I recall that last year I was waxing lyrical about the number of great new albums that were released. By March 2013 I had enjoyed Richard Thompson, Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer, Pere Ubu, The Villagers and Steven Wilson. Some haul! And better was to follow!
This year there have been meagre pickings. A bit of a mixed bag in the form of 'High Hopes' from Bruce Springsteen and that has been just about it. Granted I haven't yet gotten round to listening to the latest works by Beck, Seth Lakeman or St. Vincent but reviews of those have not really filled me with enthusiasm.
Consequently I have welcomed with open arms, the latest from the Drive-By Truckers, the results of their first studio sessions for four years.
The writing and singing credits on 'English Oceans' are shared fairly evenly between Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, resulting in what sounds to me like a more varied album than either 'The Big To-Do' or 'Go-Go Boots'. Both of those albums were the result of their previous studio visits back in 2009 and each featured only three Cooley compositions.
Hooked up once again with long time producer David Barbe, they have come up with an album that sounds a little more basic than the two previous releases. Recorded over thirteen days last August, it gives me the impression that the band had fully formed songs ready and knew exactly what they wanted to achieve in the studio. Once again they have delivered the goods (have they ever released a bad disc?) with songs covering political subjects, parenthood, mortality and lost friends. There is also the intriguingly titled 'Pauline Hawkins' which I learn was written by Hood from the point of view of one of the characters in the recently released novel, 'The Free' by Willy Vlautin who of course fronts his own excellent band, Richmond Fontaine.
It's a great rocking, catchy record with the usual lyrical storytelling and at the present time, is the main (nay, only) contender for album of the year.
Thank goodness for the 'Truckers'.
I reported back in June 2012, that I believed that the songs of Anais Mitchell were strong enough to be performed without any frills or backing. Just her wonderful voice and her guitar accompaniment. And so it proved to be last night in the Little Theatre on the outskirts of Gateshead.
Having just arrived from London where she and Jefferson Hamer had performed at the Royal Albert Hall and had collected the prize for best traditional song at the BBC Folk Awards, she had, of course, to perform the song in question, 'Willie of Winsbury'. By her own admission she dislikes playing those songs solo as she has become so used to the vocal and instrumental accompaniment of her partner. Consequently she steered clear of the other Child ballads and performed a range of songs from throughout her career. Delving back ten years to her second album and her first visit to this part of England, she gave us 'Two Kids', '1984' and 'I Wear Your Dress'. From the folk opera 'Hadestown' she performed 'The Wedding Song', 'Why We Build The Wall' and 'Lady of the Underground'. And of course there was a selection of songs from her most recent solo album, 'Young Man in America'.
All in all, a very enjoyable set and I'm sure it will not be too long before she returns to these parts for she clearly enjoys the warm welcome she receives whenever she visits.
I should also mention her support act a young lady called Sarah Hayes who is a native of Warkworth in Northumberland, though now based in Glasgow. She performed a selection of traditional and contemporary songs and demonstrated a fine singing voice while accompanying herself on electric piano. In my view she earned herself bonus points for ending with the wonderful Midlake song, 'Young Bride'.
It is always pleasing when the region in which I live is nationally recognised for the beautiful place it truly is. Northumberland is the northernmost county in England and just happens to also be the most sparsely populated county. Consequently it is easy to get far away from the madding crowd and truly enjoy all the astonishing scenery that is to be found in the countryside or along it's magnificent coastline.
Recently the northeastern actor, Robson Green has presented his own TV series on the many splendours and the rich history of the county. This week I watched another program presented by Tony Robinson who as an actor is best remembered for his portrayal of Baldrick in the TV series, 'Blackadder'. More recently Robinson has been associated with the archaeological program, 'Time Team'.
On this occasion, he related the story of the seventh century Anglo-Saxon monk, St. Cuthbert while walking the route that has become known as St. Cuthbert's Way. This took Robinson from the Scottish borders town of Melrose to Bamburgh and Holy Island on the Northumberland coast.The scenery was fantastic and if the sight of the majestic Bamburgh Castle does not lure visitors to these parts, then I am not sure what will.
The region has also been recently recognised in a series of songs released on an album entitled 'East Coast Fret'. The title is something of a play on words as fret can refer to the mist that occasionally rolls inland off the north sea, but also to the fingerboard on a guitar. And the artist in question, Michael Woods, is a very fine guitar player.
I popped along to see him playing a set to promote the album at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle. His opening number 'Blink of an Eye' paid homage to the Millenium Bridge which spans the Tyne between Gateshead and Newcastle and which is designed to represent a blinking eye as it opens and closes to allow shipping to pass below.
