Monday, October 28, 2024

WELCOME TO CRISPYCAT...

WELCOME TO CRISPYCAT RECORDINGS
We issue the solo and collaborative work of musician, broadcaster and abstract artist
DAVID REILLY

DIARY

This main page contains Cloudland Blue : A Diary, with daily entries since 5 March 2005 (scroll down for the latest entries).

The diary is up to date as at Friday 24 October

Currently, 151 days are "picture only" entries, across 6 periods:-
2005 (5): 8-12 September (5)
2016 (3): 15-17 October (3)
2022 (85): 18 April - 10 May (23); 6 July - 5 September (62)
2023 (58): 21 September - 15 October (25); 18 October - 19 November (33)

It is always the intention to update "picture only" days with the relevant text but doing so is, of course, subject to opportunity (and, indeed, memory!)

ABOUT    NEWS    MUSIC    BROADCASTS    ART    RECOMENDED LISTENING

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SCHEDULED LIVE PERFORMANCES

            

Planned performances include both solo, as Cloudland Blue Quartet, presenting sets of either songs or soundscapes, and group, with the current line up of David's 1980 new wave band, Capital Models, currently playing covers (from Elvis to Tay Tay).  At present there are no plans for his electronic improvisational quartet, Creek, to play live...

Current scheduled appearances are as follows:-

Saturday 9 November 2024, 1:20pm - Cloudland Blue Quartet
Switched On Electronic Music Weekender, Flowergate Hall, Whitby, YO21 3BB

Repertoire: 40 Minute Soundscape Set "Live Suite 2024/25"
(Studio Version to be released 1 November 2024 on Bandcamp)

Available on the Day: 35 signed and numbered Live Suite CDs, each CD coming with its own exclusive content:-

Live Suite 2024/25
One of 35 unique versions of “Live Suite 2024/25”, unavailable elsewhere, comprising:-
a rehearsal performance of the suite, or
an alternative studio mix of the piece, or
a unique improvised version of the work

Elements
One or more of 70 elements used in the suite

Sources
One or more of 42 source recordings, whose elements are featured in the piece

Bonus
One of 35 bonus soundscapes, from across the extensive Cloudland Blue Quartet back catalogue, from 1996-2024

 

Saturday 29th March 2025, 8:00pm - Capital Models
Leith Dockers, 17 Academy Street, Edinburgh, EH6 7EE

Repertoire: 3 sets of top covers, from Elvis to Taylor Swift


Saturday 24th May 2025, 8:00pm - Capital Models
Leith Dockers, 17 Academy Street, Edinburgh, EH6 7EE

Repertoire: 3 sets of top covers, from Elvis to Taylor Swift


In addition to these, there are these further possible appearances...

Occasional Thursdays, 8:00pm - Cloudland Blue Quartet
Out of the Bedroom, Safari Lounge, 21 Cadzow Place, Edinburgh EH7 5SN

Repertoire: 3 song acoustic set (if attempting to secure a slot the date will be added here)


CRISPYCAT RECORDINGS ON BANDCAMP

To go to the Bandcamp discographies of these Crispycat related artists, click on an icon.

                    

Crispycat Recordings released the first 25 Cloudland Blue Quartet albums (recorded between 1996 and 2012) to Bandcamp in 2013.

A further 8 LPs were released between 2013 and 2019.

Then, with the advent of lockdown, David spent much more time on new Cloudland Blue Quartet works, with the result that, since May 2020, new music has been released almost every month, with some 60 releases having been issued over the last four and a half years.

At present, there are 14 further releases in the pipeline (see below) which will take matters through to August 2025.

This will take the total of Cloudland Blue Quartet releases available on Bandcamp to beyond 100.

Retrospective releases by David's groups Creek and Capital Models have also been issued over the years and these are set to continue with around 50 in the works all told, the next batch of which are due out at end October 2024...

