A Lark Ascending

What a difference 3 months makes... My first proper wander this year, out in the hills around Holmfirth between Sheffield and Manchester: Driving back and forth to work I'd got the impression spring was more advanced than it proved to be. Most trees only just showing signs of life up on't moors.

When we've loved the music of a musician or group of musicians over a period of time we so want the magic to go on. I think the post-Beatles career of all of them has been sustained by that desire. In the end their achievement in the 60s dwarfs any disappointments subsequently.

I agree with you, JETman. The music of the 60s/early 70s suggested many directions. A listener may not like the ones (emphasis on the s) he chose, but they were as individual and legitimate as any of the other directions. Why didn't he follow the route "I" prefer? Well, other people did.

Interesting! If everything went up in smoke, at least I have a list of all my CDs (about half of yours), which would help prove their former existence. Fortunately, I've no experience of loss or claims of this sort. As for burglary, who'd want the stuff? Have to be a pretty cool burglar! I once left a bag of about a dozen jazz LPs (Blue Note, Riverside, etc) on a train which traveled a hundred miles to its terminus, where someone handed it in intact. As they say, you couldn't give it away! My thoughts too! I'd be mortified to lose my collection. But I never think of it in monetary value. It's never been a financial investment (just as well as I tend to dump unnecessary packaging and rely mainly on dl these days).

Not sure what the Chinese will make of all those bottoms from the office party.

or

The bizarre thing I found with Lennon and McCartney after the split was the way that two people, who had been able to write melodies so memorable that they wormed into your brain and would not come out, wrote such two-dimensional tunes thereafter. (though I do like 'Another Day'...has that rich middle eight that made so many Beatles songs work). With McCartney they usually sound like nursery rhymes to me; Lennon's either sound flat or as if all the energy has gone into the radical posturing. I started buying records as the Beatles imploded and at the time they didn't get much of my attention - the records Lennon and McCartney put out convinced me that I didn't need more than the singles I could recall from my pre-record buying days. 'Band on the Run' was one of those records that burst out of dorm rooms all over during my first university year (fighting with Dark Side of the Moon and Tubular Bells). It always irritated me - though not as much as 'Silly Love Songs'.

Where's the flute?

You just cannot beat:

I've gone down the Amazon.co.uk route - £57.99. Again, more expensive but avoids all the tax possibilities. They are probably alreadey in the price.

Just finished series 2. Loved it. Now waiting for: I did see this series when it first came on but missed series 2 + 3. So I'm going back to 1. Recommended to those who like UK comedy - the three kids are absolutely brilliant.

I could have written that! Does it apply to contemporary Americana...or Eric Alexander?

I'll call you and raise. Is there any good McCartney music other than what he made with The Beatles? And I'll raise you further, adding 'Lennon or...' and '...they...'.

You should have waited a few days. Gordon is sending the Ark Royal to pick up stranded Brits!

Wonder if he'll do 'Money' as an encore?

You doing a De Tocqueville, MG?

Yesterday was beautiful; today started well but it's getting increasingly overcast and cooler.

Can be marvellous used as a colouristic device in more orchestral pieces - with Kenny Wheeler or (very differently) Charlie Watts; or in some of those recent ECM discs.

Very good! Perhaps Gordon, Nick and David will all be grounded and they'll have to cancel the 90 minute episode of 'Thunderbirds' scheduled tonight.

Quite possibly! A colleague of mine is supposed to be flying out to New York tomorrow - flight's been cancelled due to the ash.

Wish I could get to April 26th in particular. Louis Moholo is a long time favourite (think I first saw him back in '77) and Jason Yarde one of the most exciting players around currently - the duo record he did with Andrew McCormack last year is superb.

Dull and overcast. But that could be the volcanic ash the Icelanders are sending us in lieu of the money they owe us!

Looks and sounds like an ECM.

They are wonderful! What we now need is something like Jarrett's 'Hymns/Spheres' with one of those late 60s/early 70s BN covers showing a funky Harlem temptress.

Easy going detective novel set in Perigord with one of those gentle, likeable cops. The descriptions of food are absolutely mouth-watering. Interesting plot set in the present but reaching back into Vichy and the German occupation. A magical book about a young Irish girl starting life aknew in Brooklyn. 30 pages from the end and I just want it to go on.