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  1. I must have read or watched or heard something noteworthy in February, but nothing comes to mind immediately so I’ll restrict myself to the three shows I saw instead.

    The Barber of Seville at the Royal Opera House was a solo trip as The Light was suffering the after effects of Covid. That last thing the Covent Garden crowd want is someone who can’t control their coughing. Even alone it was a superb afternoon’s entertainment though, a rollicking, rocking, laugh of loud revival of Mosher Leiser’s production of the Rossini standard. The cast and orchestra were as good as the staging, but special praise to Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina who brought extraordinary power and smoky sensuality to her role as Rosina, and Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare. Ailish Tynan as Berta the maid provided the comic highlights of a very funny show.

    My other half had sufficiently recovered to accompany me to see Tom Allen at the Chelmsford Theatre (The Civic Theatre prior to its recent revamp) a week later. That’s just as well, as Allen nailed the reason for my attendance with one of the first things he said about most of the men in the audience. [Adopts gruff, blokey voice] ‘I’m only here because of her, I can take ‘im or leave ’im but she thinks he’s great.’ He was funny though. His standard prepared routines take the form of awkward social encounters which escalate into panic, but I preferred his ‘who are you and what do you do?’ riffing with the front rows of the audience.

    February ended with a much delayed show by folk royalty Martin and Eliza Carthy at Colchester Arts Centre. The show was originally planned for 2021 when ill health led to postponement, then 2022 when it was put off again because Norma was nearing the end of her life. Frankly, I was glad it happened at all as Martin is 81 and looking a little frail, though he did play standing for half an hour more than the advertised time. His playing these days is skeletal and almost percussive, single notes picked out for maximum effect. The material was largely chosen from their joint album The Moral of the Elephant, and both seemed to have a great time as did we in the audience.

  2. READ:

    The Cultural Revolution by Frank Dikotter – Well researched history of China from the onset of the Cultural Revolution to the death of Mao. A reminder that we human beings are, as a mass, frighteningly easily coerced and always keen on any excuse to treat one another poorly. Also a reminder that sometimes a cult of personality will see political leadership actively and aggressively drag a nation backwards if it helps to consolidate power. Thank goodness this stuff is all in the past.

    Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong And Why He Still Matters by Ben Burgis – I had high hopes for this. Finally, a book considering the legacy of Hitchens Major. Regrettably, I didn’t think it was all that good; Burgis has clearly done his homework, but he brings his own political biases to the table in spades, meaning there’s an awful lot of very predictable “why did Hitchens go so awry” pathology that I’m sure the subject would not have appreciated. In fact, I suspect he’d probably have deplored it. I guess in retrospect the clue was in the title, but I was hoping for a little more nuance and a little less head shaking at how a good Trotskyist could have strayed from the path of righteousness – it got a little tedious after a while.

    What We Owe The Future by William Macaskill – I wasn’t particularly enamored with the premise of this one (that billions more human beings will live in future than currently do, and that we should consider our duty of care to them as if they were actually alive today). However, Macaskill is an engaging and thoughtful writer, and the book is packed with interesting facts and ideas as he expands the core concept to dispassionately consider multiple possible futures that lie ahead of us as a species. Would recommend, on balance.

    Out of Time by Miranda Sawyer – Provoked to read this by one of those grim spells where every dinner out with pals seems to reveal another collapsed or rapidly collapsing marriage. Mid life crises ahoy as a gravity takes hold, and you return home wondering whether you’re doing something right, the recipient of pure dumb luck or there’s a clock out there somewhere with your name on it, merrily ticking along. Hoping for the middle one, natch. Anyway, I found this a fun, jaunty read. It’s full of 90s nostalgia, and written in that particular style always adopted by columnists used to essaying their own lives. Lots of truth in there, I’m sure, and it didn’t make a mid life crisis sound all that appealing. I think I’ll pass for the time being.

    SEEN:

    Plane – Stupid but entertaining Gerard Butler movie. Die Hard on a remote island, essentially. Very few redeeming features beyond being capably put together and easy company.

    A Knock At The Cabin – Not for me, I’m afraid.

    All night Michael Mann marathon at the PCC – Thief, followed by Manhunter, followed by Heat, at which point I have to confess I dipped. It was 4am and I had things to do the next day. Wasn’t familiar with Thief, but what a movie that is – classic James Caan, Mann locating his signature style, a glorious Tangerine Dream soundtrack and two or three absolutely classic scenes that have stayed lodged in the memory. Would quite like to see it again. Manhunter, I was more familiar with and already a fan of. Heat is Heat.

    All day Godfather trilogy marathon at the PCC – I had never previously watched these films in sequence and I don’t think I’d even seen III (or in this case: Coda) in its entirety. Probably been a couple of decades since I’ve watched the first two. I found the first movie lived up to my memories of it: a frankly unbelievable cast (when Robert Duvall is keeping his head down so that others can deliver the heavy artillery you’re onto something), every other scene a classic seared in the memory. The second movie, I have to confess I do not share the general affection for. It’s very good, but it’s so sprawling and I don’t really care what happens to these characters. The third movie is mediocre at best, with a central performance (mentioning no names) that frankly has to be seen to be believed. Overall, the experience reinforced that I respect these movies (clearly, the first two are extremely well made and their impact on Western cinema is undeniable), but something about them is not for me. All the heavy handed stuff about honour and duty… I know we’re meant to draw grand life lessons but it all seems a bit silly somehow. Like these are really just overgrown children playing a daft game.

    Physical 100 – Korean Netflix reality show. Absolutely fantastic, loved every minute of it. Don’t watch a great deal of TV, but made an exception for this – the humility and generosity of spirit displayed by the participants was both heartwarming and inspirational.

    HEARD:

    Carly Rae Jepsen live: A very slight disappointment, I’m sorry to say. She was wonderful, obviously – she always is – but the venue (the controversial Ally Pally) did her few favours. It’s a bit of a cavern for a show of this type, and she couldn’t quite seem to send her energy all the way to the walls. Still, a tremendous evening out with pals and my other half, which careened on into a very late night.

    Beyond the above, listened to quite a bit of Dylan and UGK this month and became obsessed with these two new songs:

    Hollywood Baby – 100 Gecs

    Ridiculous band who should not exist, yet who continue to produce absolute bangers.

    Black Seminole – Lil Yachty

    Spent much of the month listening to Yachty’s “Let’s Start Here”. Super unexpected left turn into this weird Progish sound with bits of Sly & The Family Stone thrown in for good measure. Not sure I’ve ever heard anything like it.

    Oh, and please let no one forget that today (3 March) is De La Soul day! I will be bumping Stakes Is High all day.