Woods plays fingerpicking guitar in blues or ragtime style and by his own admission is heavily influenced by the great American blues players, Blind Boy Fuller and Rev. Gary Davis. Consequently besides playing numbers from his latest album, he also covered more traditional numbers such as 'Mississippi Blues'.
The titles of his own newer songs mean much to me but unless you happen to be familiar with Tyneside, will mean absolutely nothing to you. So while I can conjure up images of 'Salters Bridge' or 'Haddricks Mill' such names will mean nothing to the casual listener. And even the latter required a certain degree of imagination as the beautiful song brought to mind the open fields, woodland streams and of course the mill that once dominated this South Gosforth area. Now any visitor is faced with a conjunction of four busy roads and two mini roundabouts that are death traps for cyclists.
So this is my problem with instrumental song titles. In effect the songs could be about absolutely anything. Nevertheless I enjoyed my hour in the company of this Durham born guitarist and I wish him well with his new album. As I said at the outset, it is always a pleasure to have my own region recognised.
Here is a link to the website of Michael Woods which features some song samples for you to try: http://www.michaelwoodsmusic.com/index.html
Originally released on CD between 1991 and 1996, these five volumes have now been gathered together as a 10 CD package covering Bessie Smith's recording career between 1923 and 1933.
Each volume comes in it's own gatefold sleeve and the accompanying booklets contain a wealth of information about the tracks, the artist and of course the superb musicians who accompanied her.
Because, of course, we don't just get Bessie Smith but a host of other wonderful artists including Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Eddie Lang, Clarence Williams, James P Johnson, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman and many others.
Blues and jazz purists have long debated into which category Bessie should fall. Some regard her as too bluesy for jazz and others as too jazzy for blues. My personal views are "What the f&%$".
If you have even a remote interest in jazz or blues, then you really should listen to Bessie. As an example, why not begin with her 1929 recording of the Ida Cox song 'Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out'. Smith demonstrates on this recording, if no other, just why she is one of the true great jazz vocalists. Listen to the way she manipulates her tone throughout the song. The line 'I carried my friends out for a good time' is belted out in true blues fashion but then suddenly on the words, 'bought bootleg liquor' her voice drops away leaving the words almost spoken.
If you just wish to dip your toe into her work, then perhaps this set is not for you. There are plenty of other less daunting compilations out there. However, I cannot fault this one for the quality of the sound, bearing in mind that the earliest of these recordings are now ninety years old. Nor can I fault the accompanying information. Furthermore, the final volume includes an hilarious interview with Bessie's niece, Ruby Smith.
In all honesty, considering the price of this box is well below £30 from most retail suppliers, I would say that if you have an interest in Bessie Smith (and why would you not?) then get this package and take your time working your way through it in small doses.
I suspect you will not be disappointed.
As a taster, here is a link to Bessie singing the aforementioned 'Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX8ptPn3P9I
Having mentioned the Lit & Phil in my last post, it seems fitting that I should visit there for my second jazz concert within twenty four hours.
On this occasion we were in the presence of a great jazz pianist, Paul Edis and his equally great partner for the afternoon, Graham Hardy who played trumpet and flugelhorn.
As you can see from the program of music, and being 14th February, they had something of a Valentine theme going on, though we were assured that this was somewhat coincidental.
Whatever the theme, the music was truly wonderful with both of these musicians really being at the very top of their game. Normally they are both members of the Paul Edis Sextet who released an album, 'There Will Be Time' a couple of years ago. Paul has also more recently released his own solo album, 'Not Like Me'.
The next album from the sextet is due out this Spring. I recommend that you try to seek these albums out or better still catch them live if you possibly can.
I returned to the wonderful King's Hall within the Newcastle University campus this week. James Birkett is a published author on jazz and particularly on jazz guitar and he developed and led one of the UK's first BMus degree programmes in jazz and related music. Bradley Johnston studied jazz guitar with Birkett at the Sage, Gateshead from the age of 14. Together they have now formed a jazz guitar duo.
Their program of music took us on a journey from early jazz and blues through swing and bebop to more contemporary jazz sounds.
They began with 'Stringin' the Blues' by violinist Joe Venuti and guitarist Eddie Lang. Listening to the piece I recalled how as I was beginning my own efforts to learn the guitar many years ago, an older work colleague loaned me some 78 RPM discs by Eddie Lang. Hearing Lang play almost made me give up the guitar altogether but I instantly became a fan of his work.
