My Favourite Albums of 2015

Having earlier listed some of my favourite albums of the year, it is now time to reveal my own personal top three.

At number 3 spot is 'Hand. Cannot. Erase' by Steven Wilson a double concept album that deals with the 2006 discovery of the body of 38 year old Joyce Carol Vincent. It is a shocking and heartbreaking story, but Wilson deals with the subject of Vincent's life in a sensitive way and the songs are by turns, dramatic and spellbindingly beautiful. The contrasts between the light and dark aspects of the story are brilliantly recreated through Wilson's compositions making this album one of his strongest yet. 
I am very much looking forward to seeing live performances of this material when Wilson visits these part next month.

My second favourite album of the year is 'Primrose Green' by Ryley Walker. As I said when I originally wrote about this album in May, it is impossible to hear the album without thinking of John Martyn, Bert Jansch, Van Morrison and Tim Buckley - yet Walker proves through his songwriting, guitar playing and singing that he is a major talent in his own right. Also credit must go to the wonderful musicians who ably support him on this album. 
I am also looking forward to seeing him perform live accompanied by renowned bassist Danny Thompson, in February next year.

Finally we come to my absolute favourite album of the year. And no, I have not been influenced by the fact that the Unthanks just happen to come from my part of the world - the north east of England. The majestic album 'Mount the Air' just happens to be, in my opinion, the best thing I have listened to this year. I was also fortunate enough to see them perform live on two occasions and those experiences confirmed my view that the Unthanks are a major talent and will very soon gain the kind of recognition they so thoroughly deserve. 
The title song is itself worth the price of the album. Based upon a traditional piece which in 1958 found it's way into the Dorset Book of Folk Songs, the band have cleverly introduced elements of Miles Davis' 1958 album 'Sketches of Spain' and produced a piece of music which at 10 minutes in length, still feels too short.
For your enjoyment, here is a link to that very track. Enjoy!
'Mount The Air'

Some Of The Best Albums of 2015

I should confess that this year I feel I have listened to less "new" music than in any recent year I can recall. The reasons for this are I suspect, twofold. 

First I have been quite deeply immersed in my fairly large collection of old jazz and blues recordings and absorbing this wonderful music has taken up quite a large portion of the time I have available to listen to music. I mean, why have the stuff if you don't listen to it?

The second reason is that this year there have been fewer new albums that have appealed to me or which have been recommended by friends. In the past few years, I have made some terrific new discoveries and have as a result delved into the back catalogues of artists like Anais Mitchell, These New Puritans, The War On Drugs and Steven Wilson. Not so this year I'm afraid, so consequently I have played it fairly safe when listening to new releases and have stuck with acts that I have tried and tested in the past and who invariably come up with the goods.

As a result, I can hardly call the following selection "The Best of 2015". Instead I shall just say that these are among the finest newly released albums I have listened to this year. Of course I also acknowledge that there will have been some wonderful releases that I have missed and hopefully will catch up with at a later date. I am still annoyed with myself for omitting the superb Blake Mills album 'Heigh-Ho' from my list last year, but I did not discover it until early in 2015.

So, for what it's worth, here are some of the best 2015 releases I have listened to.

Villagers - 'Darling Arithmetic' first written about here.
Calexico - 'Edge of the Sun'  written about here.
Sufjan Stevens - 'Carrie & Lowell'
The Decemberists - 'What a Terrible World, What a Wonderful World'. My comments from January can be read here.
Blitzen Trapper - 'All Across This Land' . Read all about it here.
Wilco - 'Star Wars'. Click here for my views on that one.
Sun Kil Moon - 'Universal Themes'.  You know what to do - here.
Jason Isbell - 'Something More Than Free'. Click here to read about that one.

They are all very fine albums which I am sure I will continue to listen to for months and perhaps years to come. However there are three which I have not listed but which I regard as the absolute best of my listening experiences in 2015.
Try to curb your curiosity. They will appear in my next post.

