Kaffee und Kuchen...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal
Sonny Clark – Dial S For Sonny
Telemann - Tafelmusik
The Dears – Gang of Losers
Weather Report – Sweetnighter
Miles Davis & John Coltrane – Rarities 1955-58
Paul van Nevel & Huelgas Ensemble – In Musica Vivarte

Worked for three full hours first thing this morning on just one existing track for the new album – to very little avail I can tell you – such is the way...

Compare that with last Sunday night, when I wrote and recorded an entire new song in the same period...

An album by Sonny Clark arrived in the mail from e-bay., “Dial S for Sonny” – and we listened to this as we made and ate breakfast...

Also in the post, an invite to an opening of an art exhibition at Scotlandart.com – posted on 23 March, 2nd class granted – but the event was two days ago...

After breakfast, I looked through the programme for this year’s Edinburgh Festival and marked off around 17 performances I’d like to see...

Whittled them down to around 10 and fully intend purchasing seats for them all when tickets go on sale, but we shall see. Of course I will look to attend concerts later this year by Alice Cooper, Rush, Marillion, Icon and Asia too..

My mum called to find out when we were planning on going out to see her today – she called last night to say she needed me to go out and set up her new “all in one” remote control...

So we headed out there – listening to The Dears as we drove – which Anne succinctly adjudged as “crap”...

After toiling for a while trying to programme mum’s new remote control, it occurred to me to check the batteries in the “broken” one...

Problem solved..

On our way back home, we stopped off at Falko Konditormeister at Brunstsfield and bought a couple of slices of cake and some lovely bread...



Back home, Kaffee und Kuchen for lunch...



In the afternoon I worked again on the album and, again, to little avail...

Not to worry, these days happen...

Queen of the South thrashed Clyde 1-0 away from home after last Sunday’s 0-0 draw with the same opponents at Palmerston. Hamilton on Tuesday next – looks like the Great Escape is on again this season...

Harry Hill’s TV Burp is accompanied by a tasty curry for tea and then, highlight of the day, the return of Dr Who. Though it easily knocks the likes of “Primeval” and “Torchwood” into the proverbial cocked hats, and it is great and exciting – it’s never really as good as I expect it to be...

Then, an hour sorting out my jazz CDs, reintegrating all the Blue Note discs I took out and ordered by session date a couple of weeks ago...

The night is rounded off with “live” episodes of “CSI NY”, “Law & Order” and the end of “Match of the Day”...

Highlight of the Day : The return of Dr Who...

R.I.P....

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
First House - Cantilena
Telemann - Tafelmusik

All day today and, if the truth be told, all this week, my mind kept falling back to the fate of Meg the Black Cat’s former partner in crime, the wee fluffy cat, Pandy. For today was her last day...



She has had a long and happy life but is now very ill with a large tumour in her tummy. Meg’s ex mum Julia has had to make the harrowing decision to have Pandy put down....

I know only too well how Julia must be feeling today – five years ago, I had to take our own cat, Crispy, to be put to sleep and the memory of that day still haunts me to this...

But, in the big scheme of things, life goes on and, indeed, death comes to us all at some point...

So, live every day as if it were your last...

It appears, on my last day, I may well be found in the jazz/classical dept at HMV looking for CDs which I don’t really need. Today, I bought a 4CD box of Telemann’s complete “Tafelmusik”...

And, back home, a parcel from e-bay, the first of a few – the result of an ongoing spree on the devil’s own auction tool...

It’s a disc from 1989, the existence of which I was totally unaware until I searched for CDs by Django Bates...

Anne was out tonight with her mum and sister for a meal and a visit to the cinema..

So, while I listened to this new jazz CD, I made what I must declare to be the best Spaghetti Bolognese I’ve ever made (some might say that’s not saying much)....

I used veggie mince and cooked the sauce just right...

Mmmm, mmmm....

While I ate, I watched tonight’s Corrie with Meg the Black Cat then retired to the computer to work on the new CBQ album – forgetting all about the Hawkwind documentary on BBC 4 I’d ringed to watch...

Idiot!

Lowlight of the Day : Pandy’s last day...

Loser...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
Tupelo Honey – 89-93 An Anthology
The Dears – Gang of Losers

To Fopp at lunchtime, with, as is mostly the case, nothing firm in mind...

Ended up buying two of their £3 offers, Tupelo Honey’s anthology and The Dears’ last album “Gang of Losers”...

Back home, on listening, Tupelo Honey disappoints – sounds like an “in-tune” Pogues, whom I hate – and nothing like Jeff Tweedy’s subsequent band, Wilco...

The Dears album has its moments...



On tape, a “CSI : NY” is followed by two episodes of “Law & Order” then the end of “Question Time”. “This Week” rounds off the uneventful evening...

Highlight of the Day : Probably “Law & Order”....

Nothing in particular...

Playlist
The Cure – Disintegration
The Cure – Bloodflowers
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
Various – Blue Box : Best of Blue Note (CD 4)
Various – Music 1957-2007 (CD 1)

I am stalking an external hard drive...

Just thought I’d let you know...

An e-mail today from my old footballing buddy, Big Colin, led me to his YouTube performance of Abba’s “Take a Chance on Me” – check out the dark horse here...

Watched most of the first half of the Scotland v Italy game whilst listening to the Blue Note Box Set which arrived last week...

I’m not really one for watching footie on the telly though and lost interest after about thirty minutes, preferring to waste my time on the net instead, surfing e-bay for the last few Uriah Heep studio albums I don’t have, reading the message board on Out of the Bedroom and checking my e-mails...

Some cover ideas for Creek’s 10th Anniversary 4CD set “1.0.0” from fellow Creek-ster Mr Stu Cobley have arrived...

Here’s a wee collage (it doesn’t show the full pics though)...



With all the excitement of the football (Italy 2 Scotland 0), we forgot to record “Coronation St” and we watched this week’s “Desperate Housewives” last week on E4 – so no regular telly tonight, though we did stay up to watch the Corrie repeat at 11:30 on ITV 3...

Highlight of the Day : Still enjoying the mock up of the new CBQ CD...

One man army...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Ersatzreal
The Cure – Pornography
The Cure – Disintegration
Paul Chambers Sextet – Whims of Chambers
Grant Green - Am I Blue
Lee Morgan - Candy
Hank Mobley - The Flip

First up, forgot to mention the great scene in last night's "Law & Order : Criminal Intent" where the "Johnny Seven Gun" was demonstrated in all its glory...

This is a toy I had in the mid sixties that you can read about here...

Here're some images I found on the net...



If you're a person of a certain age, maybe you had one too...

My four recently purchased on e-bay Blue Note jazz CDs arrived - managed to listen to two of them in their entirety and excerpts from the other two. Despite my fears for the Mobley disc (based on online reviews), it's excellent...

