A Lark Ascending

Acker?

If just been playing this, Seeline: Includes Monica on a couple of tracks and Teco Cardoso in places. Quite different from the above - for a large orchestra. In places gets a bit smooth, the melodies stated a bit obviously in the big band but overall a lovely disc. Perhaps misses on the strange mysteriousness of the Afro-Samba original, but I really enjoyed it this evening.

That's a great record. In fact, Monica Salmaso's recordings just about pinpoint what I like most in the music of Brazil. Along with her musicians, she manages to get the lyricism and the rhythmic flux nigh on perfect.

Tomorrow night's 'Jazz on 3' looks interesting: I'm forever missing Jazz on 3 because of the daft time. Must discipline myself to use the replayer.

This morning exploring some UK jazz lurking in my collection from recent years: Superb - the 11 minute version of 'Embraceable You' at the end is heart-stopping! Pianist Alcyona Mick with John Blease and Asaf Sirkis (drums), Phil Donkin (double bass), Robbie Robson (trumpet) and Mark Hanslip (tenor sax). Again excellent - very Monkish in the themes. And now onto: With...wait for it...a guest appearance from Jamie Cullum. Leader Rory Simmons (a jazz musician from Bodmin!!!!) has played in his band. Don't panic - this band sounds more like Lennox Berkeley than Jamie! Rory Simmons- trumpet; Tori Freestone- flute; Robin Fincker- clarinet; James Allsopp- bass clarinet; Kit Massey- violin; Natalie Rozario- cello; Jasper Hoiby- bass; Ivo Neame- piano; Ben Reynolds- drums; Elisabeth Nygaard- vocals; Andrew Plummer- vocals + Jamie Cullum- guest on Play it once more.

Thanks, sidewinder. I rang the pub via the contact details on the Westbrook site. I'll leave it till early July to try again. Like the idea of small - one of the most exciting big band gigs I saw was Mike Gibbs with the Creative Jazz Orchestra in the 90s in the back room of a pub in Sheffield.

Agree about the 'cycles' of popularity. Next one should be due about 2017. The difference between the 80s thing and the 'something in the air' of the noughties was that there was little or no major label interest - I think one or two got brief contracts with leading indie labels associated more with rock. It's not so much lack of wider popular interest as (to my ears) a diffusion of what initially seemed like a degree of commonality of direction. A lot of these bands seem to have reverted (probably for reasons of making a living) to a focus on their local base - and that is usually London. I think Cheltenham is something different - the classic company expansion to a point where it stops doing what it does best because it is responsible to so many outside interests. A bit like that point around 2000 when record shops started to 'diversify' into selling mobile phones. I was talking to someone a while back who works in the rock festival service industry - he said they are expecting an imminent collapse of interest. They're all starting to look so similar and there are so many of them that a glut point is approaching. With the more middle class type festival (jazz/folk/arts) the attempt to appeal to all tastes rather thinly stands the risk of doing exactly the same.

And on a more political note. Did the fizz go out of the most recent Brit jazz revival? I suspect I have a distorted view - in the noughties I was going to three festivals, full of young groups whereas I've not been to so much recently. My perception is that the likes of Polar Bear and Acoustic Ladyland ultimately failed to deliver on the initial promise. For me a blind alley developed trying to link up jazz with a punk/indie-rock aesthetic - I've seen one too many acerbic grunge-jazz bands at my last few festivals! But that is likely to be just my old codger perspective. Still lots of great music out there but that sense of 'something's coming' seems to have dissipated - Alex seems to have put his finger on it at the start of the thread, referring to the 'hype' around the up-and-coming bands.