CURRENT RELEASE SCHEDULE

Wednesday 30 October 2024
Capital Models: The 2011 Reunion Sessions Vol 2 (Archive Release)

Thursday 31 October 2024
Creek: Creek XIX (1998​-​11​-19) (Archive Release)

 

Friday 1 November 2024
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Live Suite 2024/25 (Soundscape Live Suite LP)

Friday 6 December 2024
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Disquietmusik VIII (Soundscape Guitar Based LP)

 

Friday 13 December 2024
Sombre Reptiles & Cloudland Blue Quartet: Decades (Song Compilation)

Friday 20 December 2024
Sombre Reptiles: Songs of the Sombre Reptiles 1980-1995 (Song Compilation)

     

Tuesday 24 December 2024
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Twentytwentyfour: The Originals (Compilation of 2024 Releases)

Tuesday 31 December 2024
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Twentytwentyfour (Compilation of Rare and Previously Unreleased 2024 Recordings)

     

Friday 7 February 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Variations on Brian Eno's "Discreet Music" (Soundscape Variations LP)

Friday 7 March 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Wrexham (Soundscape Piano & Guitar Based LP)

    

Friday 4 April 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Dissolution V (Soundscape Piano Based LP)

Saturday 12 April 2025 (Record Store Day)
Cloudland Blue Quartet: GLAM! III (RSD Special: Covers LP)

 

Friday 2 May 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Variations on Brian Eno's "On Land" (Soundscape Variations LP)

Friday 6 June 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Strand (Soundscape Piano & Synthesiser Based LP)

       

Friday 4 July 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Gould (Soundscape Composers LP)

Friday 1 August 2025
Cloudland Blue Quartet: Variations on Fripp & Eno (Soundscape Variations LP)

   
(All Subject to Change)

In addition, a further 20 retrospective releases by Creek are planned between now and mid 2026 along with a further 24 from Capital Models over the same period...


BROADCASTS

David produces a weekly podcast on Mixcloud, reflecting his esoteric taste in music and encouraging listeners to broaden their musical horizons.

Since 2014, over 700 editions of the "Cloudland Blue Eclectic Selection" have been recorded.  Unfortunately, only the most recent 10 are able to be made available on the Mixcloud platform.

To obtain an MP3 download link for any currently unavailable Cloudland Blue Quartet Eclectic Selection, simply e-mail your request to crispycat@hotmail.com.

Click on the pic to go to Mixcloud...


Friday, October 25, 2024

How much new music do you need everyday...

Playlist
King Crimson - Red (2024 Elemental Mix)
Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra & Alexandra Arrieche - Another Seven Symphonies: a symphonic tribute to Beatles music
Rutger Zuydervelt - Meander (music for a performance by Marta & Kim, Knot on Hands, and Felix Zech)
Rutger Zuydervelt - Banzo (music for a film by Margarida Cardoso)
Ian Hunter & The Rant Band - All the Young Dudes (Live)
Rutger Zuydervelt - Banzo (music for a film by Margarida Cardoso)
Karlheinz Stockhausen - Kontakte
Piatti Quartet/Clare Hammond - Future Classics
Mike Taylor Quartet - Pendulum
Jean-Luc Ponty - Enigmatic Ocean
Craven Faults - Bounds

Up and to today's new releases...


First thing I was after was the new "Elemental" mix of King Crimson's "Red"...

Unable to download, I had to resort to playing it on Spotify and recording it in real time - which worked...

While that was happening, loads of other new stuff was also partaken of ...

Les Arts Florissants; three discs of Czech music from 1972; rediscovered Anonymous violin concertos; Beatles "symphonies"; Chamber music by Frederich Bloch...

The new one from Craven Faults (my LP of the Day); a new one from bassist Avishai Cohen (as opposed to the trumpeter Avishai Cohen); piano music of Chick Corea; Eno covers by Bruce Brubaker...

The new one from Hammock; new to me act, Halsey; Bryan Senti & Dom Bouffard; a couple of discs by Caroline Shaw; a solo LP by Dutch contemporary dance soundtrack maestro, Rutger Zuydervelt (aka Machinefabriek)...