    AOB:

    Dragged by a dear old friend to see the comedian Pierre Novellie. Very, very funny indeed. Would recommend.

    First proper karaoke night of 2023, with some outstanding new material performed. Shout outs here to Gloria by Patti Smith (phenomenal karaoke), Da Mystery of Chessboxin, Scenario (life doesn’t get much better than a room full of people shouting RAWR RAWR LIKE A DUNGEON DRAGON), Don’t Leave Me This Way (how had we never done this?!), Song For Whoever, and Give It Up by KC & The Sunshine Band. All gold.

  3. Two months in a row. Golly gosh. Changing my painting regime from early mornings to early afternoons seems to have opened up a little space. Without further ado.
    Heard.
    As mentioned elsewhere Anna B Savage has released into the wild her second outing produced by Mike Lindsay of Tunng and Lump fame which is a change from her first rekkid which had William Doyle knobbing the knobs and sliding the sliders. in|FLUX is a bit of a charmer. Slightly less eccentric than A Common Turn but no less enthralling.
    Also mentioned elsewhere is Lisa O’ Neil’s All Of This Is Chance. I’ve been a fan for a while now and on this Lisa has edged further away from the traditional without losing the essence of it. It’s a record hewn from birdsong and peat smoke. It sounds like it was baptised in a cobblestone puddle. Needless to say I love it muchly.
    Other newbies that have occupied regular earspace have been On Giacometti from the always reliable Hania Rani and Transmissions From The Total Refreshment Centre on Blue Note. It’s a smattering of the musicians that coalesced around the London venue laying down some very fine examples of the fresh, young urban jazz vibes that I know some on here along with myself seriously dig.
    Straight out of Glasgow a couple from last year’s UK jazz crop have been getting another airing namely the latest EP releases from Corto.alto and Flightcase by Josef Akin. From other climes the latest double Travel from The Necks has very ably passed the time along with Dance Korbina the latest release by the veteran drummer, vibes and pianist Joe Chambers.
    Read.
    Much of the month was given over to reading the second and third volumes of The Winnowing Flame trilogy by Jen Williams. I’d read the first volume The Ninth Rain back in December so I thought I’d get the trilogy completed. It’s a straight forward fantasy trilogy. Very long with excellent world building and an engaging cast of characters including not one but two talking dragons. It’s utter nonsense of course but it’s entertaining nonsense and was just what I needed to read during the long dark nights of Febuary. I also found the time to read The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre and The Restraint Of Beasts by Magnus Mills I also continued my stately progress through James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux novels by reading Tin Roof Blowdown. Excellent as always but this one set in and around the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina came across as particularly impassioned.
    Seen.
    I’ve been rewatching Cracker. I haven’t watched them since they were first broadcast back in the 90s and I can happily report that they are still fabulously entertaining.

  4. Not been contributing as much on here recently (not that it was that much before tbh) but here we go…
    Read
    You Must Get Them All-The Fall on Record by Steve Pringle…crikey this is an (initially) intimidating tome, but it’s actually a very engaging record by record overview of Mark E Smith and whoever was in the band for that album. It’s fascinating. I think this might be the third book I’ve read about The Fall and it probably gives you more insight into the day to day operations, working relationships and career trajectory than any other, as well as providing a terrific outline of the working indie musician’s life.
    Bloody Social Worker by Richard Wills I discovered via a recommendation on Twitter. This autobiographical look at working in the charity and social services field is a great read but it really should be mandatory reading for anyone involved in public policy. Told with grit and humour, as someone who used to work in Social Services myself before going into Education I recognised so much of it from the chaotic lives of service users to the frustrations of service limitations. Superb stuff.
    Seen
    Rewatching the original House of Cards with Ian Richardson. Still great after all these years.
    The Gold-this felt refreshingly unrushed, with some excellent performances (esp Hugh Bonneville and Charlotte Spencer) and good period detail even though it doesn’t seem that long ago.
    Heard
    Slow Readers Club’s “Build a Tower” album from a few years back is a bit of a throwback in some ways in that it sounds a bit Puressence/New Order/Chameleons but with a modern sheen. I enjoyed this a lot and have been playing their new one “Knowledge Freedom Power” quite a bit over the last few days as well.
    The Blue Orchids “Angus Tempus Memoir” is a tuneful and thoughtful listen, full of mini epics from Martin Bramah, ex Fall guitarist.
    AOB
    Had a fantastic trip to Berlin with Mrs L for her 50th. Went to many of the places kindly recommended by good people from here, so many thanks from both of us.

      • Interpol’s a very good call. Yes, I’d say it is in a similar vein, maybe slightly less immediate but we all know those kind of albums can turn into a longer term love.

        • Oooh, this makes me want to delve into them a bit more.

          What i’ve heard has made me lump them in with bands like The Courteeners. If Puressence/Interpol are more apt then this should be right up my street.

  5. Seen

    Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes was on tv.
    I thought I knew this, but I must have always caught it in the middle when I saw it before as I was surprised that there was 25 minutes of movie before we get on the train. (Honestly, I think I’m more familiar with the Elliot Gould/Cybil Shepherd remake from Channel 4 matinees). It’s really got the lot: peril (the confines of the train used so well), romance, broad comedy (the cricket-loving antecedents of the Likely Lads), plucky Brits taking on shifty foreigners and May Whitty absolutely revelling in the Miss Froy role. Now I have two versions of this film on my “will inevitably rewatch” pile.
    I’ve never seen James Cameron’s Titanic. A video essay I saw about its 30th anniversary re-release produced a revelation: Yosser Hughes was driving! All that “Gis a job – I can do it!” finally resulted, not in a tidy and satisfying bit of brick-laying, but in whacking the biggest ship in the world into a bloody great iceberg. From R.M.S. back to the D.H.S.S. for you, Bernard..

    Heard
    I’ve been revisiting some old favourites because I listen to so much new music these days. I realise it really helps to catch them in the right moment: I played Isaac Hayes’ Hot Buttered Soul while sitting in warm afternoon sunshine and it was as fabulous as it’s ever been, but Van’s Astral Weeks, a record that usually lifts me off the ground, failed to take flight this time.
    When it’s possible to blow so hot and cold it seems dangerous to generalise, but one thing that seems true is that I am not fundamentally an albums guy: present me with Exile On Main Street and -heresy! – I want to edit it down to my favourite 45 minutes, give me James Brown’s The Payback and I’m keeping all the songs but pulling down the faders early on most of them.
    I’ll get my coat.

    Read

    I’m re-reading Will Self’s Great Apes. The language, the satire and black humour are working as well as ever, but here’s an interesting thing: I’ve read this book more than once before, but I don’t recall being so grossed out by the vivid sexual language – am I becoming prudish in my old age?