Don't know why I left this thread lapse. Let's get some recent goodies up here. Alex's records deserve pride of place but we don't want to embarrass him! Here's one I've been enjoying in recent months: Bought it initially for James Allsopp - a tenor/bass clarinet player who I've seen and been hugely impressed with in several units (Kit Downes, Fraud, Django Bates). But very much enjoyed Sam Leak, the pianist here. Very strong Jarrett influence and some almost English pastoral moments. Not nearly as drippy as that sounds. Muscular but melodic music. Allsopp can be heard in a gruffer setting on this: And guesting here:

Question for sidewinder: As I mentioned in the weather thread, this fits nicely with my holiday plans as I head back to civilisation for a couple of weeks. I've booked a campsite nearby for a couple of nights. Ringing the pub they were a bit vague about this concert - suspect I got someone not very high up in the pecking order - so I'll ring back a bit closer to the time. How have you got your ticket in the past?

Think I saw Morris in this band in '74: Stomu Yamash'ta's East Wind - Gary Boyle (guitar), Brian Gascoigne (keyboards), Hisako Yamash'ta (violin), Hugh Hopper (bass), Sammi Abu (vocals, congas & flute) and Nigel Morris (drums) Saw Isotope once at the Reading Uni students' union - not sure if he was in it then.

Nigel Morris's bio is here. Strange the direction he eventually took: http://calyx.perso.neuf.fr/mus/morris_nigel.html

Anyone recognise this: Coming up for reissue soon. http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_1383/cd_id_1827 I only know Wakeman from his sideman appearances with Westbrook and Collier. Very impressive there.

Well, that's already excluded me! No, seems much the same.

Very cheeky playing Ella at the Opera House prior to the latest trip to the Met!

He used to be a mainstay at the Appleby Festival - usually appearing in one (or several) of the multi horn jam sessions. He's also a classical buff and has written at least one opera. From his website (which doesn't seem to have been updated for a while): http://peterkingjazz.com/bio.html A recommended 'crossover' disc, drawing off his love of Bartok. I really like this more straight ahead disc: as well as the one with Tracey that fent99 mentions above. His autobiography has recently appeared: Must get that!

Thanks, Pete. I was listening to this recent live Chico Buarque only yesterday; very good indeed: Apart from that, all I have is a compilation. I think I'll go for those two you mention. Saw Joyce a few years back in London, more or less acting as compère (as well as lots of playing) in a big bossa nova anniversary celebration. THat Barbican weedend looks like one of those jamborees. If I lived closer to London.... Joyce's most recent is excellent - just voice and guitar.

What is new?

Now, what's that all about? Making you buy your recordings yet again.

Not going teacher on you - I knew it was a typo! Just couldn't resist. Debussy is almost ideal music for me - you don't get the structure staring you in the face (although it is there) and I love they way that he'll present a gorgeous or arresting theme and then you don't hear it again (or don't hear it in unaltered form). There's also a liquid movement in his music that works for me. I find something similar in the mature Delius (though the music sounds very different) - something diaphanous, airy and ever-shifting. Indeed! You lucky devil. Frifot are quite superb (and the individuals have been involved in some superb projects on their own - Lena Willemark has done a few jazz based projects). Sad Scandinavian folk has never caught on in the UK - you get groups visiting Scotland but they are rare south of the border.

That would have been braver if you'd said Herbie Hancock!

You should try Ravael too! (sorry, couldn't resist) Two musicians I've known inside larger groups have been frequently on my list of late: Mats Eden (fiddle, accordion) Jonas Simonson (flutes, bass clarinet and other reeds) Not remotely jazz - Swedish folk music - but I'd imagine some jazz listeners would be taken by their freewheeling ways with melody and rhythm. Best heard inside the wonderful (and possibly no longer active) Groupa before venturing into the more stripped down stuff. Solo Swedish fiddle is, perhaps, an acquired taste.

How much does this add to the currently running four part tv series ? I've videoed (or freeviewed!) the series to watch after reading the books - should have no. 3 finished in about ten days. I imagine I'll leave it a while befoire reading 4.. Then I'll watch the series. I get the impression the series is based around books 3 + 4. Can't imagine the films can get close to the detail of the books. He's very, very easy to read. This is popular history rather than coalface historian stuff.

Lions hunting elephants at night.

Weren't you told about the moving of the International Date Line? Here's an academic analysis of May Day: