The Magnificent Goldberg

MG

Too much information....? MG

I thought I'd list the most played African artists in my collection for 2012. (The numbers in brackets are their positions in the whole collection.) 1 (2) Bembeya Jazz National (Guinee Conakry) 2 (3) Gnonnas Pedro (Benin) 3 (18) Youssou N'dour (Senegal) 4 (19) Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey (Nigeria) 5 (24) Laba Sosseh (Gambia) 6 (33) Super Diamono (Senegal) 7 (35) Les Ambassadeurs (Guinee Conakry) 8 (36) Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe (Nigeria) 9 (40) Atakora Manu (Ghana) 10 (41) Kerfala Kante (Guinee Conakry) 11 (45) Sekouba Bambino Diabate (Guinee Conakry) 12 (46) Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister (Nigeria) 13 (47) Ouza (Senegal) 14 (50) King Sunny Ade (Nigeria) 15 (51) Kouyate Sory Kandia (Guinee Conakry) 16 (54) Orchestre Baobab (Senegal) 17 (57) Ganda Fadiga (Mali) 18 (61) Ami Koita (Mali) 19 (65) Ucas Band Jazz de Sedhiou (Senegal) 20 (68) Fode Baro (Guinee Conakry) 21 (69) Aminata Kamissoko (Guinee Conakry) 22 (71) Super Negro Bantous (Nigeria) 23 (73) Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo De Cotonou (Benin) 24 (75) Fatou Laobe (Senegal) 24 (75) Jerry Hansen & The Ramblers (Ghana) 26 (77) Super Cayor de Dakar (Senegal) 27 (82) Peacocks Guiter Band (Nigeria) 28 (82) Kine Lam (Senegal) 29 (85) Abdoulaye Diabate (Mali) 30 (90) Fela Kuti (Nigeria) 30 (90) Thione Seck (Senegal) All of these artists are, of course, highly recommended MG

Oh no - any Government functions are government funded. I was talking about subsidies to the private sector, which are a waste of money or staff time (for those subsidies that are provided through lax regulation). MG

Never affected my Willis Jacksons MG

Well, at least I can agree with you on #5! 5 to me is pretty much absolute. I agree no drum machines in jazz. But I LURVE them in Guinean Djeliya! MG

Oh, Ben's not the leader.... needs more thought. Back later. MG

Never been. Britain doesn't have the weather for outdoor touristing. MG

It's looking like we'll be stuck in until the weekend. MG

This evening so far Hoagy Carmichael - Mr Music Master - Decca & ARA masters (Coral UK) now Bobby Hutcherson - Live at Montreux - Blue Note - not a cutout next Jesse Powell - Blow man blow - Jubilee MG

I seem to remember that sleeve. Isn't it one of the Ella Fitzgerald sings Gershwin set? MG

I'm interested to hear you have the view that education is a private business subsidised by government. Some of it is, of course, but most isn't. Even the (very right leaning) business community of 1870 understood that they couldn't develop their businesses without educated workers and couldn't get them without government provision of education. MG

Quite right too. Bollocks to government funding. MG All well and good, as long as it's consistent. But currently we have government funding - and the rationale behind its distribution is highly prejudiced. Incidentally, is that bollocks to government funding of everything (I've never thought of you as a libertarian free-marketeer!) or just of entertainment? Actually, as I used to be responsible for working up new ways for Wales to get around the EC regulations about subsidies () and know that none of them, mine or anyone else's, however delivered, had any of the presumed effects they were supposed to have on people's behaviour, it's pretty nearly everything. Not because I'm a libertarian free-marketeer, but because it's my taxes that are being thrown away so that some politicians can say they're doing something about something. MG

Quite right too. Bollocks to government funding. MG

I didn't know Blakey had recorded for King. Is Bill Doggett in the band MG

This afternoon Benny Cummings & the King's Temple Choir - Now - Creed The Coasters - 20 great originals - Atco (Atlantic UK) Charles Kynard & Buddy Collette - Warm winds - World Pacific MG

There was also 'Bird lives' and my friend's 'Fred Jackson is the world's greatest jazz musician'. My friend was correct, but the guy who wrote about Mr Parker wasn't. MG

Yes, I seem to remember seats for two. I guess that soon backfired on them! Not in the jazz section. There were some proper booths on the ground or first floor where you went in a little room and played the record, and could take a friend I am almost certain that was in the classical area. I remember listening to 'Midnight special' in one of those booths, though why I was allowed to take the record upstairs, I can't remember or readily imagine. Anyway, it sounded great but I didn't buy it because I couldn't afford Blue Notes in those days. It didn't stop me from listening to them, though MG

Yes - quite right too. The ones at HMV Oxford Street weren't much better. And really, it wasn't the weight of the arm, it was the unknown shakiness of the unkown arms who'd tried out the record before you. MG

Doing a quick search for an image of Gilfach Goch, I stumbled on this site http://flickriver.com/places/United+Kingdom/Wales/Glynogwr/ Which is full of photos done around these here parts, including one done about a hundred yards from my house! These old coal mining areas are beautiful! MG

Very apt; Gilfach Goch is just the other side of the ridge. MG

Mmmmmmmmm!!! I wish! Ben Webster & Jimmy Jones? I'll take that combo ANY day of the week; alas, 'taint Jimmy here! OK, Billy Strayhorn? MG

Instrumental reggae this morning Rico - Man from Wareika - Island Dean Fraser - Pumpin' air - Island Tommy McCook - Instrumental - Justice MG

Jimmy Jones (Come-a come-a) MG

We're probably snowed in here until at least the middle of next week. One of the problems of living at the top of a valley ridge where the county council doesn't grit. Hope the muesli lasts out MG