    AOB

    In the light of a recent thread where two posters got stuck into one another, the Mods intervened to break them up, only for the posters in question to protest it was all bantz and my own experience this week of posting two obvious humdingers of jokes only to be engaged by AWers as though I was making a serious point, maybe we should look into a “just joshing” font? Clearly the fact I’m writing this wearing a jangling jester’s cap just isn’t doing the job…

      • 😀 😃 😄 😁 😆 😅 😂 🤣 🥲 🥹 ☺️ 😊 😇 🙂 🙃 😉 😌 😍 🥰 😘 😗 😙 😚 😋 😛 😝 😜 🤪 🤨 🧐 🤓 😎 🥸 🤩 🥳 😏 😒 😞 😔 😟 😕 🙁 ☹️ 😣 😖 😫 😩 🥺 😢 😭 😮‍💨 😤 😠 😡 🤬 🤯 😳 🥵 🥶 😱 😨 😰 😥 😓 🫣 🤗 🫡 🤔 🫢 🤭 🤫 🤥 😶 😶‍🌫️ 😐 😑 😬 🫠 🙄 😯 😦 😧 😮 😲 🥱 😴 🤤 😪 😵 😵‍💫 🫥 🤐 🥴 🤢 🤮 🤧 😷 🤒 🤕 🤑 🤠 😈 👿 👹 👺 🤡 💩 👻 💀 ☠️ 👽

        • I was the initial provocateur and Baron is most definitely a mate. It was joshing between us two but quite likely other protagonists were not aware of that.
          Not sure it was that serious enough to warrant the over the top moderating.
          A simple slap on the wrist is probably all that was required unless I missed something.
          Not sure the censorship did anything positive and rarely does it ever.

          • The problem is that you’re not sat in the pub where the people around you can see that you’re mates and it’s banter. The Afterword gets thousands of views a week from people who never contribute directly by posting or commenting, don’t know the people who do or their history and might be put off from actively joining in if they thought that someone might respond to them aggressively.

            In most cases it’s pretty obvious when people are “bantering” but occasionally it isn’t so that would be tackled in the same way that real enmity or abuse (which does happen occasionally, even here) would be dealt with or there is a free for all where anything goes and we don’t think that’s what anyone wants here.

            We think we have a good record on moderation and that’s reflected in the very little that has to be done. You’re welcome 😊

            • I agree. I was uncomfortable with the ‘banter’ on that thread. Even if it’s in a pub and it’s clear that two blokes are having an uproarious exchange of effing and blinding, clear to all that it’s earthy ribaldry, it’s not the kind of milieu I’d want to be part of. The AW is a pretty rare place online in the exchange of views that can witty, silly, serious, robust without (or rarely) descending into rancour. It’s a shame that it’s a bit gender imbalanced, and probably the ‘blokeishness’ is part of that. But we can still maintain an air of civility.

                  • Thank you Baron – most generous with your support.
                    In all seriousness I have read the mods response and they make some valid points I hadn’t considered.
                    I rarely if ever make comments that are meant to rile anyone – my humour may be strange for some people but you know me and you and I can take the banter in the way it is intended.
                    In future I will send to you in our personal messages.

  6. Quite a busy month.
    Concerts: James Yorkston and Nina Persson in Manchester with my son, The Manchester Collective (amplified string quartet) in Leeds with Bag of Bones based on European folk tales. My son came over from Manchester with his girlfriend to see Thomas Truax in Leeds. Finally last week to Halifax to see Fairport, who astonishingly I really enjoyed. Mattacks as I have said was particularly good.
    All most excellent evenings.
    Read: my usual piles of newspapers, magazines. 1 2 3 4 The Beatles in Time and a few more rereads of Christopher Fowler’s Bryant and May detection series.
    Other: A talk at the Folklore Centre in Todmorden about the rush cart procession. I’d taken part many years ago.
    I missed tickets for an audience with P P Arnold in Pontefract however the day after she did a condensed version at Pontefract library. Splendid stories bought the book (excellent read) and she showed us how to shag. Another highlight the same day was to see the four bohemian waxwings that had taken up residence in a Tesco carpark in Bradford. I’ve been wanting to see some for years, however I missed the aurora on Monday night as I’d had to be up early that morning to take my wife to hospital for an operation and was shattered.
    CDs Fairport’s Full House from last year’s Cropredy. The Yorkston Persson the Great White Sea Eagle Thomas Truax with guest Budgie and P P Arnold’s The New Adventures of …

    More gigs lined up.

  7. Heard:
    Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers.
    I’m undecided on this after 3 spins – I think it’s great and a worthy successor to last years Heavy Elevator. But I just feel there’s something missing. A few more spins should open it up more. At the moment, it’s 50% brilliant, 25% pretty good, and 25% not sure.

    Just got on the Big Big Train (thanks to receiving 3 albums from the inestimable @fitterstoke) – rueing myself with every liste for missing them before

    Seen
    Enjoying BBC1 drama The Gold (apart from the fact that it’s 1983, and they’re driving around in a 1986 Granada. And there was an H registration Ford Orion in the car park). Apart from those petty car-nerd outbursts, I’m liking it.
    Not sure about the Monday night one Better – sometimes I wish it was better. Bit slow, but well written and acted.
    Clarksons Farm Series 2 – binged the lot in a weekend. Yes, he’s still dicking about but you can see he cares about the farm and the industry, and (like most of us would) gets bloody annoyed when barriers are placed in his way. OK maybe we’re not seeing the full story, but Oxfordshire Council’s decisions do seem a bit petty and targeted

    Read
    Not much – this month’s Mojo was “OK”, not a winning issue for me.
    And one day I’ll finish Bono’s Surrender …

    • I watched The Gold and was amused that they included the dogs called Brinks and Mat. The version I heard from a forensic accountant at a conference was that a young couple bought an expensive house in a nice Essex village and no one could work out how they could afford it. When the villagers heard their two dog’s names, someone tipped off the police.

      • I had a nice Twitter exchange with writer Neil Forsyth about ‘The Gold’.
        Having grown up in that neck of the woods, I complimented him about deftly avoiding lots of S London ‘shut it, you slaag’ cliches. He confessed he’d been obliged to field a stack of pedantry from observant nerds about certain very specific period details- the most arch being a complaint that a ‘range of office racking shown in the police HQ didn’t in fact come onto the market until 1994’ & thus was anachronistic!

