Evening star...

Playlist
Rheostatics – Static Journey Vol 9
Fehlfarben - Discography
Mott the Hoople – Mott
Ferry Corsten – Mixmag 0306
Mark Ronson – Version
King Creosote – Bombshell
King Creosote – KC Rules OK
Fripp & Eno – The Equatorial Stars

Took a wee while to get going tonight – didn’t really know what I wanted to do...

So, after tea, I did the dishes then, while Anne enjoyed Corrie, I retired upstairs and printed off the most up to date list of my CDs which I have – it excludes all compilations, live and classical CDs – i.e. it’s actual albums only – trouble is it only goes up to page 66 of the famous Red Book – there are 66 CDs per page and I’m now at page 84, so that’s quite a bit of catching up to do, over 1,000 CDs...

So I didn’t start that tonight...

Instead, I put my prejudices aside and listened to Mark Ronson’s “Version” LP and found it to be rather good, as was also the case with the two King Creosote albums which James Jamieson lent me almost a month ago and which have sat unopened on the computer table ever since...

Late on, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” returned out of nowhere and Larry David’s exploits provided my highlight of the day...

Then I finally got round to buying Fripp & Eno’s “Beyond Even”...



...and Robert Fripp’s “At the End of Time”...



...spurred on by a visit to Amazon to buy the first series of “Primeval” on DVD for nephew Ollie’s upcoming birthday and a guidebook for a trip later in the year...

However, I supported the artists concerned (and saved 50p or so) by buying direct from Fripp’s website, DGM (and got the 2CD version of the Fripp & Eno, now unavailable on Amazon)....

Just for good measure, here's a signed copy of their 1975 classic, "Evening Star"...



Now the wait...

Highlight of the Day : The unannounced return of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”...

Good gone...

Playlist
Rheostatics – 2067
Rheostatics – Making Progress (1 CD-R Best of)
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World
Herman Van Veen – Ich Hab’ Ein Zaertliches Gefuhl
Grand Funk Railroad – 30 Years of Funk
Rheostatics – Good Gone Dead (Final Concert 30/3/07) (3CD-R)

Slept in till 10:30 – new time...

Continued rearranging my CDs...

Went to visit my mum at 1, where we were joined by sister Sheila...

Then some shopping and back home to finish off the CD project...

Meg the Black Cat helped out as usual...



A lovely tea of minced lamb with mushrooms and carrots along with mashed potatoes and garden peas...

On video, Harry Hill, “CSI : New York” and this week’s “Torchwood” – it’s really getting rather good, so it’s a shame it finishes next week...

Some work on the website whilst listening to Rheostatics’ last ever gig, which took place a year ago tonight...

Then “Match of the Day 2” followed by the downloading of the final volume of the nine part Rheostatics Virtual Box Set which, all in all, lasts for almost 14 hours...

Tasty...

Highlight of the Day : Mince and tatties

Crinkley Mr Crinkles...

Playlist
David Reilly – Anthology Vol 2 1986-1989
Various – Blue Note Compilations
Rheostatics – Making Progress (1 CD-R Best of)

Oh dear – up at 4:22 am, unable to sleep...

So, by 8am I had:

Checked all of Queen of the South’s finishing positions in the Scottish Leagues since season 1959/60...

Tried unsuccessfully to renew my domain name registration for Crispycat...

Sent out the latest Crispycat Newsletter my, ahem, fanbase...

Updated the Crispycat website re this month’s two new releases...

Uploaded more tracks the the Crispycat Free MP3 Download Library – there are now almost sixty tracks available...

Ripped half of all the Blue Note compilations I have and uploaded them onto the Jazz Jukebox...

Then, breakfast, as we enjoyed one of the Blue Note discs before heading out to the podiatrist, who took care of the big toe scenario which happened during my latest attempt to return to five-a-sides...

She advised that I ought not to play again for some time, probably a few months – it could take up to ten months for my foot to be properly healed...

Maybe it’s time to give up on playing...

I took a bus uptown and walked back to Princes St from Newington, visiting all the record shops on the way but buying nothing...

What I did notice though was how run down things are these days...

My ultimate destination was, of course, FOPP, where I picked up Tony Visconti’s autobiography for just £2 and a 10 disc box of Dizzy Gillespie for £8...

Took the airport bus home, by which time Anne had gone to Tynecastle (Hearts 1 Dundee Utd 0) where I listened to Mr Gillespie while monitoring the football (Queens could only manage a 0-0 draw against lowly Morton)...

I started a new project (to go o the list with all the others I’ve not finished yet) to remove all single artist compilations and live CDs from my main rock & pop A-Z....

In the evening it was off to IT Guru Martin and his lovely wife Michelle’s place for a tasty meal of home made carrot & orange soup, followed by home made fish cakes and roasted vegetables...

Highlight of the night was meeting their four pet rats, of whom Mr Horace Crinkles (seen here on the right) was my favourite...



As we were leaving around five hours later, Michelle suddenly realised she’d forgotten to serve the dessert she’d prepared...

As you might gather, after my early start, I was extremely tired by the time we got home at 1:30 am (which was about to become 2:30 am in the blink of an eye)...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : Meeting Mr Crinkles

Chick chicky chick chicky chicky...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay
Sonny Rollins - Volume One
John McLaughlin - The Heart of Things
Larry Coryell - Fallen Angel
Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine
MFSB - MFSB
The Killers - Sawdust
Sigur Ros - Hvarf-Heim
Leonard Cohen - Recent Songs
Various - Blue Note Plays Billie Holiday
Various - Blue Note Plays Gershwin

A wee party tonight at the premises of “The Man” with colleagues Anne C, Stacey, Gillian, Caroline, Wendy, Tracey, Michelle, Claire, Barry, Gary, Kris and Gavin...

We all paid £10 and bought in enough drink and food to sink a battleship...

I had my old “why I became a vegetarian” thought about the amount of food that was destined for the bin – in particular five or six full chicken legs – I imagined the chickens and, even though they would never know, the fact that, as far as their legs went, they had been killed in vain, since no one actually ate their legs...

Singstar was on the menu and I attempted Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga”...

I left them all to it around 8:30 and was back home with Anne just after nine, unusually, none the worse for wear, managing to watch “Benidorm”, “Teenage Kicks” (promising new sitcom from Ade Edmondson)...



...“Al Murray’s Happy Hour” and “The Passions of Girls Aloud”...

Highlight of the Day : Teenage Kicks

Billy, do be a hero...