Geordie Greep from Black Midi; two new albums by Nicolas Jaar; the new 5CD retrospective box by Bryan Ferry; the new Bon Iver EP; the new Tears for Fears live LP, including four new studio tracks...

A piano disc by the Labèque sisters with Bryce Dessner of The National on DG; the new Underworld; a Motorhead late period singles compilation; free jazz from TRAINING...

And, the first thing I saw this morning, a new acoustic mix of Alice Cooper's 1974 single, "Teenage Lament '74"...

With all of that added to the "library", breakfast time - coffee and toast...


Some work on the podcasts to be uploaded over the weekend...

Moving around the furniture in an attempted further tidy of the back room...

Then, out and a walk down the hill, with Anne, to the Post Office, re stuff re mum...

Our reward was coffee and cake (Chocolate Salted Caramel Cake and Pecan Pie Loaf) at Costa Coffee...


Post that, bread and custard shopping and a walk along the main drag of the town, including visits to a couple of charity shops - nothing for me but a wee Highland Cow diary for Anne for her bag for next year...

A look through the CDs at Almond River Records before coming back up the hill, resulted in a four for £10 scenario (come on Dave, you just downloaded 30 hours of new music a couple of hours ago?)...


I was pretty sure I already had this but, no, I didn't...

Result...


This should be interesting...


This, a freebie for investors in an Investment Trust back in the day, will be top...


...and you can't go wrong with London Baroque playing Corelli and Purcell...

Can you?

No...


Some ripping and listening ensued...

Then, protracted phone calls to an insurance company re my mum - seemingly sorted but, as a result thereof, a further problem arises...

Such is the way when sorting out the affairs of a dearly departed mum...

Lunch on completion of this task - accompanied by "Sister Boniface" - the beauty queen episode, last in the series - pretty sure neither of us realised we've just watch the 10 episode re-run of season 1 - which, to be fair, we did not see first time round, back in 2022...

A discussion (as ever), on the BlueSky re LPs v CDs...

"I've never found an LP that sounded better than a CD. Surface noise, pops & clicks. Last new LP I bought (because at the time there was no CD) was Eno's "RAMS". Arrived, sealed. Opened, played. Surface noise, pops & clicks. Luckily it had a link to download the WAVs, which I did and burned to a CD-R"

My online correspondent suggested I should buy a record cleaning machine for £300.  Erm, no...

"I appreciate your efforts to convert me back vinyl. I used to have a massive record collection - down to just three shelves now and five big boxes of 7"ers. One of the reasons I prefer CDs to records is I don't need to buy a machine to clean them, because they play perfectly. Even when dirty or scratched"

 However, I did end up playing this LP - after looking back at my diary (this here thing you're reading) for around this time 15 years ago - when I bought this for £3 while at a record fair with Count Brodski...

It did actually sound pretty good...


...until I noted the odd pop, crackle and click - then, I had to switch to the MP3 of my CD...

Every...

Single...

Time...

It's CDs for me...

Late afternoon, I put together the first of the four podcasts to be uploaded prior to the latest which will be recorded on Monday night and out on Tuesday...

This will be the new regime...

A playlist of 25 Tracks, comprising:-

"Album of the Week" - 1 track

Other "Albums of the Day" for the week - 6 tracks

"CBQ Related" - 3 tracks - if none, or fewer, add extra slots to the "other new things" section

"Single of the Week" (if there is one) - 1 track - if none, add slot to the "other new things" section

Other "Singles of the Week" (if there are any) - 4 tracks - if none, or fewer, add extra slots to the "other new things" section

Best 10 "Other New Things" (CDs & Downloads) - 10 tracks - but up to 18 depending on slots from other sections

Done, dusted...

Superb lamb stew/chili from the EP, expertly cooked while I podcasted...

Which is more useful?

Hmmm...

I think we all know...

Apples (from Lynn's garden) with custard followed...

And, today, Anne's Pickleball pack arrived...