The duo continued with 'Wave' by Antonio Carlos Jobim followed by a particular favourite of mine, 'Nuages' by the great Django Reinhardt. The 'Gypsy jazz' style continued with 'Fisco Place' by another French guitarist, Biréli
Lagrène and this was followed by 'Skating on Central Park' by John Lewis.
Eddie Lang featured again with 'Blue Room' a piece he recorded with blues guitarist Lonnie Johnson. To make himself sound like a more authentic bluesman, Lang used the name Blind Willie Dunn on this recording.
The well known Charlie Parker piece, 'Billie's Bounce' was then followed by the sublime 'Farmer's Trust' by Pat Metheny and then 'Spain' by Chick Corea which appropriately uses the main theme from Rodrigo's Concerto for guitar.
The duo received a very well deserved ovation from the spellbound audience and before leaving the stage, they encored with 'Body & Soul'. They are playing again in a few weeks at the Newcastle Literary & Philosophical Society. If you get the chance then I recommend you go to see them. Any opportunity to visit the wonderful Lit & Phil should surely not be refused.
This arrived in the post today.
Buzzing with the enjoyment of hearing Streetwalkers live on the two 1977 recordings I referred to in my last post, I also decided to order this 2 CD + DVD package of the guys performing live on the German music TV show - Rockpalast.
The band featured on the programme twice, first on 25 March 1975 when they were still being billed as Chapman-Whitney Streetwalkers and then two years later on 19 April 1977. Both sets are included in this package not only as audio CD's but also as a DVD.
The 1975 lineup consisted of Roger Chapman vocals, harmonica and tambourine bashing, Charlie Whitney and Bob Tench on guitars Jonathan Plotel on bass and Nicko McBrain on drums. By 1977 Chapman, Whitney and Tench were joined by Michael Feat on bass, David Dowle on drums and Brian Johnstone on keyboards.
The 1977 set is of particular interest as, ignoring Chappo's dodgy T-shirt, the band were playing pretty much the same set as they had on the Rainbow and De Montfort Hall gigs I referred to in my last post. There were after all, only two months separating these gigs. Also, for some reason the band did two takes of 'Toenail Draggin'', 'Mama Was Mad' and 'Me an' Me Horse an' Me Rum' although the first take of the latter song is omitted from the CD. As to why two takes were recorded remains a mystery as neither Chapman or Tench can recall the reason. The best suggestion is that such recorded TV shows tended to be beset by "technical problems".
Anyway we are treated here to 20 audio tracks and 21 video tracks, so there is plenty of fine music to enjoy including Chappo 'inventing' rap music during 'Toenail Draggin''. Two years later, Roger Chapman would be back at Rockpalast, but with The Shortlist. That however, is another story and probably for another time.
As the late, great John Peel once said of Family and equally applicable to Streetwalkers, - "a fine band"
I have previously spoken of my love for Family, the rock band that existed between 1966 and 1973. Following their demise, the two main songwriters, singer Roger Chapman and guitarist John 'Charlie' Whitney continued working together and enlisting a group of musicians, as Chapman-Whitney they released an album in 1974 entitled 'Streetwalkers'.
Thereafter the band became known as Streetwalkers and between 1975 and 1977 they released a further three studio albums, 'Downtown Flyers', 'Red Card' and 'Vicious But Fair'. Probably to comply with contractual obligations in 1977 they also released a live album which unfortunately was poorly recorded and did not capture the band at their best, despite the fact that they had a deserved reputation as an awesome live act.
One such gig which saw the band at their best, took place at London's Rainbow on 25th February 1977. The following night they were back on Chapman & Whitney's home turf at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester. Both sets were recorded but nothing happened. The band broke up and the tapes appeared to have been lost.
That is until, if the story is to be believed, the tapes were recovered from a landfill site!
Last year, Mystic Records obtained the tapes and restored them to their former glory, subsequently releasing them as two separate albums, 'Streetwalkers Rip It Up at the Rainbow' and 'Streetwalkers Rip It Up at the Demontfort'.
And what an absolute delight they are!
True the setlists and performances are very similar but while in Leicester they performed Family favourite 'My Friend The Sun', in London they treated the crowd to a 12 minute version of 'Dice Man' from 'Vicious But Fair'.
Listening to these albums reminds one of just how great they were as a live outfit and it seems ironic that the rise of punk in the UK was instrumental in leading to the demise of this fine band. If you were a fan of Streetwalkers and want to hear them at their absolute best, then I suggest you get yourself a copy of at least one of these albums. Personally I got them both and have no regrets.
A bit of culture yesterday.
