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CRAZY! Love it! Thanks for letting us know

Last/only time I've seen the Blake live was the Glad Day at the South Bank Centre. I'm thinking of going to the one at Bury St Edmunds in May next year, will have to see how travel arrangements work out. - Meanwhile I've brought out the Glad Day DVD for watching/listening later today.

Earliest experience was when I was still playing with toy cowboys & Indians: I kept putting on the only records worth listening to in our home over and over again, which were about half a dozen swing/Big Band 78rpm records (Glenn Miller, Harry James, etc). Next step, I was about 14 yo I started to listen to a weekly radio show where jazz record collectors brought in their favourite records, which were then played and talked about with the show host. That way I got to hear a wide range of jazz. I still think this an excellent concept. - My first two self-bought LPs were Charlie Parker and Billie Holiday. I continued buying vinyl as far as my finances allowed. What really changed my life, literally, was when I bought "Pierides" by the Westbrooks. I started travelling, mostly to the UK, to see/hear jazz concerts.

Got it in the post yesterday. Just finished first listening, winding down after work.- Wonderful. I envisage some nice dark winter evenings with my favourite cuppa or tipple & this album.

Report on or recommend any exhibitions that relate to jazz. I've been to the 'I Got Rhythm' exhibition in Stuttgart/Germany Three floors of paintings, album covers, object art, videos. You get an electronic guide (included in the 12€ ticket price) which plays music, speaks and/or displays texts. Will be on until 6th March 2016 Catalogue is German/English kunstmuseum-stuttgart.de (not sure if there's an English version of the website) admins please delete link if that's a no-go

Found mine in the post as I came home tonight. Expect to make it a fine Sunday's listening. ... and to some nice photographs of the show

Thanks for the heads up, Bev. Did you download the FLAC version? I wonder whether the download comes as one big file (.zip perhaps) and what the file size is.

You'll enjoy that. They were tremendous in Sheffield a couple of years back. Will see them at the Vortex day after tomorrow (16th June). Just now I'm back from the Vortex Sunday afternoon show with the London Jazz Orchestra. First set were band members' compositions/arrangements The second set was "Windmill Tilter" Both sets in their way excellent stuff, though I enjoyed the "contemporary" pieces a bit more. The 20 or so band spilled over in the audience space and I was seated mere inches away from the vibraphone. Great close-up experience!

On 16th June with the Louis Moholo² 4tet - I'm planning to be there.

I have to agree. - While I'm a lay-person in the field of acquisition, I tried with our local (SW-German) venues. Many websites run along the lines of "musicians/bands can apply ..." and "we're fully booked for the next year...". So the venues' managers just can't be bothered to search out good/interesting music and set up a programme. Instead, there are plenty of applicants, often students, and musicians are expected to play practically for free. Some years ago I sent letters to a few, but never so much as received an answer. So I have to travel; just finished packing an our ago for my trip to Exeter for this Friday's concert.

Have fun too, Bev, at Bath. Bob, fingers crossed I'll see you in the foyer at the Barnfield before the show or during the break Depending on timing i might have to leave soon after the show to catch a bus/train.

The line-up that did the CD/DVD a while back, My second favourite Westbrook piece (after The Cortege). That'll be my only concert but I'll use the weekend to re-explore Avebury and environs. Unfortunately my travel plans make me miss this by 4 days, but I will hit the Exeter gig with the new "A Bigger Show", huge band: Any chance to see you or Bob there?

Well, here I am just back from the Vortex (London); their monthly "mopomoso" improvised music slot. Part One – Portfolio Improvisers: Seth Bennett (bass) / Shaun Blezard (electronics) / Anton Hunter (guitar) / Rachel Musson (saxophone) / Shelly Knotts (electronics) / Julie Kjaer (saxophone / flute) led by Steve Beresford (piano) Part Two – Three guitarists: Arthur Bull (electric) / Pascal Marzan (classical) / John Russell (archtop) And guess what, half or maybe a bit more of the audience were to my estimate in their 20s and 30s. Good!

Interesting. I always thought that Germany had a more 'open' attitude to jazz (was always amazed at the amount of challenging jazz and not just Kenny G/Boney James etc. being broadcast on FM back in the 1980s at a time in the UK when it was once or twice a week) but I guess that things must have deteriorated. Shame.. oops,sorry, just noticed making an error in my previous post:it should read "wasn't given any serious grief" (now amended). Anyway, I wasn't referring to Germany in particular; rather what I think is a global phenomenon of increased pressure to adhere to accepted brands/trends. BTW: Jazz broadcasting and live jazz IMO went downhill sharply in Germany since the '80s

I was among the studio audience of some two dozen people in Kingston upon Thames

Just throwing another thought into the melée. When I was at school, I was the only one in the class who's favourite music was jazz. The others thought that strange at best, though I [edit] was wasn't [/edit] given any serious grief about it and I stood by it anyway. Since then (1970s) I think the peer pressure about what clothes to wear, what to see on film/TV and what music to hear has risen massively, thanks mostly to various industries. - So, hasn't it become much harder for youngsters over the past decades to get into and stick with a musical taste which is so clearly that of a minority?

Only feasible these days if you are an oligarch ! Still, at least they get to breath the cruddy air.

....... I'm passing through London on the way to Exeter. Wow, where do you live?.....the Hook of Holland? Not nearly as close - Southern Germany

... though I don't think he deliberately avoids me ... If the living were less expensive and maybe the air a bit cleaner, Café OTO and the Vortex would be reason enough to move to London.

Yes, I'm curious what that programme will be. As I've seen the Big Band a few times over the past years, my priority is the Trio right now. Also I'm booked for the Barry Guy New Orchestra on the 21st at Café OTO as I'm passing through London on the way to Exeter.

I'll be staying in town for the night. Would be nice to see you there.

Anyone else planning to be at the Exeter Trio gig next week?

That's the only album I have of her, played it a lot in those days - like her playing and voice. Unfortunately haven't heard about her since, not a lot anyway. A couple of quick & dirty photographs of the vinyl album: back side (click through to photobucket to enlarge & read the liner notes):

Coming up tomorrow, Monday Sept. 23rd, night on BBC Radio 3 / Jazz on 3 Kate & Mike Westbrook on their new album & its launch in London on Oct. 1st: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bfm1h