Lee Morgan provided the soundtrack for the washing up, while Mr Mobley accompanied my e-bay surf tonight (I'm watching some more stuff)...

Other listening today comprised, of course, the latest mock-up of the forthcoming CBQ album - I am making mental notes of work to be carried out - mental notes which will soon have to be written down and then acted upon.....

Then the first two of three The Cure albums which apparently form a loose trilogy, a DVD of which is available at your local music store....

On telly - a taped "Ugly Betty", "Life on Mars" live and tonight's "CSI" also taped...

Highlight of the Day : Remembering the Johnny Seven Gun (OMA)...

Pandy...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Ersatzreal

Listened back today to fifteen of the eighteen pieces I now have for my next album – the ones on the jukebox...

Back home, while Anne aerobicked, I put together a mock up of all 18 tracks, 17 songs and an instrumental title track...

Though there’s still much work to do, it’s really starting to come together...

Two episodes of “Coronation St” tonight and Tracey Barlow’s trial has started at last (last night she confessed her guilt to her mother, Deirdre and the latter’s now in a quandary about taking the stand to testify for her daughter)...

Then Friday’s “Law & Order : Cirminal Intent” – oh yes, great stuff...

Not so great was the very sad news that Meg the Black Cat’s old partner in crime, Pandy the Fluffy Slasher Cat is not very well at all and is going to be put to sleep this week – poor wee beastie...

Here’s a pic of Pandy...



Highlight of the Day : Album taking shape...

Musicking etc...

Playlist
Various - Tracks which are 2-3 minutes long...
Cloudland Blue Quartet – The Angels’ Kiss/Lights Out

Thought I was up early but, of course, the clocks went forward last night, robbing me of an hour...

First thing, I took some tracks lasting between 2 and 3 minutes from the jukebox to the hard drive to refill the two little MP3 players I bought last week, deleting their current contents...

Then along to the shops for some rolls and back home to cook the breakfast as Anne visited her favourite Hearts websites...

Then I burned a 22 track CD containing 16 songs, of some of which I have two distinct versions, for the next CBQ album, “Ersatzreal”...

Used this pic from yesterday as a cover...



Then I played along with it, including my new song which is now my favourite...

By the time I’d finished it was 4:30pm and time to go to Anne’s mum’s...

Jane, Bobby, Olie and Kitty weren’t there today so it was a bit less frantic, mad and noisy..

Nephew Craig is starting work experience soon as a trainee producer at local Radio Station Talk 107 to which I introduced him last year when he was looking to interview a “mover/shaker” in radio – I know one of the directors and was able to get Craig an “in” with the station manager...

Keith liked his CDs...

Back home by 9 for Anne to see some Jane Austen thing on TV...

I spent three hours writing and recording my second song of the weekend “Lights Out” – tasty...

Highlight of the Day : Songwriting and recording...

Walkin' and writin'...

Playlist
Various – The Blue Box : Blue Note’s Best
Sonny Rollins – Plus 4
Lou Reed – Berlin
Lou Reed – Rock’n’Roll Animal
Jackie McLean – Various Albums
Mark Hollis – Mark Hollis
Talk Talk – Missing Pieces
Plus
Tracks from 100 “Good” Albums:-
Asia - Asia
Jellyfish – Bellybutton
Radiohead – Hail to the Thief
Rheostatics – Introducing Happiness
Rheostatics – Melville
Cockney Rebel – The Psychomodo
UK – UK
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
Plus
Dennis Chambers – Outbreak
Wayne Shorter – High Life

Up early on a bright and cold Saturday morning...

I set about burning some CDs for brother-in-law Keith and making up the covers too – listening to some of the music as I went along not to mention the new jazz acquired yesterday...

By the time we’d had our home made breakfast, it was almost midday..

We drove along to Roseburn and parked the car and then walked along the water of Leith to Stockbridge – it took around 40 minutes and what a delightful walk it was – the scenery was very impressive....

At Stockbridge, I popped in to the Oxfam Music Shop while Anne bought some flowers for the house. I picked up two more CDs – saxophonist Wayne Shorter and drummer Dennis Chambers...

Then we looked for somewhere for coffee and a sandwich and found a wee Italian place in St Stephen’s St – Sprio & Co...

Very tasty...

The sun was shining, the sky was blue – a good day...

Then the walk back along to Roseburn – Anne was tuned into the pre match radio for the Scotland v Georgia game, while I listened to tracks from my 100 Good Albums playlist...

Back home, Anne listened to the game on the radio while I tuned in to Messrs Shorter and Chambers – funky – then perused the works of Gentle Giant, Jellyfish, Rheostatics and The Blue Nile on YouTube...

In the evening, Anne watched “Dancing on Ice” while I picked up the old geetar and wrote a new song, “The Angels’ Kiss”...

Worked on that for most of the rest of the evening, until the highlights of the footie Scotland won ugly 2-1 while England played out a dismal draw in Israel – oh dear...

Highlight of the Day : A walk along the waterside...

Doppelganger...

Playlist
Tracks from 100 “Good” Albums:-
David Sylvian – Gone to earth
Marillion – Anoraknophobia
Roxy Music – Stranded
Brian Eno – Another Green World
David Bowie - “Heroes”
Robert Fripp – Exposure
Alice Cooper – Love it to Death
Craig Armstrong – As If to Nothing
The Cure – Disintegration
John Wetton – Battle Lines
Spock’s Beard – Day For Night
Genesis – Foxtrot
Rush – Hemispheres
Sparks – Kimono My House
David Bowie – Low
Icehouse – Man of colours
Jon Anderson – Olias of Sunhillow
Mick Ronson – Slaughter on 10th Avenue
Plus
Bach – Brandenburg Concertos
Various – The Blue Box : Blue Note’s Best
Sonny Rollins – Plus 4

Just the one jazz CD this Friday – Sonny Rollins’ “Sonny Rollins Plus 4”, which was the album of which I read a review on All About Jazz which prompted me to listen to Mr Rollins last night...



Back home and the postie had put my Blue Note Box Set inside the catflap which was very kind, as it meant I wouldn’t have to go to collect it tomorrow morning...

Listened to most of the first two discs before we left the house for a night out with old chum Alan McLaren and his wife Eileen. Alan was our Commercial Solicitor back in the days of Reptile Records and is one of the few people I know with a music collection as large, if not larger, than my own...

We had a few beers/G&Ts in Thompsons on Morrison St before heading up to an Indian place called Ghandi’s – which Anne and I once frequented in its previous life as a Mexican...

One of Alan’s client’s, a fruit and veg supplier, recommended it to us...

The food was excellent – including a liver curry, something Anne and I hadn’t seen before...