Playlist
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Earthworks
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Dig?
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – All Heaven Broke Loose
Bill Bruford – If Summer Had Its Ghosts
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – The Sound of Surprise
Uriah Heep – Anthology 1997-1970 (CD-R)
Bruford/Borstlap – Every Step a Dance, Every Word a Song
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Stamping Ground
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Live in England 1999 (CD-R)
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks – Footloose and Fancy Free

Another rather uneventful day was followed by another quiet night in – Anne’s evening fare included cayenne chicken, cherry tomatoes, onions and chorizo – very tasty indeed...

Some cool rocking Uriah Heep appeared in the midst of a Bill Bruford day on the old Jazz Jukebox....



Succumbed to a couple of CDs on e-bay – a solo album from Teresa Salgueiro, ex-singer of my favourite Portuguese band, Madredeus, and a second by Polish composer, Zbigniew Preisner which just happens to feature Ms Salgueiro on vocals...

They’re both coming from the USA so I won’t be holding my breath re their arrival...

Nothing else to impart, other than that a taped episode of “Torchwood” (“Adam”) was excellent, as was the finale of "Ashes to Ashes", while we finally got to see the first in the new series of “My Name is Earl” followed by last night’s E4 episode of “The Big Bang Theory”...

Highlight of the Day : Torchwood

Fish, fish, fish...

Playlist
Mozart – Mass in C Minor
Beethoven - Oboe Trios

Lunch out today at which I enjoyed rollmop herring with beetroot and potato as a starter (I’ve not had rollmop for years but, when living in Germany in the early eighties I used to occasionally purchase a herring roll from on of the many Nordsee Seafood outlets there)…

Haddock on a bed of leeks with mustard sauce was my main and some lovely wine alongside…

No dinner then to speak of but the evening was spent watching TV and trying to stay awake…

“Reaper” was good – not seen it for a few weeks and we have a couple of episodes stored on tape – and the new series of “Desperate Housewives” kicked off…

Star of the jukebox today was Mr Mozart and his Mass in C Minor, of which I must now have at least four recordings for some reason…



Highlight of the Day : A tasty lunch

The rain in Spain...

Playlist
Various – Hit Singles of 1972 (3xCD-R)
Various – Blue Note Plays Gershwin

An uneventful day (apart from severe chest pains which are hopefully nothing to worry about) was followed by a particularly quiet Tuesday night – starting with some lovely home made pasta from Anne, followed by two taped episodes of “Law & Order” and one of “CSI”, a break to write this whilst enjoying some cool jazz and to watch funny adverts on YouTube recommended by Creek-buddy Stu Cobley, then, to round off the night, “Law & Order : Criminal Intent”...

Also tonight I noticed the BBC have started to trail the new series of Dr Who – looking good...



Highlight of the Day : Criminal Intent

Not Lewis and Clark...

Playlist
Miles Davis – ESP
Miles Davis – Miles Smiles
Miles Davis – Sorceror
Miles Davis – Nefertiti
Various –Blue Note Plays Billie Holiday
Various – Blue Note Plays Gershwin
Stanley Clarke – Schooldays
Stanley Clarke – East River Drive
Stanley Clarke – Live at the Greek

Spent much of today enjoying late sixties period Miles Davis...

Still keeping up my new walking regime – I generally walk around 3 miles each day – however, this does usually involve a brisk stroll along to FOPP each lunchtime...

Last week I bought from them on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday – and this week started with more purchases – a couple of Blue Note compilations and three Stanley Clarke albums...

“Live at the Greek“ is certainly better than the reviews at Amazon.co.uk would have led me to believe...

It’s not even the end of March and I’ve bought over 100 CDs so far this year and that’s including a fortnight’s abstinence in February...

"Live at the Greek" is my 5,009th CD...

0001 Brian Eno - Thursday Afternoon (Oct 1985)
1,000 Public Image Ltd - Flowers of Romance (July 1995)
2,000 Lowcraft - Manticore (December 1999)
3,000 CBQ - A Nice Job In A Small Town 1986-2002 (Oct 2002)
4,000 Brad Mehldau - Art of the Trio Vol 1 (Apr 2005)
5,000 Dionne Warwick - The Very Best of (Mar 2008)

That's an average of 18 CDs a month for 21.5 years...

That's more than one CD every 2 days for 21.5 years...

That's probably too many CDs...

Came home to find Meg the Black Cat relaxing in the new look music room...



In the evening the last of “Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach” - it will be missed...

“The Passions of Girls Aloud” featured Sarah learning to play polo and eventually falling off her Polo Pony...

Still no sign of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” returning to the schedules...

But comedy entertainment was provided by "The Big Bang Theory" and by Top Gear pretending to be Ground Force and ruining Sir Steve Redgrave CBE’s rather large garden – didn’t think you were paid for winning the Olympics but he seems to have done alright...

Highlight of the Day : Top Ground Gear Force

It's the chocolate, stupid...

Playlist
Rheostatics – Static Journey Vols 1-8
John Coltrane – The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings
Freddie Hubbard – Backlash
Lee Morgan – The Sidewinder
Various – The Blue Box : Blue Note’s Best
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Concrete
James Taylor Quartet – Blow Up!
Eric Dolphy - Out There
The Killers – Sawdust
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay

Yesterday and today I played through a few songs, just to keep my hand in so to speak...

Very cold again today – we have a nice new neighbour and he’s filled a skip already...



To Tesco at 7:30 am to get some Easter Bunny supplies to give to Anne...



Listened to quite a bit of the Rheostatics Virtual Box Set...

In the afternoon, sat in the back room reading and enjoying some excellent jazz...

To Jane and Bobby’s for an Easter egg hunt with Ollie and Kitty, a lovely meal followed by egg races...



Nipped into The Listening Room but didn’t stay to perform, just picked up some CBQ CDs...

Spent much of the night looking at accommodation options for trips later in the year...

Finished the day with “Match of the Day 2”, my only telly of the day other than a taped “Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach”

Highlight of the Day : Looking for eggs with the kids

Moving in a different way..

Playlist
Wetton/Downes – Icon
Wetton/Downes – Icon II
John Wetton – Sinister
Wetton/Manzanera – Wetton/Manzanera
Various – Holiday Hits Vol 20
Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid – The Exchange Session Vol 1
Kieran Hebden/Steve Reid – The Exchange Session Vol 2
Various – Now That’s What I (i.e. me, Mr CBQ) Call Music 1989/90
Various – Now That’s What I (i.e. me, Mr CBQ) Call Music 1984
Uriah Heep – The Magician’s Birthday
Elgar – Cello Concerto
Forqueray - Pieces de Viole avec la Basse continue
Ginastera – Piano Concertos 1 & 2
Giuliani – Complete Guitar Concertos

Since the Asia gig the other night, as you may have noticed, I’ve been listening to a lot of Asia and John Wetton. This morning, I noticed that his 1986 album with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera (which also features Yes’ Alan White on drums) wasn’t on the jukebox, so I rectified that...