    • I am also unsure about Hamish Hawk – a couple of songs are excellent ie Bridget St.John and Grey Seals – real standouts.
      The rest maybe need more time

  8. Don’t watch much TV, but we’ve tried to hone in on sharp, taut series like Murder in the Building and The Bear, the more woke the better, and so onto Fleishman Is In Trouble.
    Five episodes in (of 8) and well written, beautifully filmed, spiky, but being in your 40s in New York in 2023 looks as much fun as… erm… being in your 40s in New York in 2023.
    Prefer The Bear, though, in fairness, there are still three episodes to see.

    Cinema:
    Roman Holiday… never seen it… wonderful film… the footage of Rome made me really want to be on holiday aged 13 in Rome in 1954. Magical footage.
    Marcel The Shell With Shoes On… barking mad… touching… I think I’ll remember it long into the future.
    Broker… this is what cinema is all about.

    Read
    Finished 100 years of local newspapers, quite tired.
    Got Uncut this month, would have been much better if the cover story had been Nina Simone, not Led Zzzzz.

    Listening
    Delay 1968, Monster Movie, Soundtracks – The Can, and, for a year now, I’ve played On The Corner pretty much every day. Now, if everything from 1972 was like that…
    And still, those three late 60s Impressions’ LPs and Marvin Gaye.

      • You’re right – I’ve checked, it’s on vinlys and it is blue and it is £30 and I’d have to stand in a queue next to people who go to RSD to get it… so, that’s a no, no, no and no for me.

        Radio 3 (it was hardly likely to be 6Music) did a discussion on the LP last year and a guy is currently listening to “all” of it, days’ worth, might even be weeks’ worth, as opposed to the… erm… “complete” amount put out about ten years ago.
        He sounded very excited about this but I wasn’t very excited about this, 54 minutes, 41 seconds is more than enough.

  9. It is to my great shame that last months Blogger Takeover is the only one I didnt contribute to since its inception.
    Lets try and make up for it:

    HEARD:
    John Cale’s Mercy was a slow burner and made more sense when I saw him live – see further down.
    Really like the Belle and Sebastian new album Late Developers – came out without any fanfare but there a couple of songs on it that are up there with their best. Much better than their last album.
    Ron Sexsmith The Vivian Line is full of hooks and wonderful melodies as you would expect – he rarely lets you down.
    Clint Eastwood by the Upsetters is an album I was familiar with years ago but never owned and that has been rectified and glad I did. Also listening to a lot Augustus Pablo.
    Discogs provided me with a couple of Lila Tiome albums that I was missing – wonderful.
    The Dylan Fragments Time out of Mind sessions is great – his voice sounds great stripped of the Lanois production,
    Finally Alabam 3 hits and exit wounds vol 2 is fabulous. I love this band. More please.

    Read:A Chip shop in Poznan by Ben Aitken is a travelogue memoir when he decided to find out why the Polish were leaving Poland in their droves by going in the opposite direction and working in a Polish fish and chip shop for buttons. Coinciding with the time of the referendum there is some political commentary but not in a heavy way – that has been done to death. Instead it is a very humourous account of his attempt to learn the lingo whilst making friends with the locals.

    SEEN:
    On screen The Empire of light was wonderful – great acting by Olivia Colman and rather surprised she was not nominated for an Oscar. The cinematography was first class too.
    Binge watched Motherland which I absolutely loved. Smitten by Liz (Diane Morgan) – she gets all the best lines.
    On stage The Transatlantic sessions at Birmingham Symphony Hall was really enjoyable – graced by a great performance from Martha Wainwright and a stunning instrumental of While my Guitar gently weeps by Jerry Douglas.
    A mere two days later was back at the Town Hall to catch John Cale. He was tremendous and greatly exceeded my expectations. Just turned 80 he was looking healthy and dapper. Much from his new album but some oldies too. The final song before the encore was a stunning Villa Albani from his lesser known Caribbean Sunset album. Not heard this before but was mesmerised:

  10. Blimey, Feb seemed short! Certainly made other months seem longer than 4 weeks.
    Live: Along with @stevet and @rob, yes, John Cale was fab. Live, he was less obsessed with vocal FX and white noise, a shit hot band making his new stuff quite enjoyably accessible. Preceded by food and grog in Pure Bar, a triffic evening. And he encored with I Keep A Close Watch.
    Barely a week later, Sharon Shannon Trio at Norton’s in Digbeth. Fabulous new to me venue, fabulous show.
    Listened: Seems to have been another month of instrumental folk: Will Pound/Jenn Butterworth, Dan Walsh, Assynt; all terrific. As the @pencilsqueezer said, on the vocal front, the new Lisa O’Neill is wonderful. A shout also for The Golden Dregs and Order of the 12 who have released/rereleased some good new stuff.
    Seen: Nowt has stuck. Need something exciting to capture my imagination.
    Read: Even less. Need a fortnight off to wind down with a good book. Luckily the 2nd half of March will be in the Trossachs. Bring it on.

  11. Seen

    It’s been a good week for gigs. Fergus McCreadie at the Music Room in Liverpool and Courtney Marie Andrews at Band on the Wall in Manchester were both superb. Call me old fashioned, but the fact that both featured superb musicianship and top class acoustics/sound so that every note could be clearly heard didn’t half help.

    And Transatlantic Sessions at Liverpool was great – Amythyst Kiah, Martha Wainwright, Liam O’Maonlai and Karen Matheson were excellent and the house band peerless as ever.

    In the cinema saw Tar. This is a film which seems to be getting really mixed responses – for all the rave reviews, I know some people who hated it, and it clearly hasn’t done well at the box office. I came out feeling very ambivalent about it, but it s a film that sticks in the mind and now I feel I’d love to see it again to make sense if it.

    Heard

    Dylan’s Fragments. Up to now I have always contented myself with the 2CD Bootleg releases, but I went the whole hog with this one because I love Time Out of Mind so much and really wanted to hear all the outtakes. The alternative de-Lanois-ed mix is fine but no better than the official release and whilst the mix is clearer it lacks a little life for me. The real revelation is the live tracks – not the greatest sound quality, but superlative performances.

    Read

    Ian McEwan’s Lessons is his whole writing career encapsulated in one book. At times it’s brilliant, atmospheric and gripping; but then there are passages which are astonishingly pedestrian and poorly written for a novelist with such a reputation. It really could have done with serious editing. But there was something moving in the way it captures how we all lead our lives in the context of the events around us – and the fact that as we get older, we realise we won’t see how things resolve- history will go on beyond our short lives.

    • I didn’t know McEwan had a new novel out. I tend to read every novel he publishes hoping for a return to past glories, but I haven’t much liked anything since On Chesil Beach. (I haven’t read Machines Like Me yet.)

      • Agreed – the only post On Chesil Beach ones I had read before this were Solar and Sweet Tooth both of which I thought were pretty poor. I likes Lessons more, but it’s much longer and you do have to wade through some pedestrian stuff for the good bits.