Then back to the pub for a few nightcaps, where Alan and Eileen regaled us with stories of their exploits as rabid Celtic season ticket holders - includng their various trips to Europe...

Alan is my Doppelganger – he looks a bit like me, we both have big music collections and we’re both musicians – I, however, am not a solicitor...

We discovered other traits we share too but I can’t mention them here...

A taxi home and Mr Rollins on the cans...

An enjoyable night out...

Highlight of the Day : Catching up with my lawyer...

The creator has a master plan...

Playlist
Tracks from 100 “Good” Albums:-
Rheostatics – 2067
Eels – Blinking Lights and Other Revelations
Emerson Lake & Palmer – Brain Salad Surgery
Uriah Heep – Demons and Wizards
Genesis – Foxtrot
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Love’s a Prima Donna
Die Fehlfarben – Monarchie und Alltag
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black
Radiohead – OK Computer
The Cure – Pornography
Pink Floyd – The Final Cut
Cockney Rebel – The Human Menagerie
King Crimson – Thrak
Genesis – Wind and Wuthering
The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sparks – Hello Young Lovers
Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets
Die Fehlfarben – Die Platte des himmlischen Friedens
Plus
Sonny Rollins – The Freelance Years (5CD Set)

Called James Jamieson today to see if he’d be up for the 250th OOTB tonight but he advised he was going to Tynecastle for a night out with his football club – so I was going to head along on my own but, when push came to shove, I stayed in...

Instead I bid for some jazz CDs on e-bay (having sought out and rejected the Sun Ra disc today at HMV)...

I was successful on these four...



I found out later, whilst perusing the reviews on Amazon, that at least one of them has been deemed a real klunker...

Can you guess which one:-
Paul Chambers - Whim of Chambers
Lee Morgan - Candy
Grant Green - Am I Blue
Hank Mobley - Flip

I’ll still approach them all with an open mind though...

Then, inspired by a review of an album on All About Jazz, I enjoyed listening to some Sonny Rollins music recorded between 1956 and 1958 when, apparently, he was at his creative peak - man, cool jazz...

These days, not working on my music and not performing, I feel like I’m just frittering my time away – and time is a precious commodity....

But, am I really wasting my time if I’m listening to music which is so much better than anything I could ever hope to create?

Highlight of the day : Successful bidding on e-bay

You can never have too many gadgets...

Playlist
Tracks from 100 "Good" Albums:-
Neal Morse - ?
Yes – 90125
Brian Eno – Apollo
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Earthworks
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Emerson Lake & Palmer
Yes – Fragile
King Crimson – In the Court of the Crimson King
Alice Cooper – Killer
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Love’s A Prima Donna
King Crimson – Red
Roxy Music – Roxy Music
Simple Minds – Sons and Fascination
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black
Yes – Tales From Topographic Oceans
Sylvian Fripp – The First Day
Gentle Giant – The Power and the Glory
Pink Floyd – The Wall
Emerson Lake & Palmer – Trilogy
Alice Cooper – Welcome To My Nightmare
Rheostatics – Whale Music
David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust
plus
Donald Byrd – Royal Flush
Sun Ra – Nothing Is
Abdullah Ibrahim - Good News from Africa
Sonny Sharrock - Space Ghost
King Crimson - Live : March 14, 2003

As I type tonight, I am listening to a track from this album....



...a track I downloaded in the early hours of this morning from Destination Out (see links). The music on the album was recorded in 1966 but not released until 1970....

It’s superb stuff and certainly knocks the Beach Boys (who, apparently, recorded their best ever album in 1966) into a cocked hat...

I am on the lookout for some more Sun Ra now - I’m sure I saw a 2CD set from around the same period recently at HMV...

The usual Wednesday night fayre as I took in “Coronation St” and “Desperate Housewives”, with a surf in between and the playing of a couple of tunes, just in case I decide to wander along to Out of the Bedroom tomorrow night – it’s the 250th night of the songwriters’ club...

I must phone James Jamieson to see if he’s going – he played one song last week according to the review which arrived in my inbox today...

Also in the inbox, a mail from one of my old 5 a side footie chums, explaining how to get a free i-Pod – so I’m having a go at that – despite Anne’s assertion that I already have too many gadgets...

Too many gadgets? Can there be such a position to be in?

Also in the inbox tonight a comment from one Mr Pablo thanking me for introducing him to Donald Byrd...

"Thank you for reading" is what I say to you Mr Pablo (and anyone else reading) and I’m glad to be of service...

I write this without ever thinking someone from Brazil might be picking up tips on old jazz albums which may be worth a spin...

And so I will continue with this nonsense...

Highlight of the day : Encouragement from a reader across the ocean

Stick or twist...

Playlist
Roger Waters – Ca ira
Neal Morse - ?
Genesis – A Trick of the Tail
Pink Floyd – The Final Cut
Genesis – The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Sparks – No 1 in Heaven
Donald Byrd – Royal Flush

It’s getting hard to write that I’ve been doing anything interesting these days (“what do you mean ‘these days’” I hear you cry)...

Took back the doubler of the Johnny Griffin CD to HMV today and swopped it for Donald Byrd’s “Royal Flush”...



A great album – best known for three things (other than being a great album of course):-

It was the last of many collaborations between Byrd and sax player Pepper Adams...

It was the first session to feature Herbie Hancock (and to contain one of his compositions)...

It was the first time (of many) that bassist Butch Warren and drummer Billy Higgins were featured together on an album...

So there you go...

I compiled a playlist on the jukebox of 100 “good” albums – which I’ll be listening to over the next few days...

Watched two episodes of “Life on Mars” one live, one on tape, then tonight’s “CSI”, also on tape...

And while I remember, last night and tonight, I downloaded some tasty jazz from Destination Out...

And I’m looking forward to new albums soon by:-

Marillion
Rush
Lucy Kaplansky
The Bad Plus

Ouch – bought a 4CD set of Blue Note jazz on e-bay for £14.73 including postage – my limit was a tenner – still, it’s $60 on Amazon.com...

That’s it I think...

Highlight of the Day : Life on Mars, again

Psychedelic cat....

Playlist
Brian Eno - Before and After Science
Rheostatics - 2067
Neal Morse - ?
Various - Music 1957-2007

First thing this morning a call out of the blue from Count Brodski to arrange a night out at the end of the month...

To FOPP today but bought nothing - and I forgot to take the Johnny Griffin CD back to HMV...

Tomorrow...

Back home to three episodes of "Coronation St", one taped from last night and two "live" - switching between those and Spurs v Chelsea - we were supporting Spurs as sister Pam and her husband Tricky Dicky are season ticket holders...

Chelsea won 2-1...

