A Lark Ascending

To the end Peel would go through piles of tapes sent in by hopeful bands looking for something new, something different. He had a habit of moving past bands once they'd made it, using his shows to expose new bands rather than give more publicity to those already established. He had little time for jazz, but even after I lost interest in the music he liked I could still appreciate the spirit of his approach. Why has he been followed by so few radio presenters prepared to put together musical programmes (of whatever musical genre) with such catholicity and integrity?

John Peel shaped my musical taste! I first started listening to his shows in 1970 and was a regular listener until about 1976. To his credit he went on playing the new in rock music when my abiliy to keep up slacked off and stopped. I just remember the early 70s when you could listen to his programme and hear the most amazing range of music - The Faces next to Martin Carthy next to Stone the Crows next to Billy Pig next to Pink Floyd next to Elton Dean next to Ivor Cutler. Thinking back I'm sure my fascination with music crossing genres is rooted in Peel's programmes. In latter years he had a parallel career running a programme called Home Truths, a magazine programme exploring the idiocyncrasies of family life - some hilarious, some tragic. He gained a whole new audience, most of whom wouldn't have known Captain Beefheart from the Archies. Without doubt the best music radio broadcaster I ever came across. Unpretentious, down to earth, real. A huge loss!

Take Kenny's advice. There's a whole new area of jazz (well, new to Northern hemisphere ears) coming out of Australia at present. Some of the most rewarding jazz I've heard this year.

Well done, Duchamp. Exactly what I think of whenever someone starts banging on about 'Art'.

I always take my walkperson and some CDs on trips and find the conjunction of particular music with particular places very affecting. A few examples: Maria Schneider's 'Concert in the Garden' which I played whilst sat in the magnificent gardens in Seville, Cordoba and Granada this year. A few years back I spent a rather dead Sunday afternoon strolling through the streets of Florence with 'We did it, We did it!' by Tiziano Tononi in my ears. Magical! Last month I spend an hour strolling through a very damp, Autumnal St Stephen's Green in Dublin with a Kenny Wheeler/John Taylor disc evoking the mood quite perfectly.

Our Home Secretary sent a letter to all head teachers advising they restrict students having mobile phones in school because of the health dangers. A few days later an education minister announced a wonderful idea to issue teachers with mobile phones so students could phone them in the evenngs and at weekends if they got stuck with their homework! Clearly a plot to kill off the UK teaching profession!

Seems likely. The tiling in the room looks the same.

It was at the Crystal Palace Bowl. A roundish covered stage that they stood within, with a pond in front (presumably to stop us rushing the stage!). In fact here's a pick of the Blockheads at the place a few years later. Those punks were far more badly behaved than we were!

I saw that band at an outdoor concert in London in '75. I remember enjoying it greatly. Maybe I should spring for this CD.

Which single? 'Massive' is a joyous affair and the band are superb live. Worth it for the great version of 'Footprints' alone. A fun record with lots of meat!

'Songs for a Tailor', 'Harmony Row' and 'Things We Like' are all very enjoyable recordings. But to my mind Bruce's finest hour (with or without Cream) are his spotlights on Carla Bley's 'Escalator Over the Hill'. He handles a number of vocals across the six sides and plays bass. The highlights are 'Businessmen' on Side 2 and the breathtaking 'Rawalpindi Blues' on Side 5; both have John McLaughlin in blistering form.

I've never heard the original (I'm more familiar with Wainwright's parents' music!) but agree that this is a very special track. Love the way the bass clarinet moves along beside the trumpet.

Pieranunzi's trio and solo recordings are marvellous. I'd strongly recommend his disc of Wayne Shorter tunes - a huge favourite of mine over recent years.

A great record - iconic status in the UK! There's another version from 1976 with Art Themen on sax and a narrator reading short extracts from the play. I heard that one first after seeing a performance; the Wellins version I came to much later. The Themen version gets little mention (and is currently unavailable) but I love it. There's also a more recent recording from a live gig (again with narration). The Wellins version, however, is the one the fuss is all about. Great disc.

Some details of the live '70s Hatfield CD are now available here: http://www.hatfieldandthenorth.co.uk/ Looks like a mixture of live and BBC recordings. I once had some of those BBC recordings on tape! First of a series they say.

Thanks. That's very helpful. I can certainly hear that difference between her playing on the Chicago disc and Theoria.

Jazz CDs is worth supporting. It's connected to this lot: http://www.bashomusic.co.uk/ Christine Allen who plays a major role in it gets a lot of warm praise from musicians. A great way of accessing and supporting UK jazz beyond the major labels. (p.s. I don't work for them!) Here's a few reviews of Jigsaw: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=14833 http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/sto...1311059,00.html http://www.jazzreview.com/cdreview.cfm?ID=7979 http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/ronnie_scott...otts/151/10.htm