Box Sets #22 Louis Armstrong - The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings

Believe it or not, it took me all of six decades to come to appreciate the genius of Louis Armstrong. Growing up, I regularly saw him on TV acting the fool for the white folks who of course dominated the screen. The only "coloureds" we saw (and I use language which was considered acceptable in those days) were usually good natured, but not very bright servants of white American families. Then of course we in Britain had 'The Black & White Minstrel Show'. Yeuk! 

Armstrong was of course playing a stereotypical part. He was above all a showman and he knew exactly what he was doing. Having come from a very poor New Orleans background, he had learned at an early age to do whatever it took to get his music heard. However it left me cold and as a consequence I missed out on the great music he had made. My own views were confirmed when I read that Miles Davis, the ultimate angry young black man, abhorred the grinning 'Uncle Tom' character adopted by Armstrong to appease white audiences.

However, I later read a comment Davis made about the playing of Louis Armstrong. It is worth reproducing in full here:
"You can't play nothing on modern trumpet that doesn't come from him, not even modern shit. I can't even remember a time when he sounded bad playing the trumpet. Never. Not even one time. He had great feeling up on his playing and he always played on the beat. I just loved the way he played and sang".

If Armstrong impressed Miles Davis, then maybe it was time for me to reappraise my view of Satchmo.

People who are far more knowledgeable about jazz music than me, told me that I could do no better than to hear the 1920's recordings that have become known simply as the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens. I didn't need too much persuasion as I had already become infatuated with 1920's and 1930's blues and I was already familiar with Bessie Smith's 1925 Columbia recordings that featured a 23 year old Louis Armstrong on cornet.

The problem was in what format to get hold of the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings. Since their original release as sides of 78 RPM discs, they have been in circulation in numerous formats but not always particularly well presented - and in some cases even at the incorrect speed or with incorrect titles. Most reviews indicated that the definitive collection was 'The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings' released on Columbia Legacy in 2000. However new copies of this 4 CD package are expensive (currently just under £100 on Amazon).

I was delighted therefore to discover a pristine copy in a local charity shop priced at under £15. And what an absolute gem it is.

A card slipcase houses a very good quality book which contains the four CD's inside the front and back covers. The book itself is a joy with some great contemporary photographs of New Orleans and Chicago (where the recordings were made). There are also commentaries on the musical content of all four discs as well as information on the musicians involved.  

For me, the most interesting feature of these recordings is that this music is not typical of what Armstrong was playing at that time. He was then a member of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra who were appearing in Chicago nightclubs playing show tunes and other popular songs of the time. It was only because Okeh Records had recognised the demand for black music through the incredible success of Mamie Smith's 'Crazy Blues', that they began issuing what were termed "race recordings". In other words music produced by black singers and musicians for a predominantly black audience. As an up and coming black musician, Armstrong was contracted with Okeh to produce such recordings.

So, the music we hear on these four discs are what Armstrong and his colleagues produced in just 22 days spread between November 1925 and May 1929. Had it not been for this segregation of black artists to produce purely Negro music, the sessions we now refer to as the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens, would never have taken place. These musicians were put together purely to make records, not for live public performances. A sobering thought! 

Another interesting fact is that the music played harked back to the type of New Orleans jazz that had been popular about 10 years earlier. Things had moved on somewhat in the musical taste of the jazz listening public, yet despite this, Armstrong succeeded in setting a benchmark for the future of jazz. Indeed it has been claimed on numerous occasions that this body of work changed the field of jazz music forever. It is no exaggeration to say that the music included in this package has influenced everything that has happened since.

Not only does this set contain the complete recordings of the actual Hot Five and Hot Seven, but also all Armstrong related combo recordings that were released by Okeh, plus bonus tracks under the name of Lil's Hot Shots (Lil Hardin being the pianist with the Hot Five and also at that time, Armstrong's wife). Finally there are also recordings under the name of clarinetist Johnny Dodds that were made with Armstrong in April 1927 and which became the prototype for the Hot Seven recordings that would take place only two weeks later. 

A pretty comprehensive package, I think you will agree.

Bruges

During this past week, I made my first visit to the north west Belgian city of Bruges.