Anne was depressed today by Hearts redefining her seat at Tynecastle from Gold to Platinum and charging her 10% more for the privilege of sitting in exactly the same seat next season (albeit with a cushion and a "free" programme)...

Her mum, in the seat next to her, faces a 60% rise (she has an OAP concession)...

Ah football - it's not all about money really...

After the Spurs game, I surfed around on the net and updated the diary...

Here's a picture of Meg the Black Cat...



Highlight of the Day : A call from Brodders...

Middle-aged fish/man...

Playlist
Various – Music from 1957 to 2007
Oliver Nelson – Screamin’ the Blues

Meg the Black Cat informed me this morning that she hadn't bought anything for Anne re Mother's Day...

And so it was that I was sent out shopping...

Not only did I buy some flowers and far too much chocolate but I also bought some stuff for yours truly - including a new CD Walkman to replace the one currently held together with Blu-tac...

After a home-made breakfast comprising one of the best rolls I've ever tasted (bacon, egg and, would you believe, a smattering of baked beans), I discovered I had to reburn a couple of Dr Prog's discs from yesterday - it seems the Tesco discs will have a fair percentage of coasters amongst them...

While I worked on the cover for the set by downloading pics of the 51 albums featured, Anne tidied out a cupboard - finding these swimming goggles which I insisted on trying on just one last time before they were binned...



Weirdo...

Called Jorg and Yvonne in Germany to advise them of our arrival and leaving dates in the summer - I could hear the three kids shouting and screaming in the background...

As Yvonne said, our couple of days on the banks of the Mosel after the visit will be a holiday from the children...

Watched Friday's "Coronation St" followed by the majority of the Hibernian v Kilmarnock Cup Final...

Hibs won 5-1. Though the scoreline flattered, they did deserve to win...

Then "Top Gear of the Pops" also taped on Friday - very funny - very irreverent - very aimed at middle aged men...

In the evening, out to Loanhead to pick up my mum and take for a meal for Mother's Day. She was in good form tonight and enjoyed herself. We drove her home and spent an hour or so just chatting about this and that. Her choice of music was Andrew Lloyd-Webber - we made our excuses...

Highlight of the Day : Night out with my mum

Half a century...

Playlist
Various – Music from 1957 to 2007

I spent a large amount of time today compiling a 5CD set for my old chum Dr Prog. It was his 50th birthday on Thursday and so I’m presenting him with a collection of music featuring one track from each year 1957 through to 2007, 51 pieces in all...

You might recognise some of the covers in this collage...



Until recently, I’d believed he was 48 but he let slip that he and his wife were off to New York this month to celebrate his 50th...

Some man...

Other than that, the weather was cold and wintry today so, while we made one of our regular trips to Patisserie Florentin and enjoyed a hearty Saturday breakfast, we drove home without taking a stroll around Stockbridge – instead heading for Tesco where I bought some new clothing and some blank discs, some of which now hold Dr PRog’s compilation..

An anonymous commenter on the blog alerted me to the fact that Alice Cooper is coming to Glasgow again in November – despite the fact he never has hit albums (or indeed singles) anymore, he can still easily sell out an arena tour in the UK...

I don’t particularly enjoy arena concerts though, as either the views are restricted by people taller than me or, if seated, I’m too far away from the stage to see anything in any detail....

So far I’ve not bought a ticket – the website seems to suggest it’s a standing only gig (support acts are Motorhead and Joan Jett) – but no doubt I will shortly – Anne has already advised she’ll give it a miss...

She did however attend this afternoon’s thrashing of Hearts 4-0 by Dundee United at Tynecastle – while Queens managed an injury time goal to stretch their recent unbeaten run in the league to seven games, with a 2-2 draw against Dundee...

In the evening Anne watched the final of “Celebrity Dancing on Ice” and I watched “Primeval” – the lead actor, the Scottish one, might as well be made of wood...

Later on, “CSI New York” and “Law and Order” entertained and the night was rounded off with the second half of “Match of the Day”...

Highlight of the Day : Compiling a recent history of music

Got, got, doubler, got...

Playlist
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane – Same
Eric Dolphy – Out There
Johnny Griffin – The Congregation
Oliver Nelson – Screamin’ the Blues

It’s becoming a habit to go to HMV on a Friday and buy some jazz CDs...

Today, I bought two – Oliver Nelson and Johnny Griffin (see above) and swithered over titles by Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and Art Blakey – opting in the end for the Griffin and Nelson discs...



On the way home, I searched the trusty jukebox for some Johnny Griffin – only to find I already have the disc I bought...

The reason I didn’t realise I already had the album, is that the version I bought today has a different sleeve (today's disc is the original sleeve while the copy I bought in Barcelona a couple of years back has a reworked sleeve - both sleeves feature a painting of Mr Griffin by a pre-fame Andy Warhol no less)...

So back to HMV tomorrow...

Idiot...

At home, the evening was spent mostly watching Comic Relief...

It takes so little to help the people in need and while I kind of applaud the “celebrities” who “gave up their time” to take part in the show, a reality check tells us that these self same people are busy the rest of the time amassing fortunes for themselves for doing very little of any true value –albeit due to the vagaries of market forces – it’s a funny old world...

As with most of these telethon programmes, I often think people might pay more not to have to watch some of the half-cocked dreadful nonsense supplied in the name of comedy...

And so now we can look forward to one of the worst ever Scottish acts, The Proclaimers, having a number 1 hit due to the adoption of their song "500 Miles" by Peter Kay as a new “comedy anthem” to follow up his “Amarillo” hit...

Best sketch of the night by far was Ricky Gervais’ – a touch of brilliance amongst much mediocrity...



And Tara won Fame Academy...



...and millions were raised for the people who need it most so it wasn’t all bad...

In amongst all the Comic Relief stuff, we found time to watch yet another great episode of "Law & Order : Criminal Intent" - are there any bad episodes? Not so far...

Highlight of the Day : Ricky Gervais’ Comic Relief Sketch

Gogglebox...

Playlist
Stravinsky – Firebird Suite
Various Composers - Fete Baroque Vol 2

Anne was uptown today for some pampering and retail therapy...

We met up and wandered along the shop and bar festooned George St, stopping in at Waterstones for a couple of Mother’s Day cards...

Then down to York Place to a little Indian restaurant we read about recently – next door to The Stand Comedy Club – it’s called “9 Cellars”...

We enjoyed a tasty and interesting meal – far removed from the normal Indian scenario – recommended if you’re looking for a “different” kind of curry...

We caught the bus home and spent the rest of the evening in front of the telly, enjoying “Comic Relief Does Fame Academy” – good to see Tara Palmer-Tompkinson making the final tomorrow...

"Master Chef – the Final", we've been dropping in on this one over the last week or so and it was deservedly won by the small, round emotional gay guy – you got the impression he really could be a professional chef...

