A Lark Ascending

That all makes sense.

hmm...Hatfield and the North had an album called The Rotters' Club Yes, the book is named after that. Jonathan Coe is a big Canterbury fan. He wrote some lyrics for a Theo Travis album a few years back which were sung by Richard Sinclair from Hatfield/Caravan. I strongly recommend the book - at times I felt it was mirroring my youth. There's a marvellous moment half way through where the experimentalism of early 70s rock is swept aside by punk; used as a metaphor for the end of benign Labour Party welfare state socialism, swept aside by predatory free-market Thatcherism.

When I went to Fez (Aug 2001)...my second night in NYC...it was Frank Lacy's birthday. They brought him a cake. Just a thrilling event - great music, great musicians in the city most associated with jazz. I'd have stayed for a second set but I wasn't sure how you did that.

Those socks fascinated my younger sister, even though she cared not a jot for the music. There's a great passage in Jonathan Coe's 70s set novel 'The Rotters' Club' about two teenagers pondering Henry Cow and trying to appear intellectual about them.

Does the UK have a higher literacy rate than the US? Government statistics would have us believe that we (the UK) are trailing much of the rest of the world; thus the endless demands to raise standards. Some stats here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...y_literacy_rate UK and US are equal 18th (along with a batch of others)!

Can work the other way - my only reason for going to Borders is for US books. The history and music sections have titles otherwise unavailable.

I did not know that. I suspect I've been under the impression that Spanish is more widespread by the way it has caught up with French as the first choice second language in UK schools. Thanks.

Yes, I thought about the widespread speaking of English. But I thought Spanish was more widespread. What about Chinese - do the different dialects reduce the numbers? I was surprised that the USA was not way out in front, given its population size. I'm not sure if Waterstone was talking up his own industry but he asserted that book sales were doing well in the current economic climate - people cutting back on other luxeries and returning to a relatively inexpensive item they can stay at home with, perhaps (there's a similar success story in interior decoration here - people can't move house so they are decorating/maintaining).

I've seen them three times - once in Wales (Brecon), once at Fez and last year at the Bath Jazz Festival. Absolutely thrilling every time. Not just the notes but the spirit of Mingus music.

The Betty Carter programme is there now - only two days left. Well worth a listen - if only for Christine Tobin's lovely Irish accent! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dpt98

Pee Wee Herman? A swing clarinet player I should know about?

Tim Waterstone (the chap who started the main UK high street bookstore) was on the radio today and made what sounded to me like an exaggerated claim - that the UK had more books in print than any other and that it was 5X the USA. Tried to hunt some statistics but could only find a fairly ropey list of 'most new publications' on Wiki (note variable dates): United Kingdom (2005) 206,000 [2] United States (2005) 172,000 [2] China (1994) 100,951 [3] Germany (1996) 71,515 [4] Japan (1996) 56,221 [3] Spain (1996) 46,330 [4] Russian Federation (1996) 36,237 [4] Italy (1996) 35,236 [4] France (1996) 34,766 [4] Netherlands (1993) 34,067 [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_publish...ountry_per_year Anyone know of any hard statistics? [interesting to hear Waterstone praise Amazon - he said he had predicted ten years back they would wipe out the high street bookstore; instead they seem to have stimulated demand]

Diagnostic Overview: Your responses indicate that you're basically normal, except for your obsession with sheep and running naked in the moonlight. Electroshock therapy might help; taking foolish inkblot tests on the internet sure as hell won't. Get a hobby (one not involving sheep) and try to keep your twisted impulses under control. People who answer as you did are almost always crack addicts or sleazy porn film extras. Long-Term Prognosis: With luck, you could exist in a vegetative state, doing phone sales or selling insurance. Just don't push it; too much brain work will make your butt ache. You don't hate your mother and father, but you hate total strangers and anyone wearing blue. Prozac is prescribed in your case, lots and lots of Prozac. Additional Fears: You're also afraid of Austin Powers, cats, and the doorbell. This is silly- when was the last time the doorbell caused you any harm?

Another good label appearing: Maya Recordings The label of Barry Guy and Maya Homburger. I'd strongly recommend this:

Just wanted to thank Bev for this recommendation. Never would have heard of this excellent group otherwise! Everyone who has chanced those two has been well pleased. Try and find the two Jamie Oehler's 'Double Drummer Group' discs - equally as exhilarating. Not on e-music - Jazzhead only seem to put up some discs.

Where the info on the back sleeve is duplicated within I normally ditch it. Where it's not I'll cut the back insert down to fit in the clear sleeve. Or, in some cases where important info is spread right to the edges, I just fold it in two.

In the age of... ...Henry Cow did... Some details of HC here: http://musictravellers.blogspot.com/2007/0...w-concerts.html

George Coleman's 'Amsterdam After Dark' should be seized immediately. I've had it on vinyl since c.1980 - one of my all time favourites. Exciting, muscular, very melodic. If you only know Coleman from the Miles discs, this is the one to go for.

Not nearly as much as I do! My dad's idea of a 'day out' in the early 70s was a trip to Trago Mills to feed the ducks (and buy plastic ceiling tiles which had a habit of detaching themselves from the ceiling and landing in your soup!). I think it was near St. Austell (and how small is St. Austell?...it was one of the 'big towns' we visited from Newquay. When I visited last month it took me three minutes to walk the high street!). I did visit one near Plymouth about fifteen years back to see if I could make peace with my traumatic memories. Didn't work...tacky as ever! Apologies...can never let a chance to relive my Cornish childhood pass.

Lengthy account here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._4_(Shostakovich) It would seem that it was LMofM that got him in real hot water. But he carried on working on No.4 for a time regardless.

On normal IKEA/MFI type bookcases Jazzjet (bet you can get them at Trago Mills!!!!!). By using the occasional clear jewelcase with a label on the spine as a marker ('Ellington 40s', 'Hard Bop Trumpet' etc) I can find what I need.

My memory is of sitting in a school staffroom and saying 'Did you hear Miles Davis died yesterday' and a young colleague asking 'Who's Miles Davis?' Our icons are far from universal.

This has built into a marvellous series that should be of wide interest. I believe the BBC player can be accessed internationally so a thread alerting to the upcoming programmes seems apposite. Unfortunately the new Betty Carter programme with Christine Tobin commenting isn't up (yet?). But there's a good rebroadcast of an earlier programme on Duke Ellington from 1940. Shipton talks with Pete Long who runs a UK Ellington tribute band. Has some interesting things to say: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007tbdl

Is it just me...or the UK...but e-music has been inaccessible since last night. Also strange - most of the ECMs mentioned earlier have vanished. A random 5 remain plus a few more of the New Series. Manfred having second thoughts? Or tied in with the technical problems?

Back in December/January I turfed all my CDs out of their jewel boxes, putting the disc + booklet in plastic sleeves. You just have to take care with the back label - sometimes the info is not duplicated in the booklet (especially track info/timings). I initially stored the boxes in the loft, just in case I regreted the decision, but I plan to get them to a recycling centre soon. No regrets - lots of space saved. It makes finding CDs a bit harder - but I use some of the cases with labels as markers for performers or sub-genres. I bought the sleeves online. This is the UK site I used: http://www.jetmedia.co.uk/wallets.htm I'm sure there are Canadian/US sites providing the same service. I actually prefer the look of the CDs in plastic sleeves - like mini-LPs. I now find jewel boxes look way too chunky.