        • I’d read him since the 80s but found Solar unreadable. I literally couldn’t read some pages, and I haven’t enjoyed anything by home since so I’ll think twice before attempting the new one.

  12. No reading or music worth reporting, just a couple of films.

    The Whale. A sad film. Brendan Fraser deserves the Best Actor Oscar. Not that Austin Butler fella. His performance as a morbidly obese housebound man is beautiful. Hong Chau could also take the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. (Best actress should go to Emma Thompson for ‘Good Luck To You, Leo Grande’ but she hasn’t even been nominated. And while we’re at it, Best Picture should definitely go to ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’.)

    Pamela, A Love Story. After watching and enjoying Pam & Tommy, I felt a bit sorry for Pamela Anderson. The sex tape business was a lot more hurtful to her than I’d considered at the time. Then I read that she hated the series, so I thought I’d check this out, and I must say I really came to like her. The daughter of an alcoholic father, sexually abused as a very young child by her (female) babysitter, raped at the age of 12, she fell into fame by sheer fluke. Now 55, she lives a relatively normal, sedate life in the tiny town she was born in, in Canada. Married to a normal guy. No longer stunningly beautiful, but still an attractive woman, in this documentary she comes across as endearing, intelligent, funny, giggly, spontaneous, reflective, thoughtful, self-aware and extremely likeable.

    Oh and I also watched The Fablemans. I thought it was overlong, too sentimental, and downright boring. If you want to see a film about a director’s childhood and early fascination with cinema, I’d suggest Terence Davies’s The Long Day Closes instead, it’s a gazillion times better film.

    • I liked The Fabelmans. For me the fascination with cinema was fine, but the real meat is the devastation of a child/family experiencing their parents breaking up. Thought Michelle Williams was superb, and having seen the film I can see echoes of what he went through in many parts of his career. The high school short film was also revealing in this way and I loved the ending.

  13. SEEN
    Nothing too highbrow. A couple of trips in the same week over the (Cheshire) Cat and Fiddle to Buxton Opera House for heritage/tribute acts which seem to be the bread and butter for that particular venue. I’m not being sniffy, as clearly they were my choice of tickets. Any road up, there is always a special glow, literally, to be had from the welcoming facade of this grand old building on a winter’s night; it’s always a pleasure.
    Of course, there’s more than just one fine legendary album celebrating its half century this year. Prompted by an Arthur Cowslip review, I found a 50th Anniversary Celebration of Tubular Bells, presented by ‘long-term arranger and collaborator, Robin A Smith’. (I’m a long-term Oldfield fan, but I’d never heard of him, but there you go.) I struggled with the first half; the musicians seemed to hold back from giving any welly to a Greatest non-TB Hits selection. Also, the lack of stage presence really bugged me. Literally, I had to divert my eyes so it wouldn’t irritate me; fortunately, the ceiling of the Opera House is a worthwhile distraction.
    But my curmudgeonly hard shell melted away during the main event. It was a worthy arrangement – faithful but not slavish – and I left a much more satisfied customer than I had expected.
    Likewise, I don’t think that I’d really thought through what I would get from An Evening Without Kate Bush. When it appeared from the opening that it might be one woman singing and prancing along to a backing track, I doubted that I’d make it to the interval. The show was just that, but had been genuinely choreographed and cleverly costumed. It teetered on the edge of cabaret, karaoke and other sins, yet I found myself grinning from ear to ear (yes, yes, I’m the Cheshire Cat; that’s what I’m meant to do), like the rest of the audience. It was very clear that Sarah-Louise Young was performing with a love of Kate and she knew how to share that with her audience. She had clearly reflected on the truth that it is much easier to parody her than to understand her, so she steered her show towards wide-eyed wonder rather than easy cynical humour. For the second time in a week, I came away from a gig with a smile on my face.

    And I’ve just spent the afternoon in the company of Hubert Rawlinson of this parish, but that is for another month.

  14. Heard: musically, deeper into Willy and Townes Van Zandt. Next month will involve a lot of De La Soul, now available on digital. Podcastery was The Rest is History, and La Lipscomb’s Not Just The Tudors, which does a great job of being academic, and accessible, at the same time.

    Watched: no live shows in Alice for the umptybillionth month in a row. Televisual delights have included binging the Marvel movies, getting set for Wakanda Forever. Taggart is on Acorn, and watching the early years reminds me of just how good a show it was ebfore it got closer to cliche territory. And sport. Oh, how much sport.

    Read: Reading is still a bit of a challenge for me, so nothing deep.

    AOB: a lovely holiday in NZ. An MRI under general. And Test Cricket.
    We have a great app here called Kayo. It’s cheap. And it has a LOT of sport on it. NFL, NBA, MLB, NRL, and Test Cricket. I got all of the England/NZ test, and the Aussie tour to India. And I feel very very spoiled.
    Sharon, who is American, is now deep into the Australian side of things (“Who’s this? Why didn’t they pick Boland?), while I’m just appreciating having so much high quality Test cricket available to me. The last England test was The Dog’s Bollocks, and involved me laying down the law to my boss about just when I was going to be coming into work. Luckily, he’s a cricket tragic, and quite understood.

  15. Listening to:
    Loads of stuff. Jazz mostly (maaan).
    A load of Art Farmer albums, or albums featuring his mellow trumpet stylings.
    A couple of things featuring British saxophonist Larry Stabbins. “Stonephace” from 2009. and “Transcendental”, featuring pianist Zoe Rahman, from 2012. Both very enjoyable.
    An unofficial recording of a concert in Diersbach, Germany last July by rising star American vocalist Samara Joy. Shows her in a (even better, IMO) different light to her very slickly-produced recent albums.
    Unofficial concert recordings by Joshua Redman’s 3×3 trio just a few weeks ago in Cincinnati, a live poetry and music show by vocalist/flautist Elena Pinderhughes & guitarist Lionel Loueke in Santa Cruz also very recent, a piano duet concert by Marialy Pacheco and Omar Sosa from the JazzBaltica festival in ’22 and a concert by Maria Schneider and the WDR Big Band from Berlin in ’22. All good.
    Pianist Brad Mehldau’s solo album of Beatles interpretations “Your Mother Should Know”.
    A revisit of China Crisis’s “Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms”.
    “Phase III” by the Don Rendell/Ian Carr Quintet from 1968.
    “Wide Open” by Little North, “Complete Mountain Almanac” by an ensemble of the same name, “Dance Kobina” by Joe Chambers, “Far Far Away” by Jim Snidero & Kurt Rosenwinkel, “On & On” by José James (not greatly impressed by that one), “The Wayfarers” by Eyolf Dale, Audun Kleive & Per Zanussi, “Furling” by Meg Baird, “Eye Of I” by James Brandon Lewis, “Street Of Minarets” by Dhafer Youssef, “Are We There Yet” by Ed Cherry and “The Source” by Kenny Barron. All new releases this year.
    “Kaleidoscope” by Rachael Dadd from last year, “At Home” by Misha Alperin from 2001, “Last Decade” by Benjamin Lackner from last year, “Live At Montreux” by Bobby Hutcherson and “Sun Goddess” by Ramsey Lewis, both from 1974.
    “The Height Of The Reeds” by Arve Henriksen from 2018, Mette Henriette’s self-titled double album from 2015, “Blue Note Trip 2: Sunset/Sunrise” a couple of album-length DJ mixes of various artists from that label, compiled in 2003.
    Kronos Quartet & Ron Carter’s “Monk Suite” from 1984, Jeff Beck’s “Wired” and Jim Hall’s “Commitment” from 1976 and Georgia Cécile’s “Only The Lover Sings” from 2021.
    Told you there were loads.