“Comic Relief Does The Apprentice” which was very funny indeed – especially the scenes with Cheryl Cole of Girls Aloud and Trinny from Trinny and Susannah. Cheryl’s reactions to some of Trinny’s more outlandish behaviour and her sideways looks to camera were superb...



“Question Time” and “This Week” would have rounded off the night had we not got caught up in the Ireland v Zimbabwe cricket match from the World Cup...

Highlight of the Day : Cheryl Cole on The Apprentice

The wonder of technology...

Playlist
Miles Davis - The Essential Miles Davis
John Coltrane - The Best of John Coltrane
Various - Recent Singles
Bryan Ferry - Dylanesque
Jackie McLean - Demon's Dance
Lee Morgan - The Cooker
Kenny Dorham - Trompeta Toccata
Freddie Hubbard – Here to Stay
Jackie McLean – 4, 5 and 6
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - Same

To the Royal Infirmary this morning for a once over following the shoulder op in November...

It took just over an hour to get there, door to door (a ten minute walk, followed by two buses)...

Then, despite arriving bang on 10:25, my appointment time, I sat and read ladies' gossip magazines for around another hour before being called...

I was in the doctor's room for all of three minutes - just enough time to remove my coat and shirt, lift my arms forward and over my head, sideways and over my head and then reach as far up my back as possible with each arm (which is not very far I can tell you) - then put my shirt and coat back on...

The pain I have in my arm is due to swelling at the site of the operation but the impingement itself is gone...

I can expect pain and discomfort for at least another six months apparently...

In the evening, after "Coronation St", I drove down to Tesco to buy a small MP3 player...

Here's what I got...



On the net it's priced at around £10 but in the shop they were selling for £4.95, so I bought two...

Back home, it was a dawdle to fill one up - at 256MBs it's considerable smaller than a CD - re MP3s it holds around 7 albums, and the first of my two is filled now with 7 recent purchases - only downside is that the plug on the headphones is smaller than a normal mini-jack so I have to use the phones they come with - luckily, they are of a reasonable standard - amazing...

"Desperate Housewives" rounded off a pleasant evening...

Highlight of the Day : The wonder of technology...

What's her name...

Playlist
Bryan Ferry – Dylanesque
Jukebox tracks by
King Crimson, Be Bop Deluxe, David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Barry Blue, Black Widow, Bread, Eric Carmen, Gallagher & Lyle, Gentle Giant, Joni Mitchell

To Currys Digital at lunchtime today checking out a possible CD Walkman purchase following the falling and breaking of my trusty N years old Panasonic player last week...

Funny how so many things these days are the subject of an attempt to make them sound “modern” just by the addition of the word “digital”...

That’s just rubbish...

Anyway – what I might get is a small MP3 player – maybe one to hold my last twenty purchases or so...

Back home some lovely coffee followed by a kitchen cooking session – pork chops with mustard mash, asparagus and onions – tasty...

And we finished off the bottle of Italian red which no doubt last night contributed to my inadvertent snoring...

Got sucked in to the Red Nose Day karaoke programme – I’m supporting Tara Palmer-Tompkinson – she reminds me a little of an out-of-tune Francoise Hardy...

Also an excellent episode of “CSI” and the latest “Life on Mars”...

Bryan Ferry’s new album is still good....

I must get back to working on mine...

Tonight I worked out the chords for two Roxy Music songs, “A Song For Europe” and “Virginia Plain”...



Highlight of the Day : Bryan Ferry again...

Better than Bob...

Playlist
Eric Dolphy – Outward Bound
Jukebox tracks from
Sparks, Steve Harley & Cockney rebel, Supertramp, Suzi Quato, Sweet, T Rex, Buzzcocks, The Clash, The eagles, The Move, The Osmonds, Strawbs, The Tubes, Thin Lizzy, UK, Ultravox, Uriah Heep, Wizzard, Yes
Bryan Ferry – Dylanesque

My Bryan Ferry CD arrived at last – it is good - certainly very much better than Bob Dylan anyway (though Bobby did write almost all the songs)...



I put off listening to it until Anne came home from her aerobics class and we jigged in the kitchen whilst preparing our salad and baked potatoes...

Watched two episodes of “Coronation St” from earlier in the evening on video, then “Ugly Betty” – during which there was some inadvertent snoring from your correspondent...

Highlight of the Day : Arrival of the new Bryan Ferry CD

On a single day...

Playlist
Creek – 1.0.0
Tony Williams – Lifetime
Various – Jazz Club Dubrovnik
Jackie McLean – Jackie’s Bag

Up at 6 and working again on the Creek compilation – expanding it to three CDs of selected excerpts cross-faded...

I discovered that, to date, we’ve recorded exactly 100 pieces...

Made a big breakfast for the three of us then Anne and Pam watched “Dancing on Ice” as expected – afterwards giving me the call for “Harry Hill’s TV Burp” – the funniest show on TV at the moment – meiner Meinung nach...

Took Pam out to my mum’s in time for the Chelsea v Spurs cup tie – Pam and her husband Richard are season ticket holders at White Hart Lane...

Spurs almost won...

I suppose Pam might be at the replay...

In the afternoon, I spent some time pulling out all of my Blue Note CDs and putting them into date order of recording session...

Amazing to think all these great albums were (mostly) each recorded on a single day in history...

Then to Anne’s mum’s for tea with the family – including “Coronation St”...

Back home two episodes of “Law & Order : Criminal Intent”...



All in all, an okay Sunday...

Highlight of the Day : Law & Order

Wacky races...

Playlist
Freddie Hubbard – Here to Stay
Horace Silver - Retrospective
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - Same
Ideal – Der Ernst des Lebens (LP)
Alice Cooper – Puke on a Piece of Apple Pie (Bootleg LP)
Simon Dupree and the Big Sound – Amen (LP)
Creek – An Acre of Dreamy Vols 1-8
Various – Ministry of Sound Clubbers’ Guide to 2006
Grandaddy – The Fambly Cat
Eels – Live at Town Hall

Up at 6 today despite last night’s wine intake...

Started the day by transferring some CDs to the hard drive in preparation for making some copies for brother in law Keith...

So far he has chosen Ornette Coleman, New Order and Mozart – his tastes are nothing if not eclectic – he took away my “red book of CDs” last night for perusal and further choosing...

Breakfast at home then out to the podiatrist for a quick once over – my previously in-growing and very sore toenail now appears to be cured. I accompanied Anne and sister in law Jane to the, ahem, beauty parlour - they were being “waxed” while I was being podiatried...

I heard no screams so I assume they enjoyed it....

Back home, I listened to a few records with Meg the Black Cat...