I also took the opportunity to add more Free MP3 Downloads to the Crispycat Library – there are 30 tracks there now covering 13 albums...

At 10 we drove to Stockbridge, for breakfast at our favourite haunt, Patisserie Florentine - I love their coffee....

The weather was bitterly cold but, after breakfast, we walked down into the town and I visited the Oxfam shop, finding the second volume of Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden’s improvisational recordings with drummer Steve Reid...

Bought some lovely bread at Herbie’s Deli – it’s good but is it £1.85 good? Probably...

On the way back home, Hebden and Reid had to be removed from the car stereo to save Anne’s sanity...

While Anne made some vegetable soup, I started to plan some changes in the music room and, after lunch implemented same – which involved removing the studio and all my musical instruments (and our old TV) into the loft, leaving just one acoustic guitar in the room for writing...

I don’t envisage doing much this year in the way of new recordings – I have enough material “in the can” for at least three EPs of "new" material and of course, this year, I’m putting out one volume of the Anthology each month...

Given that I haven’t actually written any new songs to record since last May, there's probably no point in having all that stuff taking up room – I can bring it all back down and set it up for recording for a couple of months when the need arises...

So, I changed much of the furniture around while Anne was out watching a dire 0-0 draw between Hearts and Falkirk – meanwhile the mighty Queens were thrashing Clyde 4-1 away from home – perhaps I should have gone along but I didn’t want to jinx them...

Of course, Meg the Black Cat helped out with the re-arrangement of the room...



In the evening, Anne insisted on an indian takeaway, citing the fact that she’s been cooking her buns off for the last three months....

So I capitulated but we ordered just one dish, one rice and two chapatis between us and, now we are used to eating less - yes I know it must seem from the content here that we spend much of our time eating but the portions are small - anyway, we found that half of what we used to eat was more than ample...

Late on, I downloaded volume 8 of the Rheostatics Celebrationary Virtual Box Set, “Static Journey” - one more to go - what a brilliant idea and many thanks to Mr Northern Wish for the hours and hours of work he must have put into this mammoth project...

Whilst doing this, I continued to add various classical CDs to the Classical Jukebox but there's still 400 hours of space left...

Highlight of the Day : Changing round the back room

Moving...

Playlist
Asia – Astra
Erasure – Union Street
Dionne Warwick – The Very Best of
Leonard Cohen – Death of a Ladies Man
Leonard Cohen – Recent Songs
Leonard Cohen - The Future

Met Anne for lunch today as I returned to La P’tite Folie. The food was splendid, the company also of course. Seafood Pancake, Beef Stew and a glass of French Red for me, Tomato & Pesto Soup, Pork Escalope and a glass of Chilean White for Anne – followed by lovely Americano coffees with warmed milk....

Late afternoon I wandered along to FOPP avoiding the coming snowstorm and purchasing some books and CDs...

Two more history books liable to lie unread for some considerable time, “Never Had It So Good : Suez to the Beatles : 1956-1963” and “White Heat : The Swinging Sixties : 1964 - 1969” both written by Dominic Sandbrook who was born in 1974 and, therefore, has no axe to grind about “what things were really like” rather, he tells it like it is...

A third book purchase was Paul Morley’s Autobiographical “Nothing”...

I read the opening chapters on my way home as the snow came down, and I was moved....

His description of the experience of being in a room with the only dead body he’s ever seen, brought back memories of the day my dad died and my going up to my parents’ bedroom to see him lying there, empty, to kiss his head and say goodbye, knowing it was all over and I’d never, ever see him again...

The bracing walk up the hill brought me back to reality and the fact that life goes on and, really, nothing much matters in the big scheme of things...

I can make music till...well, till I die I suppose and it won’t really change a thing...

Of course, I bought some CDs too – an acoustic/countrified reworking by Erasure of some of the lesser known songs from their back catalogue, the greatest hits of Dionne Warwick (almost every track is a Bacharach/David classic) and a triple pack of Leonard Cohen....



Back home, no dinner required after the excellent lunch, so a glass of wine and some fine listening, uploading and researching and reading – I hadn’t realised Mr Cohen has made so few albums in his career...

We lazed around in the warmth of the living room and enjoyed the best episode yet of “Torchwood”, now moved to its new Friday night slot, followed by “Al Murray’s Happy Hour” having taped the final “Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach for later viewing...

Highlight of the Day : Remembering my dad

Critical mass...

Playlist
Asia – Asia
Asia – Alpha
Various Composers – Missa

Browsing in HMV today I found a triple CD set on Harmonia Mundi called “Missa” which tracks the progress of the Mass form from Guillaume de Mauchaut in the 1300s through to Leonard Bernstein in 1971...



Of course, reduced as it was from £15 to £6, I had to buy it...

Although I’m an atheist, I do recognise that some of the best music ever written was done so in the name of God...

In the evening, relaxed with taped episodes of “The Big Bang Theory” and “Torchwood” followed by “Ashes to Ashes” but very disappointed indeed to find that the new series of “My Name is Earl” and tonight’s “Big Bang Theory” had been replaced without warning by Channel 4 for some hopeless documentary about the nine year old girl who was missing recently..

Comedy is better than reality....

Highlight of the Day : Ashes to Ashes

Asia 2, Glasgow 0...

Playlist
Mozart – Complete String Quartets
Pet Shop Boys – Concrete

Classical Jukebox today and Herr Mozart was featured...

Mid afternoon, a call from Dr Prog enticing me along to Asia’s gig in Glasgow tonight...



Consequently, we left Crispycat Towers just after six and, after some welcome sustenance on the streets of the mean city, we arrived at the Carling Academy around five minutes before the performance started...

Two fifty minute sets ensued, packed full of Asia classics along with pieces made famous by Yes, ELP, King Crimson and Buggles...

Just two songs from the forthcoming album “Phoenix” were played though which was disappointing...

I would have liked a bit more bravery from the boys along the lines of the first set being the new album played in its entirety with a couple of “hits” at the end followed by a second set of the crème de la crème of their classic repertoire...

An enjoyable, rocking evening none the less...

Elsewhere, Partick Thistle managed a draw with Rangers at Ibrox and forced a replay, so the line up for the semi-finals of this year's scottish Cup still aren't settled...

Highlight of the Day : Asia with Dr Prog

Tick oot...