It gets my vote. Sulzmann is one of my favourite UK players - rarely gets a mention in discussions on UK jazz. Interesting, memorable tunes and improvisations that keep you paying attention. Avoids the potential danger of UK-USA collaborations of sounding mid-Atlantic (in my view the Tommy Smith Sextet recording last year suffered from this). The other musicians clearly respect Sulzmann and allow his musical character to shine out on the disc. Tenor, soprano and flute. I have a particular liking for his playing of the latter. All of the reviews I've read so far have been very positive; except one which described it as one of the year's disappointments (Jazzwise, I think). If you like Kenny Wheeler or John Taylor's recordings this one will probably appeal...less atmospheric, more swinging but clearly from the same area of operation. Hopefully someone, somewhere will get around to reissuing Stan's 'On Loan with Gratitude' from the mid-70s. My vinyl is showing its age! I'd also recommend two other recordings featuring Stan prominently: Featuring: Nikki Iles - Piano Stan Sulzmann - Tenor/Soprano Saxophones Mike Outram - Electric Guitar Mick Hutton - Double Bass Anthony Michelli - Drums Liam Noble - piano, Stan Sulzmann - tenor and soprano saxes and flute, Chris Biscoe - alto, soprano sax, alto clarinet, Mick Hutton on bass, Paul Clarvis drums. Sorry - more info than you asked for. Sultzmann is a player I think deserves more attention. Hope this gives you some help in making up your mind. Even if it is totally biased! *********** http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/store/commerce.cgi is a good source for these discs and much contemporary UK jazz. They seem to be having difficulties with online paying at present but have an easy solution on their home page. I've used them alot over the last two years. Very reliable.

Thanks, JAW.

Please take this as a genuine enquiry, JAW. The freer, more experimental end of jazz is an area I only visit occasionally. Generally it confuses me but I keep coming back, partly because I do find things I enjoy and partly just to push my own listening boundaries. A live experience of such music can also enthuse me where records might lose my attention. I've heard little Schweizer beyond the discs I mentioned above. I'm interested in what makes you feel the Chicago disc is better than her other solo discs. What is it about those recordings that qualifies your enthusiasm? As I say, a genuine enquiry, not a challenge to your judgement.

I saw Schweizer and Favre a year or so back at a festival. I went along out of curiosity, expecting something highbrow and severe. Instead I got a delightful concert with the sort of variety mentioned in the first post. I've enjoyed this live solo disc subsequently: She can be heard on two of the London Jazz Composers Orchestra discs: (Sorry David. Overlapped post!)

I really like these: The latter is actually a really enjoyable record despite the 'all-star' setting. There's obviously lots of other Lacy Monk to choose from.

There was a documentary about Prog-Rock on the BBC a few months back. It featured Yes quite prominently. There was a hilarious clip from a tour they did circa 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' where their wardrobe and 'big hair' had all been modelled on the young UK bands of the era - Duran Duran etc. Oh dear!

It's mentioned in the 'Impressed' sleeve notes and I may once have seen a copy in the racks about 25 years ago. Very rare apparently and has Ardley, Norma Winstone, Ian Carr and a whole load of other Brit jazzers doing a 'Bardish' suite, hence the 'Will'. I've recently seen a copy sell for £250 I clearly didn't read the notes carefully enough...it was the small print, your honour. Now you mention it I do recall the Shakespeare reference. I'm really curious to hear some of Michael Garrick's jazz and poetry Argos which don't seem to be among the plans. Poetry And Jazz In Concert 2 LPs 1963 ARGO ZDA 26/27 (UK) Michael GARRICK [piano]; Joe HARRIOTT [alto]; Shake KEANE [trumpet]; John TAYLOR [bass], Colin BARNES [drums], Laurie LEE & Jeremy ROBSON [reader] Before Night/Day LP 1966 ARGO EAF 115 (UK) Michael GARRICK [piano]; Jeremy ROBSON [poet]; Coleridge GOODE [bass] ; Joe HARRIOTT [alto]; Ian CARR [trumpet]; Colin BARNES [drums] Jazz Praises At St Paul's LP 25 Oct 1968 AIRBORNE NBP 0021 (UK) Michael GARRICK [piano]; Joe HARRIOTT [reeds]; Art THEMEN & Jim PHILIP [tenor, clarinet, flute]; Joe HARRIOTT [reeds]; Ian CARR [trumpet, flugelhorn]; Coleridge GOODE [bass]; John MARSHALL [drums]; Chorus of St Michael's - Peter MOUND [conductor]; John SMITH [poet] Poetry And Jazz 2 LPs 1969 ARGO ZPR 264/265 (UK) Michael GARRICK [piano]; Art THEMEN [reeds]; Dave GREEN [bass]; Trevor TOMKINS [drums]; Ian CARR [horn]; Don RENDELL [saxophones]; and seven POETS Mr Smith's Apocalypse LP 1971 ARGO ZAGF 1 (UK) Michael GARRICK [organ]; Don RENDELL [flute, saxophones]; Art THEMEN [flute, clarinet, saxophones]; Henry LOWTHER [trumpet, flugelhorn]; Coleridge GOODE [bass]; Trevor TOMKINS [drums], Norma WINSTONE [vocals]; John SMITH & George MURCELL & Betty MULCAHY [speech]; CHORUS [Taken from a full list of Garrrick's LP recordings here: http://www.jazzscript.co.uk/extra/garricklps.htm] Not a complaint. Six of these long lost recording brought back to life is a treat in itself.

My advice would be that if this music isn't connecting, leave it alone. The fact that a recording or set of recordings is highly regarded doesn't mean everyone has to like it. The chances are that at some point you'll hear the music in a different context, when you're not expecting it and something will click. Come back to it then. If it doesn't, so what? There's so much wonderful music out there you'll never be without something that makes sense.