....then to most of Creek’s back catalogue and transferred tracks to the hard drive to work on them re the compilation I have in mind...

At lunchtime – to the local shop for some stop-gap provisions – followed by some soup...

In the afternoon, more Creek and one eye on the footie – QoS won again – two nil in a “six-pointer” against Ross County – the Queens are now 5 points clear of the relegation zone – but it’s not over yet...

Drove out to sister Sheila’s around five thirty for a flying visit and to pick up other sister Pam who was staying over with us tonight. Phoned in an Indian order before leaving there and drove home via the takeaway....

Very tasty indeed – can’t recall the place’s name right now though...

Post meal, Anne, Pam and I sat around listening to music and chatting. I noticed that Pam laughs like Dick Dastardley’s dog, Muttley....

Showed Pam all the pics from last Saturday’s night out and mailed a few to her computer in England...

We all retired reasonably early as Anne and Pam wanted to get up early tomorrow to watch their videoed “Celebrity Dancing on Ice”...

Idiots...

Highlight of the Day : A visit from sister Pam

Entertainment...

Playlist
Kenny Burrell – God Bless the Child
Creek – End of the Art World Vols 1 & 2
Jukebox tracks from
Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Lindisfarne, Lou Reed, Magazine, Mick Ronson,
Mott the Hoople, Nazareth, Neil Young, New York Dolls, Nilsson,
Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Peter Noone, Pink Floyd, PFM,
Queen, Robert Fripp, Fripp & Eno, Roxy Music, Roy Harper,
Roy Wood, Rush, Sex Pistols, Simon & Garfunkel, Slade
Jackie McLean – 4, 5 and 6
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane – Same
Gang of Four – Return the Gift
Girls Aloud – Chemistry
Various – Now That’s What I Call Music 1968-1970

This morning I listened to some of the work done almost ten years ago now with electronic improvisational quartet, Creek...

With our tenth anniversary due in June maybe it’s time to reconvene and, with this in mind, maybe I’ll start work on some retrospective releases....

I recall I remastered a six CD set spanning the years 1997 – 1999 back in early 2004 and passed them over to fellow member Craig Sutherland for his input...

Almost a year later, I took them back, nothing further having been done. In the meantime, we’d recorded a new album together, the excellent (if I do say so myself) “Somewhere Between” – and we’d played live for the first time as part of the Cloudland Blue Quartet “sextet” shows in the summer of that year...

Since then we’ve only reconvened once or twice – nothing untoward there, that’s just how the band works – and produced one (aborted) set of recordings in the Summer of 2005 (the EP 06 06 05)...

There’s talk amongst the members now of perhaps trying some cover version based pieces...

Uptown, I bought three more “tasty” jazz albums – Jackie McLean’s 1956 set “4 5 and 6”, a 1958 session by “Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane” and Freddie Hubbard’s “Here to Stay”, recorded in 1962 but not released until 1976...

Meanwhile, at home, Anne was busy preparing for tonight’s “Home Made Curry” and “Wine Tour of the World” night – though we have recently been cooking together, I think she was secretly concerned I’d bugger it up if I got involved in the cooking today – so I was well out of harm’s way...

And what a great night it was too. Anne’s pakoras went down a treat followed by a hot lamb and tomato curry offset nicely by a chicken (non-creamy) korma...

Between us we polished off eight bottles of wine (the six reds from around the world – France, Portugal, Chile, Germany, Rumania and England plus a couple of whites from France and Italy) along with quite a few G&Ts and beers...



Although brother-in-law Bobby hates jazz, the first two of my purchases from today entertained other brother-in-law Keith, me, and his partner, Maureen admirably. Then Gang of Four took to the turnatable for Bobby followed by a shout for Girls Aloud from George Michael loving sister in law Jane...

Then an MP3 disc of some of my favourites from 1968-70 – a time, I must confess, when I didn’t actually listen to much music or buy any – so, compiled in retrospect of course...



All in all, an unqualified success – one of those “must do it again” nights...

Highlight of the Day : Wine tour of the world

Ennui...

Playlist
Jukebox tracks from
Argent, Asia, Bad Company, Barclay James Harvest, Be Bop Deluxe,
Billion Dollar Babies, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Brian Eno,
Bryan Ferry, Cockney Rebel, David Bowie, David Essex, Deep Purple,
ELO, Elton John, ELP, Eumir Deodato, Family, Focus, Free,
Gary Glitter, Genesis, Golden Earring, Grand Funk, Hawkwind,
Isaac Hayes, Jeff Beck, Jethro Tull, John Cale, King Crimson...

So little happened today, I almost couldn't be bothered putting a picture up...



This is a painting by Walter Sickert called "Ennui"...

I remember a great Lou Reed "b" side called "Ennui" - I think it was the flip of "Sally Can't Dance" - which was not a hit at the end of 1974 - great song - "Ennui" I mean - "Sally Can't Dance" is not bad either of course...

Anyway, I watched the first half of the Rangers game – 1-0 down – they were rubbish...

Then surfed some blogs and generally wasted my time...

Idiot...

Anne advised Rangers equalised in injury time...

Back downstairs and made some coffee and watched Thursday staples “Question Time” and “This Week”...

Highlight of the Day : Some good (mainly) 70's music...

Hey, how exciting...

Playlist
Various - Trance Anthems : The Best Uplifting & Hard Trance
Jukebox tracks by 10cc, 801, Adrian Belew, Al Stewart,
Alice Cooper & Anthony More
The Killers - Sam's Town
Jackie McLean - Demon's Dance
Alice Cooper - Brutal Planet
Alice Cooper - Dragontown

A relaxing night of TV mostly...

"Coronation St" then "Life on Mars" on tape then surfing while Anne watched two people with far too much money and not enough sense on "Grand Designs"...

Then "Desperate Housewives", then washing the dishes to the sounds of The Killers...



Then a little bit of jazz with Jackie before bedtime with Alice...

Yes, today really was as exciting as it sounds...

Highlight of the Day : Life on Mars

The 12 points of the day...

Playlist
Various Composers - Fete Baroque Vol 2
Bryan Ferry - Solo Albums
The Czars - Sorry I Made You Cry

What did I do today?

1. Went to FOPP for a browse whilst listening to Bryan Ferry, found the last Czars album for £6 and bought it...

2. Researched accomodation for a trip to Ireland...

3. Spoke with sister Pam on the phone to arrange a get together on Saturday before she heads back down South - her friend Debbie left today - apparently she described me as "great" - which is great, cos, as you know, I was very drunk indeed on the only occasion I met her...

4. Discussed with Anne, arrangements for Friday evening, when we're having a home-made-curry-and-wine-tour-of-the-world-night with Anne's siblings and their respective partners. Brother in law Keith is on a course of steroids to allow him to be in Meg the Black Cat's company for any length of time...