Playlist
Laura Pausini- E Ritorno d ate
Neal Morse - ?
Garbage - Absolute Garbage
Madredeus – Um Amor Infinito
Madredeus – Faluas Do Tejo

Spent the evening compiling a 25th Wedding Anniversary compilation for my colleague Margaret’s step sister...

One hit from each April from 1983 to 2008 – with the last track waiting to be chosen...

In order to meet the rules (no artist can have more than one track included) I had to buy Garbage’s greatest hits CD “Absolute” at FOPP – just as well it was only £3 – I don’t have any other Garbage and it’s a good compilation..



I knew Shirley Manson when she was in Goodbye mr Mackenzie twenty years ago...

Other than that, Aberdeen beat Celtic in Glasgow to claim a semi-final place against Queen of the South – 12 April at Hampden...

As ever, “CSI” and “Law& Order : Criminal Intent” entertained late on...

Stayed up late watching Madredeus videos on YouTube...

Highlight of the Day : Law & Order

The good, the bad and the lovely...

Playlist
Billy Cobham - Rudiments : The Anthology
Liza Minelli - Results
Various Composers - Classical Jukebox on Shuffleplay

Listened to both discs of Billy Cobham's Atlantic Records Anothology in their entirety today - brilliant - what a drummer the man is...

In FOPP, I found Liza Minelli's 1989 collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys, "Results" re-released with a DVD containing the three promo videos filmed at the time - hard to believe it's nearly twenty years ago - I originally got this when it came out but I think it went into the stock for the shop when we opened two years later...



On listening again, I can hear why - the backing is great, there are a couple of standout tracks but, frankly, Minelli's overbearing vocal style ruins the album...

Anne summed it up when she came home to find me watching the DVD - "Why are you listening to Liza Minelli?" - oh well, it was only £3 and it's in the collection for its Pet Shop Boys connection...

Spent much of the evening watching TV - the stupid, formulaic "Getting into Tesco" programme followed by "The Passions of Girls Aloud" which, this week, featured the lovely Cheryl training and auditioning to be a "street" dancer in a video by Black Eyed Peas singer Will I Am (William's probably his real name)...

Of course, she got the part, but she is a very good dancer...

For some unexplained reason, no "Curb Your Enthusiasm" tonight...

Boo, hiss!

Highlight of the Day : Mr Cobham's jazz

Brown not black...

Playlist
Edgar Froese – Epsilon in Malaysian Pale
Edgar Froese – Aqua
Edgar Froese – Ages
Edgar Froese – Stuntman
Tangerine Dream – Discography 1967-1977
Brian Eno – Music For Films
Various – Mastercuts Jazz Café
Various – Crispycat MP3 Uploads
Eagles – The Long Road Out of Eden
Rheostatics – Static Journey Vol 7
Various – destination Out Downloads

Woke at five – up at 5:50 as I couldn’t get back to sleep...

After rediscovering Edgar Froese yesterday, I uploaded my Tangerine Dream collection to the jukebox...

Then, whilst adding more MP3 downloads to the Crispycat Website, I discovered my file holder of choice only allows seven files to be held on their server at a time – which is hopeless for my needs – so I researched and found an alternative provider who gives me 5GB of space absolutely free...

Then to the shops through a downpour for breakfast essentials...

I spent much of the day, off and on, uploading Crispycat MP3s for people to download for free...

There’s room for around 70 x seventy minute albums so this is a long project...

Whilst on the subject of long projects, Northern Wish’s Rheostatics Box Set is now up to week seven and this is going to be a lot more than a nine CD set – part six lasted over two hours...

Meg the Black cat kept me company – although from this you can see that, like most “black” cats, she’s really just very dark brown...



Disappointing to watch Rangers win the CSI Cupafter Dundee Utd went ahead twice and would have been worthy winners were it not for a howler of a defensive error which allowed the Huns to equalise with five minutes to go – alas Utd were pretty bad in the penalty shoot-out while Rangers weren’t much better...

Of course I was once a Rangers fan and, had the teenage me been able to see the almost fifty year old me celebrating when Utd went 2-1 up, he’d have been horrified – but, these days, I hate the Old Firm and their unending dominance of Scottish football...

Spent ages in the evening researching accommodation for a trip later this year before watching “Ashes to Ashes”, which improves week on week and “Match of the Day 2”...

Highlight of the Day : Finding a benevolent server provider...

Not in Egypt...

Playlist
Various – Jazz Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Natalie Merchant – Motherland
Chris Botti – To Love Again
The Killers – Sawdust
Sigur Ros – Hvarf-Heim
Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine
Edgar Froese – Epsilon in Malaysian Pale
Roedelius - Wenn der Sudwind weht
Grand Funk Railroad – Discography on Shuffleplay

Slept in till around 8:10...

Got up and tidied up the mess from last night and washed and put away all the dishes...



Went to the computer and wrote this and surfed the net and uploaded new CDs to the Jukeboxes...

Anne finally appeared around midday, so a late breakfast. Then, after lazing around for an hour we went for a walk down to the Western end of Corstorphine, walked along through the town and then climbed the hill at the Eastern end – I took the camera but there was nothing whatsoever worth recording...

We were back home for 2:30 – a late lunch of leftover curry then football time for Anne and surfing time for me...

I secured two tickets for The Blue Nile gigs in Glasgow in July...

Both Queens and Hearts drew 1-1 with Dunfermline at home and St Mirren away respectively, Queens losing their early lead while Hearts equalised late on...

I surfed some MP3 blogs for the first time in a long time and ended up downloading two albums I used to have - Roedelius’ “Wenn der Sudwind weht” and Edgar Froese (of Tangerine Dream)’s “Epsilon in Malaysian Pale” – even though I already have almost 100 albums on my hard disks waiting to be burned at some point...

The evening was spent listening to the complete Grand Funk Railroad discography on shuffleplay then watching TV, both taped and live – “Moving Wallpaper/Echo Beach”, CSI:New York” and “Law and Order”, then, very sleepily, off to bed...

A pretty disappointing Saturday all told...

Highlight of the Day : Blue Nile live again...

Counting out time...

Playlist
Various – Jazz Jukebox on Shuffleplay
The Killers – Sawdust
Various – Invictus Club Classics
The Whitest Boy Alive – Dreams
Sigur Ros – Hvarf-Heim
Deodato – Prelude
Brian Eno – Songs (3xCD-R)
Various – Das Bleiben Hits (3LP)
The Roches – Keep On Doing (LP)
Jon Hassell/Brian Eno – Fourth World Possible Musics
Sparks – National Crime Awareness Week (EP)
Cecil Taylor – Conquistador
Kiss – Destroyer
MFSB- MFSB

Bought two CDs today at HMV – The Killers’ “Sawdust” collection...

