sidewinder

Now on - Andrew Hill 'Lift Every Voice' (BN Liberty blue/white, stereo)

and 'Estuarians' !

Buffalo Springfield Homer Simpson Socrates

Cooler but incredibly clear this morning. I was up in the Midlands yesterday and it got better the further South you went.

'The Wit and Wisdom of Ronald Reagan' on Stiff Records?

Never seen The Unthanks ! (although they did do the Bath Fest this year). Saw Gilad earlier this year at Swanage. Absolutely no politics that I could detect - lots of cutting contests though with various front lines. He was on very good form indeed. I think I've talked myself into going to this gig.

Chevy Chase Chavvy Vicky Pollard The Man From Del Monte

I obviously waited too long..

Gilad's playing locally tomorrow night. I'm thinking of going along - he's always worth checking out. In a village hall, no less !

All the best !

Mr Sid Mr Ed Honest Ed

That Jacquet is a great set !

Wasn't it to somewhere crazy like Halifax, West Yorks that he ended up living? Astonishing !

RIP Buddy. What a shame - I heard him reminisce about the Central Avenue scene of the 40s on one occasion at a panel session. Certainly came across as a very nice guy. Must have a re-read of his bio.

No kidding ! Rare and superb.

Sounds like this is one LP for which you need to substitute the Patton Mosaic ! Fortuitously, it's the only Patton Blue Note that I've never had on the vinyl.

Some interesting recollections there - and for sure we all seem to have been born at about the right time. My mother was in the industrial NE coast during the blitz and she regularly used the air raid shelters at night. Her recollections mentioned lots of noise and frantic activity around the anti-air guns near the shelter, which were protecting the docks. My late Uncle had apparently was in hospital at the start of the Battle of Britain having his tonsils out and aparently mentioned (and anything he said I would believe 100% without hesitation) that whilst in bed recovering he heard an aircraft 'dog fight' outside the hospital which he subsequently concluded (based on the timing) must have been the first German aircraft shot down in WW2, near Danby Beacon, by Group Capt Peter Townsend of 'Princess Margaret' fame. Incredible ! Story here (under 'Heritage'): First Dog Fight

Wish I'd recorded that. I know White Waltham airfield near Maidenhead quite well and spent some time working some years ago at the old aircraft plant at Hamble ! (used to be the Supermarine plant) I like the bit about the woman pilot who went partying every night without fail in the West End after an exhausting day of 'ferrying'. She sounds formidable.

Yes, saw that BBC4 Battle of Britain night last night and recorded most of it to the HDD off Freeview. Glad I did. That programme on the building of the Wellington Bomber at Vickers, Broughton (now an Airbus plant) within 24 hours was outstanding. Not least that many of the workforce were women who were laid-off as soon as hostilities ceased. Reminded me of flying over the old Avro satellite factory at Yeadon, Yorks as a kid - even back in the 60s the site was still camouflaged and quite difficult to pick out as it was mainly covered/underground. They built many, many Lancasters there. Not to mention that my classroom back in the 60s still had the old WW2 blackout curtains 'in situ' and some of the older staff shuffled around with war wounds problems. What I didn't comprehends at the time was that WW2 was still fairly recent history - but for me it at the time with my pre-teen mindset it seemed like another age. The Battle of Britain was certainly a key strategic turning point of WW2. It was 1942 before things improved on the home front but this was definitely the turning point. Also a mesterstroke of sending those few Wellington & Hampden Bombers over to Berlin during 40/41 (incredible bravery of those crews). Apparantly the little dictator flew into a fury over that.

Garth Wayne The Green Knight Green Cross Code Man Dave Prowse Jaws

'Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins' (HMV, mono)

Don't think so. I agree - a good one, even though it does occupy the MOR part of the spectrum and is more of a 'Boland with strings plus trombone' feature. 3DM must have been around the $4-5 mark 30 years ago.

Luther Pendragon Merlin Gawain

Buddy Rich Animal Nigel

Uncle Ernie Ernie Wise Eric Morecambe (who else..)