5. Watched two episodes of "Coronation St" taped last night. Fixed the clock on the video to stop us from missing the last two minutes of future episodes of "Coronation St"...

6. Transferred the Czars album to the hard drive in preparation for loading into the Jukebox...

7. Made some lovely coffee (and drank it)...

8. Watched some of the first half of Liverpool v Barcelona...

9. Checked the Queen of the South v St Johnstone score on teletext despite the commentary being on the radio as, listening to the latter would doom the Queens to defeat - they won 1-0 and have now beaten both of the top two sides in the league in the last four days...

10. Watched "CSI" live whilst taping "Life on Mars" - I would rather have done it the other way round to avoid the five minute ad breaks, but we have a couple of "Life on Mars" episodes on tape already and don't want to watch them out of order...

11. Surfed my favourite blogs, some of which I've not read for a week or so due to musicking etc. Deleted some from my links and added a few new ones (and brought some back)...

12. Updated the blog whilst listening to The Czars...



Recommended...

Highlight of the Day : Queen of the South winning again...

Another time, another place...

Playlist
Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music – All albums
Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets & Taking Tiger Mountain

And so today is the second birthday of this blog - as I sit and type this entry it's four minutes until the birth of the Blog...

Two years...

Time flies past...

I'm no further forward in anything really - just plodding along, recording albums, going on holiday, buying CDs and, tonight, going to a concert...

Bryan Ferry at the Playhouse....



He's promoting his new album "Dylanesque" which is released today and which I've ordered from CDWow...

The gig was superb - he only played two Roxy Music songs and had an 11 piece backing band including Chris Spedding, Andy Newmark and Guy Pratt..

Here's the setlist as best as I can remember it (the asterisked songs are from the new album which sounds like it's going to be a good one)...

The 'In' Crowd
Kiss And Tell
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues*
Make You Feel My Love*
This Island Earth
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
The Times They Are A-Changin'*
Just Like You
Knockin' On Heaven's Door*
Love Me Madly Again
Instrumental
When She Walks In The Room
Simple Twist Of Fate*
Positively 4th Street*
Gates Of Eden*
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down*
Tokyo Joe
All Along The Watchtower*
A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall
Let's Stick Together
Jealous Guy

Surprisingly, no encore and we were back home by 10:45 just in time for Anne to watch the footie (Motherwell 0 Hearts 2) while I updated this...

Happy Birthday Mr Blog - born at 11:42 pm, 5 March 2005...

Highlight of the Day : Bryan Ferry - what a guy...

Worse for wear...

Playlist
Roedelius - Selbstportrait Vol 1
Handel - Dixit Dominus
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Fifty Five Songs Vol 1
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Fifty Five Songs Vol 2
CBQ & Peri Urban - 6.II.99 & 6.XI.99
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Fifty Five Songs Vol 3
Various - Wildflowers : The New York Loft Jazz Sessions

Hmmm - up late today (around 11 am) and not feeling particularly well after last night's shenanigans...

Probably drove drunk round to the local shop for some breakfast provisions...

After brunch, watched “Harry Hill’s TV Burp” from last night and “Ugly Betty” then wrote up yesterday’s entry and worked on the photo collage that accompanies it...

Listened to some of my old songs – they’re rather good actually...

And some old ambient stuff I did back in 1999 with Peri Urban – also rather good...

Received a message from old friend Dennis “Dood” Hamilton – we were best friends at school – letting me know what he’s up to these days – which was a very pleasant surprise indeed and a bit spooky coming the day after the band “reunion” type thing...

In the evening, phoned Alan Brodie to enquire about the Indian takeaway we’d visited a week ago last Friday, as Anne had a hankering to taste their wares again...

After much chatting and reading of menus over the phone by Alan’s lovely girlfriend, Penny, I was despatched to pick up our phoned in order....

Very tasty indeed and accompanied by an episode of “Holby”....

Pretty worn out today – I’m sure I said to Jamie I’d go along to the Listening Room tonight to play a couple of songs and to see Norman Lamont play, but I was still rather too much the worse for wear...

And so to bed with some avant garde jazz improv on the phones tonight..



Nice...

Highlight of the Day : Probably some nice sausages and the Indian takeaway –no wonder I’m so fat...

Let's get together again...

Playlist
Jackie McLean – Demon’s Dance
Lee Morgan – The Cooker
Kenny Dorham – Trompeta Toccata
The Bays – Jockey Slut presents...
Falco – The Sound of Muzik (12”)
Buggles – I Am A Camera (12”)
Donna Summer- MacArthur Park Suite (12”)
Lili Drop – n
Call Me Clive – Hour Happiness Land
Rough Diamond – Rough Diamond
Eric Clapton – Edge of Darkness
Eric Dolphy – Outward Bound
Various Composers – De Profundis
Various Composers – Fete Baroque Vol 2

Listened to some Jackie McLean and Lee Morgan before getting up bright and early and out for breakfast at 10 with Kenny Dorham on the car stereo...

Like Jamie, Anne reckons much of the jazz I listen to is about as tuneful as the sound of fingernails scraping down a blackboard...

However, this did not deter my listening and, for some unknown reason, my mood was high today....

After breakfasting at a packed Patisserie Florentine, we dropped in at Scotlandart.com for a quick look round. I gave them my name and address and e-mail for their mailing list – here’re a couple of paintings I like – they’re by Victoria Stewart...



At the Oxfam music shop, I bought a disc of live improvs by The Bays – on first listening a little disappointing – not as good as the stuff Creek does - but I will perservere...

On the way back to the car, we went in to Herbie’s Deli for some bread and pate – we were persuaded by the nice salesman to purchase “shredded duck in its own fat” instead – you heat the bread and the fat in the concoction melts into it removing the need for any butter..

Back home, in the back room where all my CDs are, I swopped over my back copies of The Wire for a shelf full of LPs and 12” singles from another cupboard. I went through the six feet or so of cupboard shelf space which contains the remains of my once vast record collection and chose those items which I don’t have on CD...

After lunch I continued with a project I started a couple of days ago – to add my entire discography to the music page on the Crispycat website...

As I did this, I was checking the BBC’s Sports Pages every so often to keep an eye on the Queen of the South score. They were playing local rivals Gretna away from home. This was their fourth meeting of the season and Gretna are well ahead at the top of the division whilst Queens prop up the table. In the other three games Queens have lost 3-0, 4-0 and 5-0, so I was delighted to find them one up at half time and running out worthy 3-0 winners. A brilliant result...

Watched a bit of Celebrity Fame Academy before heading out to meet up with friends, many of whom we’ve not seen for around five years...