TV for this evening (with podcast listening back sessions slotted in between, when the occasion arose) comprised the last in the series of "All Creatures Great and Small", "Have I Got News For You" and "The Cleaner"...

Then back upstairs to do the next podcast - 60 minutes to produce a 90 minute show...

Listening back pre, and in, bed...

Just prior to hitting the sack, here the rearranged room...



That's plenty...

Highlight of the Day : Out with Anne...

Today's New Music:-

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Going, going, quite probably about to be gone, reasonably soon...

Playlist
Rorem - Winter Pages/Bright Music
theAdelaidean - Distant Objects in Soft Focus
Efterklang - Things We Have in Common
NilĂĽfer Yanya - My Method Actor
Kate Nash - 9 Sad Symphonies
Jason Stein - Anchors
Ulver - Locusts
Ill Considered - Infrared
The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy: Acoustics & Covers
Earthside - Let The Truth Speak
Obradovic-Tixier Duo - A Piece of Yesterday
Grand Electric - Dawn
ChromaDuo - What I Saw in the Water
Gunhild Seim & Time Jungle - Morpho
Starterra - Whispers of the Void
Jelly Roll - Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up The Pieces)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - GLAM! III (Demo Version)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - GLAM! FOUR (Demo Version)
Cloudland Blue Quartet - 2024-10-15 Demos
BIG SPECIAL & John Grant - STAY DOWN, LAZARUS (Single)
Glacis - This Darkness From Which We Cannot Run
BADBADNOTGOOD - Mid Spiral
William Tyler - Future Myths
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Live Suite 2024/25 Catalogue
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Live Suite 2024/25 Elements
Various - The Wire Tapper 66 (11/24)
KMRU - forge
Mardit B. Lleshi - Monumenta
Kiko Loureiro - Theory of Mind
Constant Little Ghost - The Yellow Knife
r beny - discerned in the fugue of streams

Foreboding skies...


It wasn't that early...


New back window view...


Later, along the books...


Two rehearsals first thing, the first of those, un-cued - a bit of a mess - the second, played with cues, as per what will be the performance...

Just a couple to go until I have the 35 I need re the one-off CDs...

Breakfast...


Some BlueSky chat re Ned Rorem - I have one stand alone CD and his music is featured on three others...


Out to my mum's to pick up some correspondence and gauge what still needs to be done...

That would be plenty, that's what that would be...

Found this pic of my dad, aged around two or three perhaps...


Cute wee man...

Took pics of his cassettes, a few of which were made by me, thirty years ago...






Anne liked this of my mum's pendants - and so, it will continue to be worn...


A drive up to Rosewell to check out the auction today...


Very enjoyable - most of the lots were bought online, going for £20 to £40 with the odd outlier (£150 for a modern sewing machine type thing? Hmmm) - very few of the 500 odd lots did not sell...


The balloon lady in this one, was one of three figurines that went for just £25 - my mum's lady was one of her prized possessions, which she always thought was very valuable...


Hmmm...

A drive to The Paper Mill at Lasswade...

We sat at this table for a celebratory lunch when I was 60...


Sparkling water today...


Cullen Skink to start for me...


Anne enjoyed some of the accompanying cheese scone...

Fish and chips for me...


For Anne, a tasty burger...


...followed by Coconut Chocolate Tort...


..of which I enjoyed a small piece...

Note for the future - order Cullen Skink and the Tort - that will be plenty...

No tea required...

Home and Anne polished a nice silver platter from mum's - likely, like most of her stuff, to go back to the auction house...





Then, she was off to visit her mum, followed by Hearts' European tie against a side from Cyrus - a glorious 2-0 win at Tynecastle for the JTs...

Me?

I recorded the links for four podcasts - I will get them up to date over the weekend...

Also today, we finished off the 10 episodes of Season Three of "The Lincoln Lawyer", which ended on a nice wee cliff-hanger which, hopefully, will see it return...

Highlight of the Day : Lunch with Annie...

Today's New Music:-