...and the 2 disc compilation from Sigur Ros, “Hvarf-Heim”...


Listened to the former as I drove round to Castle Brodski to pick up the Count and his good lady Penny...

Meanwhile, Anne had been slaving away all day (other than while out playing badminton with best chum Lynn – on the very court where our courageous Webmeister Mr Craig Sutherland slipped and fell last week, breaking his arm in the process – Owya!! – Get Well Soon Craig – cos you need to update some pictures on the website!!)

Anyway, yes, Anne had been slaving away for most of the day preparing two very tasty curries, a Lamb Rogan Josh and a Chicken Tikka Massala – along with her patented home made Pakora...

Mmm, mmm...

Brodders brought round some pictures of us when we performed as Love Parade in 1984 (before the Berlin St festival or the Pet Shop Boys had been heard of) - if I can fire up the old scanner, I'll perhaps post some here to allow you to view the ludicrosity which hindsight brings to the eighties...

We ate late, and talked long into the night, enjoying some eclectic sounds on the way, from Cecil Taylor to the majesty of Kiss...

Whilst choosing some sounds, Count Brodski did his best to destroy the Living Room CD shelf, luckily to no avail...

The happy couple stotted off into the night around 2:15 am...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : A visit from Count Brodski and Lady Penelope...

No self control (Pt 46)...

Playlist
Various – Rock & Pop Jukebox on Shuffleplay

Out tonight from 5 with chums Margaret, Kris-with-a-K and ex-colleague, Lorna...

I suppose going to a 2-for-the-price-of-1 bar at 5pm when the table wasn’t due to be attended until 8pm, in hindsight, was a bad idea...

Suffice to say, come midnight, your correspondent was to be found doing the mechanical-duck walk along to Haymarket for a Joseph Baxi...

Earlier, I enjoyed several glasses of Stella Artois and of Bittburger Pils along with half a bottle of rather expensive Rioja, shared with Lorna while Kris and Margaret partook of an equally expensive white...

The Crispycat bank balance fell a little to say the least but the meal, at La P’tite Folie, was excellent, the sirloin steaks and Potatoes Dauphinoises hitting the spot...



A sore head beckons...

Meanwhile, Anne went tenpin bowling for the first time in 12 years (In the mid 90’s she was West Lothian Ladies Champion and the attic is stuffed with trophies and medals). A triumphant return by all accounts and, once Mr Quartet’s arm is back to 100% fitness and strength, we will no doubt enjoy the occasional bowling night...

Highlight of the Day : Not my stupidity re drinking, that's for sure...

Dylan the dog...

Playlist
Various Composers – Classical Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Beethoven – Complete String Quartets
Various – The Wire Tapper 19
J S Bach – The Art of Fugue (Arrangement for String Quartet)

And so I returned once again to the hall in which I broke my ankle 28 months ago....

As I’d been selected to play in the “lights” team, I took the opportunity to wear the Queen of the South away strip I bought recently on e-bay – with its rather flattering exhibition of my man boobs and belly...

Said ankle has been giving me a bit gyp over the last couple of days but I thought I could run it off – I was wrong, despite the fact I managed to score a couple of goals, even one with the damaged left foot, I spent the majority of the game either limping ineffectually around the pitch or in goals...

To cap it all, half way through the game I also managed to injure the big toe on my right foot – the one for which I’ve been visiting a podiatrist regularly for around three years...

A miserable night which followed a miserable day...

Meg the Black Cat’s ex-mum Julia’s fluffy dog Dylan had to have an operation today and the wee man died on the operating table...

Julia is devastated as you might imagine and my heart goes out to her – Dylan was a true man’s best friend kind of dog and we’ll miss his big galumphing presence when we visit to take Meg the Black Cat on her holidays...

And no doubt Meg will miss him too on her visits to Armadale...

Now Meg’s the only survivor of Julia’s original three musketeers, Dylan the dog and Pandy the Fluffy Cat having gone the way of us all...



A sad day...

Lowlight of the Day : Dylan the dog

Blackballed...

Playlist
Various – Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Eels – Eels on Shuffleplay
Brian Eno – Eno on Shuffleplay
Goldfrapp – Black Cherry
Various – Classical Jukebox on Shuffleplay

Cooking again with Anne – chicken breasts in a Cajun coating – tasty? That’ll be an affirmative...

I got my comeuppance tonight – Queen of the South were winning 1-0 away at St Johnstone in a veritable six-pointer but, with just 10 minutes to go, Saints equalised and then, in the second last minute they scored a winner...

But hey, as I always say to Anne, “it’s only a game”...

On the good news front, received my money back from Paypal re the con-man from whom I ordered a Wizzard CD in early February – lesson learned? Always look at the actual feedback – his looked good numbers wise but only because he’d had so many trades – in the last few weeks he’d sold almost 1,000 CDs without delivering any of them...

He’s been chucked off e-bay – good riddance...

On TV tonight, “CSI” and “Law & Order : Criminal Intent”...

Spent some time uploading some of my favourite classical discs to the new jukebox...

Got word I’m in the starting ten for five-a-sides tomorrow night...

Looking forward to it...

Highlight of the Day : Selected for fives again at last

Wondergoal...

Playlist
Various – Jazz Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Deodato – In Concert
Freddie Hubbard – This Is Jazz
MFSB- MFSB
John Coltrane – The Complete Classic Quartet Sessions

Ok so, first things first – here’s that 70 yard goal from Queen of the South on Saturday...

While Anne was out at keep-fit tonight I spent some time , surprise surprise, on the PC – mainly writing this drivel...

Upon her return we cooked – or rather Anne cooked while I uncorked and poured the red wine to the sounds of the mighty MFSB...

Cod today, in a spiced flour dressing with parsley and lemon accompanied by green beans and new potatoes...

Extremely tasty – like a healthy fish supper...

On telly, a drama from the BBC’s White season, “White Girl” which was ok and entertained in a right-on BBC lefty kind of way...

Then, another brilliant “Curb Your Enthusiasm”...

Filled my tiny Technika Jukeboxes with John Coltrane and off to bed...

Lights Out

Highlight of the Day : A tie between Larry David and Anne's cooking...

1983 and all that...

Playlist
KD Lang – Absolute Torch and Twang
Richie Havens - 1983
Various – Jukebox Shuffleplay

Up at 7:30...

Reading through the message board at the Queen of the South site I could see that yesterday’s events had been enough to make grown men cry and I must admit some of the comments brought a wee tear to the eye...

Later in the day it seemed we’d play Aberdeen in the semi – beating them is not a task which I believe to be impossible – but it wasn’t to be as Celtic equalised with the last kick of the game and forced a replay in Glasgow – so it’s likely we’ll play the ‘tic...

I made the decision today to offer all my tracks as free downloads – what prompted this was finding that the listening facility I have over to the right on here (see “Listen to my 2007 album” etc etc) and on the Music Page over at www.crispycat.co.uk had broken down (it’s back up now as I right this on Monday night)...

So the first two tracks are up now for you to download and burn or delete or whatever you want to do – of course if you still want a shiny silver disc with artwork and a box, you can buy those – much better I say (but then I would)...

I also updated my Albums of the Month blog for January, February and March having been a bit lax – and I note that my photo blog’s not been updated since last summer – how remiss of me...

I spent some considerable time today transferring a Richie Havens LP from 1969 (“1983” – not available on CD) onto CD for Meg the Black Cat’s ex-mum Julia – a good album it is too – I bought it for her on e-bay and it arrived yesterday...

As ever, all my buggering about on the computer while I played it in from the mini disc I’d taped it on from the LP, caused no end of crackles so I had to do it all again whilst everything else was closed down...

The end result is very good though and I hope Julia will be pleased...



To Anne’s mum’s for family tea then off out to the Playhouse for Dara O’Briain – hey, he was born on Alice Cooper’s birthday in 1972 – and is a very, very funny man but “you had to be there”....

Back home after the two hour show, Anne watched “Dancing on Ice” and I finished off Julia’s CD...

Highlight of the Day : Dara O’Briain

I'm a Klutz, Captain

Playlist
Various – Blue Note Albums
Ornette Coleman – Compete Atlantic recordings
John Coltrane – Complete Classic Quartet Sessions
Various - Happy Songs
Various - Rock & Pop Jukebox
MFSB - MFSB
Devo – Hot Potatoes : Their Greatest Hits

Up at 4:30 today – for no particular reason – but I took the opportunity to add to the Jazz Jukebox, those Blue Note albums I have which were not already present...

Then I added the six disc set of Ornette Coleman’s complete Atlantic recordings followed by John Coltrane’s complete classic quartet sessions, an eight disc set...

Groovy...

Whst doing this, I read through a few blogs and Sid Smith’s reminded me of the late great cartoonist, Don Martin and his creation Captain Klutz – a book I enjoyed as a boy...

Today was the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Cup and Queen of the South were at home to Dundee...

We couldn’t go though, as we had a prior arrangement to take my mum to Paisley to see her old friend Pat, widow of the original Gadget Man...

Mum arrived just before eleven and we set off out into a howling gale and teeming rain and made our way across to the west coast – we were in the Cloudland Blue Mobile though so the weather didn’t bother us really...

We listened to one of the compilations I bought in the Oxfam shop a few weeks back. Whenever my mum’s in the car and there’s music on, she asks “Is that you son?” – actually it was Kylie Minogue....

Pat laid on a lovely three course lunch and we had a bit of a natter before Anne and I headed to Glasgow for some shopping...

I went a bit mad in FOPP at Byres Road purchasing:-

A Fiona Apple CD I already have but this copy has the CD on one side and a DVD on the other (£3)
A Chris Botti CD/DVD disc due to it containing one track with Paul Buchanan of the Blue Nile covering “Are You Lonesome Tonight”? (£3)
A disc by a group I’d never heard before, Hope of the States(£1)
The eponymous 1973 album by Philly band MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) which is excellent – apart from the extra bonus track, a live recording of the Three Degrees in Leicester (?!!?) (£1)
A triple disc box of albums by Deodato, two of which I have already (£3)
Devo’s Greatest Hits (£3)

Can you see why I bought them?

We took the Underground into town where the main branch of FOPP held nothing for me, though I did pick up a copy of KD Lang’s “Absolute Torch and Twang” for two quid around the corner at Missing...

Anne texted to say Queens were drawing nil-nil at half time...

We met up and went and bought a couple of shirts for me before heading to Ten for an orange juice...

Whilst walking there the result came through for the Queens – they’d won 2-0, the second goal apparently scored from 70 yards!

So we watched the end of the rugby, Scotland beating England 15-9 and then waited for the semi finals draw – Queens have to play Celtic or Aberdeen...

Then back to the Underground and out to Byres Road and a twenty minute drive to Paisley for tea and sandwiches...

The trip home was soundtracked by MFSB (“I quite like that, son” said my mum) followed by Devo (I prefer the first CD son” said my mum)...

Back home in time to see “CSI : New York”, “Law and Order” and the highlights of the big game and, right enough, Queens’ second goal was scored from 70 yards...

Dundee had a free kick in injury time, a last chance to equalise QoS’ excellent first goal. Their goalie had gone up into the penalty area to help out. In the event QoS cleared the ball and, when it was shot back in, it rebounded off the hapless Dundee keeper and fell to Queens’ right back who looked up, took aim and let fly – the ball was sucked into the empty net by the 3,000 Queens supporters behind the goal – brilliant – and it was no doubt shown all over the place thereafter..

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : Queen of the South in the Semi Finals for the first time in 58 years...

Inconsequential misinterpretation...

Playlist
Herbie Hancock – The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions
Hank Mobley – The Turnaround
UK – The Best of UK (CD-R)

The review of my three song set last week at Out of the Bedroom arrived in my inbox yesterday...

“OOTB old-schooler CBQ headed off proceedings with a dreamy number recalling how he "fell for [her] blue eyes across the room"...

Then "The End of Everything", which raises the tempo a bit, and promptly sends me spiralling into melancholic 'if only I’d known then what I know now' desperation. Ah, you can’t beat a bit of misery, I always say.

The third song transports us to a continental cafe; sipping coffee and watching the world go by under the setting sun. It was quite beautiful.”

Many thanks to Lindsay Sugden for that...

Of course "Blue Eyes Across the Room" is about not realising you've been killed in a car crash while in the third song, "Starting to Worry", the protaganist isn't actualy in a continental cafe, rather they are in a mental institution having their conciousness altered by drugs, machines and hypnotherapy after "losing" their partner...

But that possibly didn't come across on the night and I certainly can't blame Lindsay for not knowing what goes on in my head - I'm just grateful someone took the time to listen and write a review...

And I'm sure I have no idea what her songs might be about but it doesn't take away from the fact she's one of my favourite fellow performers...

Today, I gave a listen to Hank Mobley’s album “The Turnaround”, half the album was recorded exactly 45 years ago (7 March 1963) – and it still sounds fresh...

Following on from Anne’s, shall we say, observation, that she’s not been able to have a takeaway on a Friday all year, I booked a table at Indian Restaurant, Zest...



At five we headed up to the South Bridge to the Jazz Bar only to find it not quite ready to open, so we popped next door to Biblo for a drink (mmm, Magners), returning to the Jazz Bar around six to find the promised live “funky” music hadn’t started yet – the background music was fine for us though and the atmosphere was good – a bottle of Erdinger Weissbier proved popular with your correspondent...

Due to the rain, we bussed it back down to the town centre and, still a little early for the table, visited nearby Lord Bodo’s – a charming wee hostelry which very kindly provided a half of Blanc for me while Anne enjoyed her third G&T of the evening...

Then to Zest and the food was excellent – we shared starters of vegetable pakora and chicken kebab followed by a fiery lamb dish for me, complete with two very large red chillis, and a Lamb Karai for Anne – some spicy potatoes on the side, rice and a chapati each – very tasty indeed – and a bottle of red wine slipped down nicely...

A good couple of hours later we emerged onto the street, having now avoided the worst of the rain, and made our way on foot along Thistle Street to the West End of Princes Street where we caught the bus home...

OK, perhaps not a wild night out but very enjoyable indeed and home in time to catch Al Murray before calling it a night...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : A night out with Anne

One, two, three...

Playlist
Rheostatics - Melville
Rheostatics – Whale Music
Rheostatics – Introducing Happiness
Rheostatics – The Blue Hysteria
Rheostatics – Night of the Shooting Stars
Various – Classical Jukebox
The Lindsays – The Art of the Lindsays (Box Set)
Various – Hit Singles of 1972
Herbie Hancock – The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions

No record shops today at lunchtime as I had to head out to Roseburn to the Post Office Depot to pick up my third Creative Jukebox, which suffered an attempted delivery yesterday morning...



IT Guru, Martin, the man who, three years ago almost to the day, created our PC, is trying to get me to agree to replace one of my 30GB hard drives with a brand new 120GB hard drive – he assures me it’ll work inside the jukebox...

I’ll probably do it one day – possibly even to all three Jukeboxes – but not right now...

Back home, I unpacked the seven socket USB 2.0 Hub I purchased in December and which has been gathering dust since...

I rigged up permanent connections to the PC for the three jukeboxes and the camera and also routed the external drive through the hub...

Then I transferred all my classical music from Jukebox 2 to Jukebox 3 and spent some time listening to some excellent string quartets performed by the Lindsays, followed by some pop from 1972 and some classic jazz from Mr Herbie Hancock...

I’ve calculated I now have enough space across the three Jukeboxes to carry around over 2,000 hours of music, enough to fill 250 eight hour days...

All told, at present I have 1,260 hours uploaded...

I am quite mad...

This week’s “Ashes to Ashes” was postponed due to the Rangers game, which Anne watched, the Hun beating Werder Bremen 2-0 due to a couple of horrendous goalkeeping gaffes...

Later on we watched "The Big Bang Theory" and then last week’s “Ashes to Ashes” on tape – the best so far and the story’s at last starting to take shape...

Finished the day with “This Week”...

Highlight of the Day : Jukebox No 3

1,096 Days...

Playlist
John McLaughlin – The Heart of Things
John McLaughlin – Industrial Zen
John McLaughlin – Devotion
Various – The Best Disco Album in the World...Ever!
The Angel Conversations - EP

Happy birthday to the blog, three years old today, this is the 1,141st post – I’m amazed I’ve kept a diary for three years...

Looking back over the period, I’m also surprised at how little my life has changed – I suppose I’m at an age where change is less likely...

I spend a lot of time listening to music and playing music and am very much a creature of habit it seems...

Anyhow, today was of course the day of my first full set performance since last July following being incapacitated from September through to the start of February with the shoulder problems and consequent operation and recuperation...

I deliberately avoided listening to any CBQ at all today and Anne and I enjoyed some classic disco sounds as we drove to the venue...

It was a good night with, dare I say it, yet another four good acts following on from last month’s Secret CD...

As we soundchecked I started to doubt whether we should use the backing track CD but Anne and Jamie convinced me to carry on as planned...

Even though it was loud, from where we were to play, without monitors, I knew it was going to be difficult to hear our backing and I was concerned that the sound wouldn’t properly portray the “Ersatzreal” CD – which was the plan after all...

I needn’t have worried though – it went without a glitch (apart from a false start due to not resetting the disc after the soundcheck)...

It didn’t sound great from where we were but it’s often the case that what sounds poor on stage sounds fine out front and tonight seemed to be one of those times judging by the reception we got during, and the comments we received after, the set, which comprised...

Blue Eyes Across the Room
The Angels’ Kiss
Another Piece of Cake (Debut Performance)
The Luckiest Man Alive
The End of Everything
Starting to Worry
No Concrete Idea
Lights Out

Good to see some old chums along – Martin Lennon, Lynn Flannigan, Ali Graham, Ian Sclater (with whom I will be working again soon I think) as well as OOTB regulars like Electric White Boy (aka Broken Tooth), Scott Renton and of course Hannah O’Reilly and the Angel Conversations – who were also on the bill and gave sterling performances - and compere (and impressario) Jim Igoe, CD seller Miss Fi and soundman extraordinaire, Dave O'Hara...

Anne particularly enjoyed the Angel Conversations so I bought their CD at the end of the night...

Ending proceedings were the five man weird outfit Fanattica including Poles, Greeks and Englishmen playing folk tunes on an assortment of instruments...


Top : CBQ, The Angel Conversations; Bottom : Hannah O'Reilly, Fanattica

After Jamie and Scott failed to get me to agree to go to the Fence Collective’s Festival in Anstruther, Jamie leant me a couple of King Creosote CDs and Anne, Lynn and I made our way home to the sounds of the Angel Conversations...

Highlight of the Day : Returning to the stage

Unconsoled...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Souvenir XVI
Rheostatics – Introducing Happiness
John McLaughlin – The Heart of Things
Larry Coryell – Fallen Angel
Sonny Rollins – Sonny Rollns Vol 1
Stanley Turrentine - That's Where It's At
Herbie Hancock – The Complete Blue Note Sixties Sessions

To FOPP at lunchtime today but no CDs bought –instead, on instruction from Meg the Black Cat, a belated Mothers’ Day gift was purchased for Anne – “The Book of General Ignorance” – based around the same concept as the show “QI” i.e. "everything you thought you knew is wrong"...

I also purchased a book for myself – Kazuo Ishiguro’s apparent masterpiece “The Unconsoled” – whether I'll ever read it is another question...



The cover of my copy's much better than this but I couldn't find it online...