From my old band Capital Models, Gus Bolton, Jamie Frain (James Jamieson), Jim Park and Keith Apter, who replaced Jim as drummer, were there – along with Gus’ wife Sandra, who’d first suggested the get together and Keith’s wife, Angie, who had to leave early to let the babysitter away...

I was at school with Gus and Sandra, and our old school chum, Lesley Oliphant was also in attendance tonight...

Later on Jim’s sister Ann turned up. Anne and I were at college with Ann Park – that’s how we came to know Jim and Jamie and eventually form a band together...

Also along were ex-Pure Bears Paul Reynolds and George Coleman. Capital Models and Pure Bears (collectively referred to by Keith’s kids as “Pure Models” – probably a better name than either of the real ones) used to gig together many years ago – Pure Bears also included two old school friends Donald Mitchell and Greig Armit. Donald couldn’t make it tonight due to prior commitments while Greig died back in 1981 and is fondly remembered by us all...

Anne’s best friend, Lynn, with whom she was at school, was there too and, last, but by no means least, my sister Pam and her work colleague Debbie made the numbers up to 15. I managed to get pictures of 13 of us – just Angie and Ann missing...

So here you go (with apologies to Jim for being a paparazzo)...


Top : Anne, Lynn, Lesley, Sandra
2nd Row : Keith, me, Jamie, George
3rd Row : Jim, Gus, Paul
Bottom : Pam, Debbie

Suffice to say I drank far too much for everyone’s good and spent a large proportion of the night telling various people how much I loved them and trying to convince them we should do this every week...

One of the highlights of the night was the collection of old photos which Gus had brought along...

It really was so good to see all the old faces again – of course I still see Lynn, Jamie and Jim regularly these days but it’s always good to meet up again with Gus, Sandra and Lesley and George, Paul and Keith...

I have to thank Keith especially for managing to get us a taxi home – and apologise to him too for all the rubbish I was apparently talking as we waited for the cab. Anne tells me I managed to hit a complete stranger in the face with my mobile phone in a vain attempt to call Jamie to see if I could join him for one more drink...

I must thank Anne for stopping me from going on anywhere else for more drinking and carousing - as indeed she did last night after the Charity Dinner...

When I am inebriated, Anne's judgement always appears to be completely wrong. Unfailingly however, in hindsight, I realise she has been completely correct and I am lucky to have her and don't know where I would be without her (well I do actually - Whistlebinkies at 4 in the morning)...

Ah yes, the demon alcohol – that’s it for me for a wee while now I think...

Highlight of the Day : Reunion...

Jigging...

Playlist
Grant Green - The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark (2CDs)
Jackie McLean - Demon's Dance

At last a day without listening to any CBQ music...

To HMV at lunchtime and a bit of a CD frenzy on the 2nd day of the month...

I had a couple of classical CDs in my hand but put them back - £3 each - then I thought "what the hell, you pay more for a pint of lager these days" - hmm, I think I used that reasoning just a couple of weeks ago...

Anyway, I picked up three classical CDs, Handel "Dixit Dominus", a disc of German baroque cantatas, and a compilation of baroque highlights by the Musica Antiqua of Cologne...

Then two jazz discs I'd had my eye on earlier in the week, Eric Dolphy's "Outward Bound" and Kenny Dorham's "Tompeta Toccata"...

Not content with that, I took another couple which I'd not seen before, by one of my favourite trumpeters and one of my favourite sax players respectively, Lee Morgan's "The Cooker" and Jackie McLean's "Demon's Dance"...

Finally, I grabbed Stavinsky's Rite of Spring on my way to the counter...

8 CDs for £37 - not bad...

No time to listen to them though - tonight we went to the annual SANDS Dinner at the Roxburgh Hotel. Anyone who's been following CBQ for a few years might recall that, at the end of 2003, I recorded a limited edition CD single for the charity which was sold at a fiver a pop to raise funds...



We had a good, if rather expensive, night out - let's just say more was spent on drink tonight than on CDs during the day - and then some....

Your correspondent did some of his special your-dad-at-a-wedding dancing to the rather good, if a shade middle of the road, band, aided and abetted by liberal intake of the old alcohol...

Attendant friends included Spike and wife Debbie, Kris and companion Flure (pronounced Fleur), Lorna and husband Richard and Martin and Michelle, at whose wedding I did some your-dad-dancing-at-a-wedding dancing at back in September...

Home by taxi just after two and to bed with Mr Jackie McLean on the cans...

A good night out...

Highlight of the Day : CDs, drinking and "dancing"....

Playin'...

Playlist
Richard Williams - New Horn in Town
Bruford Levin Upper Extremities - Same
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Souvenir XIII
Billy Cobham - Many Years B.C.

A quiet day starting off with some jazz in the kitchen...

Bought a Times Atlas of the World - it's too big to go on any shelf, so it's currently propped up against the coffee table, looking for a home...

Texted Jamie and Andy around 6 to make sure they were still ok for the gig and to be there by 8:45 - affirmative for both - Andy was delivering Chinese meals while Jamie was practising at home with the CD I gave him the other night...

Anne and I went out for a meal beforehand to a place I'd read a write up of in Ian Sclater's magazine "Instant" (scroll to page 42) - The Smart City Cafe in Blackfriars St. A generous salad followed by lasagne and veg, accompanied by a cheeky bottle of beer - I won't use the "T" word, but you get the drift....

Then to Out of the Bedroom and a busy night...

My fellow troubadours arrived right on cue and we set things up during the first break. I put the CD player with the bass and drum parts on it at the back of the room next to the mixing desk, activating it from the stage with the remote...

The set went really well with just a couple of minor glitches - we got ahead of the backing track on the third song and Jamie was taken by surprise by a few of the keyboard parts as he'd never heard them before - the only rehearsal we'd had as a three piece was Andy's first run through where he was mostly listening and formulating ideas and, during which, he wasn't playing his own instrument...

Thanks to Ali from Impossible Songs for the pic

Reaction from the crowd (at 9:15 the room was as full as it'd get all night - including a few well known faces - comedian and percussionist Jim Park, John and Ali from Impossible Songs, Scott Renton, Bill Philip and of course Dave O'Hara the soundman) was top notch - perhaps the sound of the full band surprised a few people - and, before I left I sold a few CDs - "Souvenir XIII" will be available from www.crispycat.co.uk next week...

Immediately after we finished, Andy went off to continue his Chinese deliveries, while Jamie and I hung around. (Anne reckoned Andy looked cool on stage with his tattoos, big jeans and beanie hat - while Jamie and I looked like "two old men" - I think she was joking...)

Back in the house by 11 in front of the fire watching the end of "Question Time" and then "This Week" - ah yes, Rock'n'Roll...



Highlight of the Day : Playing live to an enthusiastic crowd