to general acclamation in the folk world. Anything with Andy Cutting on will be blessed. And if you really want to go to the origins of the revival of this sort of music you need to go to the dance bands that started in the 70s as a reaction to the dominance of Irish/Scottish music in the sessions of the time - Oak, Flowers and Frolics, Old Swan Band etc. A bit strict tempo for me, but fun. Not to mention the work of John Kirkpatrick. Given the thread title, it's interesting to note that Ashley Hutchings did a very sudden left turn in the mid-70s having become aware that he'd been playing Irish and Scottish music in Fairport and Steeleye and thought he ought to explore the music of his own country - that led into various bands that eventually became The Albion Band. Now to go even further to the roots: And many other archive recordings. Hardcore folkies do a Schnabel with this sort of thing.

Spiro have a strong minimalist feel - Leveret are closer to the tradition. I prefer the latter but enjoy both. Just listening to the latest Oates today. A really lovely singer. Hope you get to the concert.

English folk music: drawing from the past, pointing to the future