On arriving home I put this on the coffee table and fetched other recent unread purchases from the music room, Iain M Banks’ “The Algebraist”, “A Concise History of the World” by William Woodruff and two by Eric Hobsbawm, “Uncommon People” and “On History”...

My three CDs arrived from e-bay – the Sonny Rollins is a great Blue Note disc from 1956, Larry Coryell’s is a kind of tribute to the genius of his greatest influence, Wes Montgomery and John McLaughlin’s contains some rapid fire fusion jazz...

As tasty as predicted...

After some excellent home made lamb-burgers, with some of Anne’s signature chilli sauce, Sonny Rollins was switched off in his prime as Anne wanted to listen to the commentary of Barcelona v Celtic – I maintained she could just have watched with the sound down...

I retired upstairs and awaited the arrival of my musical cohort Mr James Jamieson, who duly appeared around 9 pm...

We ran through the set once and practised one of the songs a couple more times, then called it a night...

All set for tomorrow...

Late on, “Law & Order : Criminal Intent” entertained...

Highlight of the Day : Running through the set with Jamie

Uneventful...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Souvenir XVI
Freddie Redd - Music from "The Connection”
Lee Morgan - Leeway
Art Blakey - Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World Vol 1
Art Blakey - Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World Vol 2
Hank Mobley - Roll Call
Freddie Hubbard - Hub Cap
Donald Byrd - Royal Flush
Ike Quebec - Blue and Sentimental
Various – Blue Note Playlist on Shuffleplay

Mondays always seem a little uneventful after the weekend...

Today was no exception – apart perhaps from Anne’s tasty Trout based dish for dinner...

Continued the Blue Note project and mostly listened to jazz...

Started reading the Biography of Blue Note by Richard Cook – I’ve read it before but still find it fascinating how so much brilliant music came from the early enthusiasm of a German obsessed with American culture in the 1920’s...



On telly only “Curb Your Enthusiasm” pulled me from the jazz – tonight’s was the one where all Larry & Cheryl’s friends “choose” Cheryl after she decides to leave him because, when she called him from a plane that may well have been going down in an electrical storm, he asked her to call back in ten minutes once the Tivo man had gone...

Brilliant...

Highlight of the Day : Curb Your Enthusiasm

A day of unmitigated jazz..

Playlist
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – Various Albums on Shuffleplay
Andrew Hill - Various Albums on Shuffleplay
Various – Blue 45’s The Ultimate Jukebox
Billie Holiday – Lady in Satin
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers – A Night at Birdland Vol 2
Various – Trojan Rare Groove
David Bowie – The Berlin Trilogy (CD-R)
Miles Davis - Miles Davis, Volume 1
Horace Silver and Art Blakey - Sabu
Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland Vol 1
Thad Jones - Detroit-New York Junction
Paul Chambers - Whims of Chambers
Horace Silver - The Stylings of Silver
Sonny Clark - Dial "S" for Sonny
John Coltrane - Blue Train
Sonny Clark - Trio
Bud Powell - Time Waits
Lou Donaldson - Blues Walk
Jimmy Smith - The Sermon
Lee Morgan - Candy

Up around quarter to seven and spent the first few hours of the day investigating exactly which Blue Note albums I have in my collection...

I have around 146 Single Artist CDs and a further 25 or so compilations – I love the Blue Note jazz, especially the ten year period from around 1957 till 1966...

I went through an online discography which lists the releases by their Catalogue Number and copied it, highlighting the discs I have...

Then I made a separate list deleting all the discs I don’t have (yet) and ordered those I do chronologically...

A late breakfast of toast and coffee was followed by some further jazz stuff as I started on a project to ensure all my Blue Note CDs are uploaded to the Jazz & Classical Jukebox...

At 12:30 we picked Anne’s mum up for her Mothers’ Day lunch and drove to Leith to meet up with brother-in-law Keith, his partner Maureen and Maureen’s two teenage daughters, Rebecca and Abby...

We had a lovely meal at The Compass – after steaks yesterday, Anne opted for a burger while I had sea bass on a bed of Mediterranean vegetables in chorizo...

After lunch we headed back to Keith and Maureen’s where we listened to more jazz (I confirmed that Billie holiday is not for me and remain convinced that there is no place for vocals in jazz) and some tasty reggae followed Mr Bowie...



Back home around 6pm, just in time for Anne to watch “Dancing on Ice" while I continued the Blue Note project...

Later on, “Harry Hill’s TV Burp” entertained before I ventured onto e-bay and bought three CDs, Sonny Rollins, John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell...

Tasty...

Like Harry Hill, “Match of the Day 2” entertained – especially their “2 Good 2 Bad” feature which, every week, makes it worthwhile watching right to the end...

By closedown, all Blue note CDS I have which were recorded before I was born, had been added to the Jukebox – a total of 23...

Highlight of the Day : Another Mothers’ Day plus some very tasty jazz...

No points beckons...

Playlist
Rheostatics – Static Journey Volume 4
Rheostatics – Static Journey Volume 5
David Reilly - Anthology
Bob Marley – Africa Unite
Barry White – Gold
Grand Funk – What’s Funk?
Daft Punk – Human After All
Cannonball Aderley – Somethin’ Else

Up early and, as usual, spent the first few hours of Saturday on the PC...

Downloaded the fifth in the Rheostatics Box Set series and gave that and Volume 4 which I got last night, a listen...

It’s Mothers’ day tomorrow and so today we went for lunch with my mum and my sister. We picked mum up at 12:30 for our 1 o’clock reservation and met Sheila at the restaurant, The Retreat out at Cockpen, south of Edinburgh...

The food was good, though the service was a bit slow – not that that mattered, as no-one needed to rush off anywhere...

And so a long leisurely lunch ensued, then, after taking some pics of the resident peacocks...



...we took mum home again and arrived back at Crispycat Towers around 4...

In football, a glorious win for the Jam Tarts up at Inverness 3-0 while Queens had come from behind to 2-1 up at home against league leaders Hamilton, only to then lose an equaliser in the last minute...

Still, that’s 9 games unbeaten...

In the evening Anne was off out to see neice Kitty perform ballet and tap in her dance school’s show, as only a four year old can...

I stayed at home, ran through the set for Wednesday, packaged up some CDs to sell and caught some of “Ant & Dec” – Girls Aloud were especially good, and “The Eurovision Decision” – a “nil points” score beckons once again methinks...

Later on, upon Anne’s return with excellent reports regarding young Kitty’s performance and the show in general, we enjoyed “Law & Order” and “Match of the Day”...

Highlight of the Day : Early Mothers’ Day day out