Alighting from the metro in Newcastle city centre, my first port of call was to the Hatton Gallery situated within the Newcastle University Campus. The purpose of this visit was to view the current photographic exhibition, 'Marilyn Monroe: A British Love Affair'.
With that box ticked, I then made my way the short distance to the King's Hall which is a lovely, ornate room with stained glass windows, wooden beams and a minstrel's gallery. Situated within the Armstrong Building, it is part of Newcastle University. My last visit was many years ago when I went to see one of my sons perform. However, on this occasion I was attending a free concert by a quartet who were last year's winners of the Emerging Talent Competition at the Glastonbury Festival.
Based in the north east of England, Bridie Jackson & The Arbour are made up of Bridie on guitar, piano and vocals, Jenny Nendick on cello, Rachel Cross on violin and Carol Bowden on percussion.
I had never heard the group before but according to the program notes, their music is 'hauntingly ethereal, yet fused with dark and powerful undertones'.
And so it proved to be.
They opened with a song entitled 'We Talked Again' which featured some beautiful harmonising and use of instruments I had not encountered before. They were belle plates which looked to me like extra large wallpaper stripping tools, but were actually hand chimes. Much use was made of these during other songs which included a delicate ballad entitled 'All You Love Is All You Are', a bluesy number called 'Diminutive Man' and even 'Fearless' a cover of a song which Pink Floyd released on their album 'Meddle'.
I immediately recognised the melody of an old Northumbrian lullaby called 'The Sandgate Dandling Song' which was composed by blind Tyneside fiddler Robert Nunn (1808-1853). It's a haunting song sung from the point of view of the wife of a keelman who has not yet returned home from sea. The melody was also used for 'Liverpool Lullaby' and as a youngster I knew it as 'Lullaby For A Mucky Kid' when lines like "Oh you are a mucky kid, dirty as a dustbin lid", seemed kind of appropriate. The song was later recorded by Cilla Black. (I never thought I would mention her in one of my posts).
Singing together, the voices of the group blended beautifully but Bridie also has a fine solo voice which to my ear is somewhat reminiscent of Judie Tzuke.
The band have a second album released in April and to mark the launch they are embarking on a major tour which will see them travel to most parts of the UK. I highly recommend that you catch them if you can. Meanwhile here is a link to the official video for 'Scarecrow'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4sqq7BV6pE
After a quick bite to eat at home, I then set off to enjoy a wide selection of recorded jazz music with a group of enthusiastic and like-minded friends. The repertoire included Sydney Bechet, John Coltrane, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee & Lightning Hopkins, Bobby Hackett, Bunny Berigan, Stan Kenton, Ziggy Elman and Dizzy Gillespie.
A pretty good day I'd say.
Recently watching the BBC2 documentary 'Wild China' made me yearn to return to a country I was fortunate enough to visit a couple of years ago. Instead I had to content myself by revisiting my photographs.
I thought I would therefore share some of these with you through occasional pages in this blog, focusing on the more remote areas away from the main cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Xian and Hong Kong.
This tour begins in the southwestern Yunnan Province on the outskirts of the historic city of Dali.
The symbol of this ancient and beautiful city are the Three Pagodas (San Ta), These once formed part of the monastery of Chongwen Si which was destroyed during the Qing Dynasty. The central pagoda was built around 800 AD while the smaller two which flank it, date from the 11th century.
Situated within beautiful landscaped gardens near the foot of the Cangshan mountains, the pagodas guard the entrance to what is once again an active Buddhist monastery. Set higher up the side of the mountain, the monastery is made up of a series of ornate temples overlooking the spectacular countryside and the nearby Er Hai Lake.
In front of the main temple, the air was literally thick with the smoke from burning incense sticks while walls and marble balustrades were festooned with multicoloured prayer flags. Set against the backdrop of the cloud-capped mountains and overlooking the majestic lake, there were wonders to be seen in every direction.
Inside the temple, yellow robed monks prayed and chanted, surrounded by fantastic gold statues and relics and masses of colourful flowers.
As we made our way downhill towards the lake, we took in our last views of this spectacular place. It was with great regret that we left but there were still more fascinating sights to see in and around this wonderful city.
I believe I may have mentioned Jess Roden in previous blogs. Yeah right! Well I can't help if I happen to regard him as the best British vocalist ever.
Anyway, courtesy of Neil Storey on Twitter I came across this rare piece of video footage of the Butts Band on US TV back in 1974.
For the non-initiated, The Butts Band were formed by Roden with two former members of The Doors, drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger.
Watch and enjoy as they perform 'Love Your Brother' and 'Kansas City'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-X4VZaCRPU&feature=youtu.be
