A Lark Ascending

Bloody cold here - and my central heating has gone down. Again! I think it's something to do with a pipe that takes off fumes - if it freezes the system shuts down. Last year it came back once a thaw set in. A great British invention. A central heating system that can't cope with the cold! We've had none of this week's snow. Interesting how much more coverage it got because London was affected! However, there are threatening signs for tomorrow.

Illustration of the lunacy of the new emusic (UK) pricing system: The Rub And Spare Change - Michael Formanek (ECM) 6 tracks, 58 mins £2.52 (7.99 on iTunes) Maria's Song - Sinikka Langeland (ECM) 28 tracks, 72 mins £11.76 (8.99 on iTunes)

The Blake is superb - though be warned: a) It is song based, though with extensive (and wonderful) soloing and instrumental passages. b) There are two versions - the original from the late 70s and a slightly longer version from about 10 years ago. The newer is in fact very similar; doesn't sound like a watering down. 'Citadel Room 315' is possibly a better entry point from a jazz perspective. Almost impossible to pin down a typical Westbrook as he has such range. For me he's never topped 'The Cortege', still a desert island disc in my book. But at over 2 hours, not perhaps a first choice.

I imagine I spend the same on myself over Xmas as I do the rest of the year. Santa comes to me downloaded these days rather than down the chimney. I think buying gifts for kids is a wonderful tradition. But, to my mind, so much is spent on unwanted gifts between adults (especially once outside the very immediate family). I've switched over to getting everyone (apart from kids) an Oxfam donation. I imagine the money gets spent on all manner of good works - but I like the idea of buying a goat or a camel or a well. I try to encouage those who want to buy Xmas gifts for me to do the same.

This is very good: This thread has reminded me to dig out the few Ehrlich's I have.

I was watching the Swedish version of Wallander - all grumpy and moody, shuffling around with eyes to the floor. Dancing programmes just fill me with envy. Takes me all my concentration to put one foot in front of the other.

Hard to have fun when you are concentrating very hard on furrowing your brows.

You could well be right. Seeing that headline made me dig out Elling's 'The Messenger' today. I had mixed feelings about Elling at the time I bought it, having an aversion to the overt jazz hipsterism that pervades some of the spoken tracks. But I really enjoyed it today.

Strange jazz covers of our time: http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news-mainmenu-139/67-2010/11736-jazz-breaking-news-beatles-stevie-wonder-and-king-crimson-numbers-feature-on-kurt-ellings-new-album-the-gate-

I hope the box is not too shiny. The last one I bought was very shiny. I might have to send it back if this one is just as shiny. Think mine is stuck in a warehouse somewhere along with most of the UK's post at present. The weather conditions seem to have turned us to two deliveries a week!

He made a comment about how he and his wife don't do dusting!

JUst found it and it can be heard: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ccrsl

I don't think so. In the World Service one he talks a fair bit about his difficult childhood and the impact of menengitis on him. He's currently advertising butter on UK TV!!!!!!!!

Well, not quite. Woke up at 3.00 am this morning to a 30 interview with John Lydon. Back in '76 he really was the 'Antichrist' to me as my prog-rock world got trashed, but really warmed to him on this. Programme was followed by an interview with Manfred Eicher about ECM. Can't find a link to the Lydon but the Eicher is on the BBC iPlayer at present: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00ccrsn#broadcasts 'The Strand' is actually a very good, eclectic music programme worth keeping an eye on.

We've got off light so far. Snowed for 3 hours yesterday at work but it was pretty wet - just made icy surfaces. Home (19 miles north) had hardly been touched. Very cold, though. Tomorrow is looking more dangerous! Still got 3 days before the Xmas hols. If it tumbles down we won't see many of the kids in!

What a lovely looking bird!

The UK version seems to work differently. It seems to be all calculated on number of tracks.

Oh my god! Now Sting has bought the franchise on Christmas!

I really can't believe they will keep this charge by track pricing system for long. Surely someone will notice that all their albums with lots of tracks are not selling...whilst their albums with just a few tracks are being eaten up fast. There's more than enough of the albums with few tracks to keep me on board; I just go to iTunes, Amazon or Classics Online if they are cheaper there. No sign of the new labels yet. Still acres of dross - seems there's a new label every day putting out a Best of Charlie Parker.

The most recent San Francisco Jazz Collective disc (Horace Silver) is there. Hope the also put up the past discs. I ordered the Wayne Shorter set (which I love) but it proved pretty expensive and took weeks to arrive. Far more sensible to have it up for downloading like this.

Well worth a listen, though the music is not easy to track down. I remember Roger Dean running a group called Lysis in the late 70s. At the Graham Collier end of things.

Good to see some attention being given here to Australian jazz. 4.00 pm UK time today and next Saturday; plus on the replayer for a week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wfqc4 Easier to hear now too as an increasing amount is turning up online.

There's a symbol at the top centre for 'show formatting'. Chances are you hit it by accident (I used to do that regularly!). Just click it to turn off/on:

+2 this morning. Still felt cold. A very slight thaw, likely to cause more trouble than help. The surface melt is already freezing.

I saw a hare dash across the snow at Thoresby on Sunday, leaving prints behind. Wonderful sight. Loads of birds out - where I am there's loads of pheasants and other game because of the big estates. All desperately looking for food. -15 degrees in the car this morning. And felt like it!