    Out and about on the 4th I saw my vocalist pal Dexter Moseley’s soul & funk outfit Dex & Soul Mates bid farewell to co-vocalist Gill Hunte, who’s gone back to Barbados for 4 months visiting family, at the pub in Colindale. Gill was on particularly good form. Guitarist Russel Smithson was there from the beginning (with a new guitar to try out) for a change. Quite often he misses their first set due to his day job as a TV studio sound supervisor.
    The next night was Jim Mullen and vocalist partner Zoe Francis with organ specialist Ross Stanley, plus sax and drums by the ever-reliable Jeremy Shoham & Rick Finlay at The Elephant in North Finchley. The standard of musicianship at these gigs is very high.
    The Following weekend my musical palate was thoroughly cleansed by The Phobics and The Primevals at West Hampstead Arts Club. Loud and raw excitement and a chance for a bit of a blether with the esteemed Tom Rafferty.
    On Monday 13th back to The Chandos in Colindale for entertaining folk cabaret by Skinner & T’Witch on the folk club night.
    The following Saturday, 18th, I went to Nell’s in West Kensington (up a steep staircase above a Sainsbury’s Local) to see UK funk legends Kokomo in very fine form indeed. Five of the original band still up there still doing it in style. Very good stage sound.
    The following night saw jazz harmonica virtuoso Phil Hopkins and pianist Liam Dunachie at The Elephant plus usual suspects Phil Scragg on bass guitar and Rick and Jeremy on drums and saxes, playing a selection of Toots Thielemans material and a few other tunes.
    Went to the amazing Bush Hall in Shepherd’s Bush to see The Fergus McCreadie Trio on the Wednesday (22nd). Sensational. Sound a bit muddy. Seats packed a bit too closely together.
    On the 25th back to Nell’s to see local (South Herts) favourites Stanley Dee play 2 hours of flawless Steely Dan music to a packed (singing along and dancing) house. They totally smashed it and will almost certainly be playing there again.
    Rather harrowing journeys there and back that night as the nearest tube station and the line that serves it were shut for engineering works, so I had to change trains twice each way (involving seeming miles of underground corridors between lines) and walk another ¾ mile each way from station to venue and back. Arrived sweaty at a packed sweaty venue. No seating left. Aircon was fairly effective near the stage, when I managed to fight my way down there.
    The following day I was back at my old school (sort of, see below) for a concert promoting the upcoming Watford Jazz Junction festival in May. Vibraphonist Anthony Kerr played a solo set of standards and then the Ilario Ferrari Trio played a set of their own material, joined by Anthony for the last piece. Between acts, I had the rankest cup of coffee in the interval that I’ve drunk in many a year.
    The venue is the fairly-recently-built Watford Music School, built on what was once part of the front lawn of Watford Boys Grammar School.
    In the evening I trekked to Ye Olde Cherry Tree in Southgate to see my pal Dex in his jazz guise, singing standards with a good keyboard/sax/bass guitar/drums quartet.

    Not read anything of great note last month.

    Not seen any TV of great note except of course for Happy Valley, which I’ve been bingeing right from the start in series 1, due to the length of time since seeing it previously. Gripping stuff.

  16. Aside from the Arabic music I have been listening to and posting about elsewhere on the blog – thanks for the prompt, el hombre malo! – there’s not much else remarkable for me to report on (which is why I don’t often post on these threads) – I can’t compete with some of you culture vultures.

    However I did finally finish a book I have been dawdling through for ages: Slowdown, by Danny Dorling. Dorling is a Professor of Geography at Oxford University and writes and speaks softly but forthrightly about social and political issues, always with a basis in factual analysis of statistics. His work on global population, on Brexit, on Finland, on social inequality are accessible and informative. Slowdown is a series of chapters, based on graphs illustrating how, over decades, the world is slowing down in every dimension – demographics, economy, fertility, etc – and that that is a good thing for human and planetary wellbeing. It’s a bit dry, and rather repetitive in hammering home the same message again and again (which is why it took so long to read). But it’s good to see graphical support for an argument that promotes a long term understanding of humanity and where it is going.

    The other book I am in the middle of reading (and much more likely to finish soon) is The Power of Strangers, by Joe Keohane. I have been looking for some time for some sort of research on familiarity and familiarization (I did a blog on it some time ago), not finding anything to meet my need. Until now – something I picked up at random in the bookshop in Cologne main station – and it’s a corker. Keohane’s simple message – talk to strangers – is backed up by many anecdotes about people’s experiments with doing just that – overcoming the common fear of the unknown, the social taboo, the worry about embarrassment and rejection and initiating conversations.

    Overwhelmingly, the results are positive and it is discovered, over and again, that most people like being talked to, and listened to. More than that, by talking to others, we stretch our own sense of self, learning not only about the other person, but also about who we are by framing how we present ourselves to them. My work involves capacity-building, for individuals, for institutions and for systems, and it’s heartening to read support for the idea that we build capacity at each of those levels by talking to each other.

    It also reminded me of the book An Intimate History of Humanity, by Theodore Zeldin, which I haven’t read in decades, but which, through Keohane’s eyes, would be worth rereading now.

  17. SEEN: I’ve not been watching much TV lately, but I binged on all 3 seasons of Happy Valley, as commented on by many it was quite simply fabulous. Same goes for The Responder, Martin Freeman was exceptional.

    HEARD: His Bobness’s B.S. #17 ‘Fragments’ has been getting lots of plays, this release has been way up above initial expectations. I’ve always loved Lanois’s production on ‘Time Out Of Mind’ but the remix is superb. I also immersed myself in the Horslips box ‘More Than You Can Chew’ which our own @Colin~H was involved in. I really enjoyed listening to all 33 CDs especially the live shows.

    READ: Reading some Sci Fi on my Kindle, quite entertaining whose subject is Area 51. Also delving into current affairs U.K. & the rest of this crazy globe. Been flicking through Mojo, Uncut, Shindig and several Science mags courtesy of my Readly subscription.

    OUT AND ABOUT: I hadn’t been out socialising for 7 due to illness, I’m now receiving treatment that works. So I’ve been meeting up with mates at the local Irish Club listening to local musicians play thanks to some earplugs (tinnitus) that are comfortable to wear and I don’t end up with ringing in my ears. My hope is to start attending gigs again the big test will come next Friday when go to a local gig that will be loud.

  18. AOB:

    Thankfully I’m out of my reading slump, and I’m beginning to feel like myself again!
    I also managed to muster enough energy and inspiration to finish the textile artwork I was working on for my sister’s 70th birthday – she loved it – and we had a wonderful family gathering in one of our favourite restaurants, celebrating her while eating well.
    With that deadline over with, I’ve been able to exhale and spontaneously do anything I feel like doing on my days off…what a difference it makes from having a list of tasks that you’re obliged to get to whether you feel like it or not! So I’m feeling a lot better now.

    Read:

    The author that got me out of my slump was Ágota Kristóf, and her trilogy consisting of The Notebook/The Proof/The Third Lie – brilliant novels about war and oppression, but ultimately about survival through imagination and writing. Which she of course knew all about as an exiled Hungarian. These novels are so original and well written that it’s almost impossible to put them down once you start reading them. A breathtaking reading experience, but not for the faint hearted perhaps (but as dark as they are, they’re also at times very funny).

    Next up I read The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell. Another pageturner, nothing as original as Kristóf, but very interesting and engaging. I only wish she had given the ending a little more time and space – I liked the plot twist (if you can call it a twist when it was so heavily telegraphed…) but thought it wasn’t executed as well as the rest of the novel was. But still very much enjoyed it. Most people seem to dislike it because it isn’t Hamnet…but I was so very ill when I read that novel that I honestly can’t remember much about it – a reread is probably advisable! At least this amnesia saved me from any disappointment that I otherwise might have felt!

    Finished the dull Swift volume, finally! Must get some new books for my e-reader, I’m sick of classics at the moment. Until then I’m reading short stories by H.G. Wells, which, as classics go, isn’t the worst way to go.
    And March has begun promising when it comes to physical books, my slump has officially left the building.

    Heard:

    I had high hopes for the latest Anders Jormin/Lena Willemark/Karin Nakagawa & Jon Fält album Pasado En Claro, seeing as I adored the album Trees of Light that the first three made in 2015. It could only end in disappointment, of course…no, it’s not bad, just not anywhere near the brilliance of that album. This one is a bit too tasteful and samey and veering into slightly dull territory. Contemporary jazz with slight folk influences and lyrics mostly taken from different poets.

    What ended up bringing me much joy was instead the 3 CD box of the albums by Rupert Hines that I still own on vinyl but hadn’t listened to since the mid-80s. Back when they were first released I listened obsessively to the first two (Immunity and – especially – Waving Not Drowning) and just reading the track titles again put melodies into my head that I hadn’t thought of in thirty-five years or more. Listening to them again filled me with such nostalgic happiness, and I found that although you could say they are very much of their time, they are also very much of today – the Cold War paranoia and alienation of the lyrics are the perfect soundtrack to these dire times we live in… I also realised that most of the tracks are very operatic, and now I can’t listen to them without hearing in my mind a symphonic orchestra accompanying tenors, basses and sopranos in a “jukebox opera” about war, spies and assassins!
    (I also realised that, although I own the third album on vinyl as well, I probably only played it once, because I have zero memory of any of those tracks – no wonder, as they’re quite awful!)

    Cruel Country by Wilco finally arrived, after several delays…but I’ll save my impressions of that one for next month!

    (I can’t remember anything I’ve watched in February, but I know it was more than I usually have time for. I really must start taking notes in preparation for BT!)

  19. Seen
    Through Mrs F’s Happy Valley denial, all manner of BBC cop dramas, including the latest series of Silent Witness, which has gone through the door marked ‘suspend disbelief’ and into the ‘batshit crazy’ room. I actually worked out the deceleration of a train (enough G-force to kill everyone on board, not just the person it ran over).

    Read
    ‘We Peaked At Paper an oral history of British zines’ by Gavin Hogg (of this parish) and Hamish Ironside. 20 chats with fanzine writers. Marvellous – I like enthusiastic people and I like reading about them.

    Heard
    I went on a Specials deep-dive. Christ, they were great live. I am kicking myself for not seeing the early reunion tour (when all but Jerry Dammers were back in the fold), although, in my defence, it was my Illness Years.

    AOB
    I had the Iron Infusion mentioned in last month’s BT which gave me a 10-day migraine, but I feel a lot less shit now. I had 1.4g of Iron, which is about half of what you healthy Muggles have. I’m also wearing a Vitamin B12 patch for 24 hours every week to avert pernicious anaemia. My quarterly bloods are due early April, so I await the results. I really don’t want another one if I can avoid it.

    Offspring the Younger’s endoscopy last autumn found nothing, so he’s now on industrial-strength antacids and a white-rice-based exlusion diet, which is a ball ache when you’re 17, just passed your driving test, and all your mates want you to take them to McDonalds or the pub and ogle girls. I do feel terrible for him, I was 44 when I was diagnosed and I’d already done everything I wanted to in life, with the benefit of beer and curry. I really hope this isn’t early-onset Crohn’s.

  21. February went by very quickly! I feel like it should still be January, although the blue sky & promise of Spring in the air is very welcome!

    Read
    I managed a few this month & a bit of a mixed bag. First up was Matthew Perry – Friends, Lovers & the big terrible thing which was a bit of an impulse buy. I did enjoy Friends but not too interested in it to this extent & my ambivalence towards it is likely due to that. Very sad reading about his many addictions but I struggled to really engage with him, but I expect bigger fans would have enjoyed it. Donna McLean – Small Town Girl is about the SpyCops scandal & is told by Donna McLean who had a 2 year relationship with an undercover policeman who was spying on her activist friends. Would recommend for anyone who has an interest in books on human rights & fights for justice.
    Tony King – The Tastemaker was a great read & has in some top anecdotes about John Lennon, Elton John etc. I also discovered some fantastic disco tunes he mentioned which I had not known previously so it was time well spent.
    Last up was The Brain: 10 things you should know by Professor Sophie Scott. The author was a guest on Jon Snows new podcast & I found her fascinating. She is really passionate about all things brain related & the book is 10 essays exploring this. It is accessible but avoids over simplifying the complexities involved & is a fantastic read because of this. It all made sense when I was reading it, but I am useless at retaining information so is one I will certainly read again.

    Heard
    It’s been mentioned a few times above, but I really love the new Hamish Hawk album & am enjoying it more with each listen. Rest & Veneers is my current favourite.
    Young Fathers also released their latest album in Feb & I played it to death for a few days & need to go back. I am seeing them live in March so looking forward to hearing it performed as they are a fierce live band. The lead single I Saw has a bit of a glam (dare i say Glitter band) stomping sound to it & is immense.
    The Depeche Mode single is still holding strong too, it is a great song. I am also very taken with this dreamy song by deary too. I have no idea who they are but it was on my discover weekly playlist & I adore it

    Seen
    Four gigs this month & all were brilliant.
    First up was Phil Selway at Hebden Bridge Trades Club which was a great gig at a fantastic venue. I was also very much taken with the support act Dilettante.
    I’ve already mentioned him, but Hamish Hawk at Manchester Gorilla was great & on the day his new album was released so he was in particularly good form.
    As I have mentioned on this site elsewhere, we took our children to their first ever gig which was Carly Rae Jepsen at Manchester Apollo & she was incredible. Kids loved it & if I doubt they will see anyone again who knocks out a pop song as well as CRJ.
    Last up were Ezra Collective at Manchester Albert Hall who are not really my sort of thing. However, they really put on a show & i’d happily go & see them again, they were great.

    AOB
    Aftersun has been getting some love & rightly won a Bafta. I watched it in February & thought it was great. It stayed with me for a few days after & it’s cleverness was very subtle & all the better for it.

  22. It was great to get back in the van with the Primevals and play in North Shields and London – good to catch up with dear old friends, including my compadre @mike_h and also to make our own din. Here’s a quick blast of the opening part of the gig in London

    Heard – a great Ace soul compilation, For Dancers Forty, has been on heavy rotation, along with the 3rd Neu! LP, and Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians. There’s a collection of primitive UK 60s Garage – “Wyld Beests & Weirdos” which is jammed with art students in thrall to Bo Diddley, and it’s primitive and wonderful. One CD at a time is plenty, though.

    Read – Peter Godfrey-Smith – “Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness”. A fascinating book about the evolution of cephalopods (The octopus family) and the way that they exist. They appear to have a distributed brain, where the limbs have significant autonomy, in addition to having a large central brain. Packed with ideas and cogent arguments, a thought provoking read.

    Seen – I have been a fan of Ry Cooder for many years, and realised during February that I had never actually sat down to watch the movie of Buena Vista Social Club. It’s really good. I loved the details – Ry Cooder’s sunglasses match the scratchplate on his Coodercaster – and I loved the joy of the musicians, especially the magnificent, effortlessly cool piano player Ruben Gonzalez.

  23. SEEN:

    Decent month for live music – with some legendary figures in fine form. Now 82, Norma Winstone has worked with pretty much everyone in British jazz and beyond since the mid-60s – and still puts out fine music on a variety of labels including ECM.

    Live, she’s quite remarkable with no lessening in her vocal prowess, turning from ballads to wordless vocalising on tricky freer tunes with ease. Accompanied by pianist Nikki Isles and sax player Mark Lockheart – and very at home at the lovely Stapleford Granary venue – she covered music from Bill Evans, Paul Simon and John Taylor before closing with an emotional “The Heather on the Hill” – from Brigadoon no less.

    Classical pianist Mitsuko Uchida is usually to be found performing at world famous venues, but once a year she stops off at Peterhouse College in Cambridge to play in an intimate atmospheric 180 seat former Victorian lecture room. Second time we’ve seen her there – this time playing Beethoven Sonatas for an hour or so – and again remarkable to see and hear such a legendary figure just feet away from where you’re sitting.

    Earlier this week, a trip across the snowy Fens to Ely to see soul singer Jarrod Lawson. Last time out he had a terrific funky band with him but this tour it’s just him and piano playing mainly unreleased material in between some pretty cringeworthy spoken interludes about his “personal growth.” Still, a fine singer – very Daryl Hall in places – and he went down a storm with a surprisingly decent turnout.

    READ:

    Enjoying Robin Ince’s “Bibliomaniac” – chronicling his journey around Britain’s independent bookshops doing various promotional signings and talks around his own writing. Good to see JE Books in Hull’s handsome Hepworth’s Arcade get a mention – a great little shop in the same premises where I once sold records and books for four commercially unsuccessful years back in the 90s.

    HEARD:

    Plenty of new music – always enjoy Vince Mendoza’s work with the Metropole Orchestra – expansive big band jazz and strings that sounds like a film soundtrack. Talking of which – not seen the film yet – but Volker Bertelmann’s score to “All Quiet on the Western Front” is a great standalone piece of music. Also listening to British composer Rachel Portman’s “Beyond the Screen” – solo piano versions of her work on many well-known films. All very tasteful and “Classic FM” but worth a listen.

    Enjoyed the new Mette Henriette album and Seb Rochford/Kit Downes’ quiet drums and piano noodling – both on ECM. Strangest album is Snoop Dogg protégé October London whose new outing “The Rebirth of Marvin” uncannily recreates Mr Gaye’s classic early 70s sound. Highly enjoyable until he veers off at the end into Barry White territory.

  24. This’ll be brief:

    Read:
    Ranulph Fiennes’ “Race to the Pole”, his take on Scott’s attempt on the South Pole. As a polar explorer himself, he has a unique insight into the issues and problems which Scott encountered. He clearly feels that Scott has had a bad press over the years, and forms a view based on his own practical experiences – along with a more nuanced reading of some of the contemporary papers and diaries.
    Also just started reading “Elegant People”, a biography of Weather Report by Curt Bianchi – OK so far.

    Seen:
    No gigs, no movies – although I have been bashing through a box set of Gerry Anderson’s “UFO”; a bit dated, of course – but an absolute hoot! Those of a certain age may wish to know that the book with my DVD set has been autographed by Ayshea Brough!

    Heard:
    Well, I’ve been listening to Mahler symphonies a lot (Bernstein’s live 9th with the BPO and Tennstedt’s live 6th with the LPO were standouts) – and also What’s Next? Vol. 3 (A walk around San Francisco) by our very own El Hombre Malo – I recommend it to all of you.
    Oh – and Tales From Topographic Oceans by Yes…

    AOB: Had a trip to A&E by ambulance with severe chest pain – turned out to be gallstones. Then spent a week in hospital having IV antibiotics for cholecystitis – now have a ticket to see the surgeon, to discuss removal of gallbag at some point (hi, Retro!).

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