Courtesy of P&O Ferries from Hull to Zeebrugge, we were than transferred within thirty minutes to the southern edge of the city and the pleasant park that houses the Minnewater Lake - a name which translates into English as the Lake of Love. This is actually an artificial lake which was created in medieval times to help with flood control.







Earlier this year I visited the Begjinhof in Amsterdam, a secluded inner court that had once been a beguinage. Unlike the Amsterdam Begjinhof which is located in the city centre, the Bruges version is situated in a more tranquil area on the edge of Minnewater Park.Originally it was the home of Beguines, a group of pious women who had not actually taken religious vows, but since 1927 it has served as a Benedictine convent. 






The impressive white gateway to the complex was constructed in 1776 and inside there are attractive white painted houses, some of which date from the 16th century.


I was already becoming impressed by the architecture as we walked towards the city centre. There appeared to be impressive sights wherever we turned and in whichever direction we looked.



Exploring the maze of cobbled streets was a delight but occasionally we were distracted from the attractive buildings by the signs and the window displays.

Decisions had to be made. Should we buy chocolate or beer?

After all, Belgium is renowned for both.









Like Amsterdam, Bruges is famous for its canals and is often referred to as the Venice of the North.












Strolling alongside the canals provided countless opportunities for photographs - even for a mere snap-taker like me. We were pleased to be blessed with lovely weather, sunshine and clear blue skies, but they presented their own problems when taking photos because of the very strong shadows cast by the buildings and trees. Nevertheless, we were grateful to be seeing the city in such a wonderful light.






The main market square is home at this time of year to traditional Christmas market stalls and an ice skating rink. However, my attention was drawn more to the beautiful and varied buildings on the perimeter of the square.













There are of course many ways to explore this fine city with some opting for the horse drawn carriages that operated out of the market square. Consequently the sound of hooves clattering on cobbles became a regular sound as we strolled through the streets. The other pervasive sound was that of church bells which all added to the festive atmosphere.










As you can probably tell, I was very impressed by this city and I hope to visit again perhaps at a different time of year when no doubt I will see things in a different light but hopefully it will be just as enjoyable.

The Unthanks at Hexham Abbey

In my last post I spoke of purchasing two vinyl records as a callow 17 year old while working at a country hotel during school holidays. Those records were bought in the historic Northumbrian market town of Hexham which nestles in the Tyne Valley 25 miles west of Newcastle. On that occasion I recall visiting Hexham Abbey which stands on a site that has been a place of worship since the 7th century, though the current building dates from about 1170. I recall being particularly struck by the atmosphere of the place, especially down in the candlelit 7th century Saxon crypt. The experience made an impression on me and Hexham is a town I have returned to fairly frequently ever since, rarely missing an opportunity to revisit the abbey.

I returned last night on a very wild, stormy night and seated on a pew adjacent to the ancient stone steps leading down into the crypt, the sound of the wind outside only added to the atmosphere. It was a perfect setting and no doubt this was one of the reasons why the venue was chosen to host part of the Unthanks 10th anniversary tour. After all, they are Northumbrian girls and know the location very well.

I attended one of two candlelit shows performed by the full 10 piece band last night and whereas the show I attended in Newcastle City Hall in February had focused on the current album, 'Mount The Air', this anniversary show spanned the band's full career. 

It began with just sisters Rachel and Becky on stage singing older material such as Cyril Tawney's 'On a Monday Morning' and 'I Wish I Wish' from 'The Bairns' album. Gradually they were joined on stage by the other band members and the first hint of the latest album came in the form of a stripped down performance of the title track. It was a beautiful rendition but all too short.

We were then taken through more of their repertoire which included wonderful covers of King Crimson's 'Starless' and Elvis Costello's poignant 'Shipbuilding'. From the current album they performed 'Madam' and 'Flutter' before ending their main set with a complete version of the wonderful 'Mount The Air'. Finally as an encore they performed the north-east press-gang ballad, 'Here's the Tender Coming' which had been the title track of their third album in 2009. Throughout the whole performance, the flickering candles and clever use of lighting added to the unique atmosphere of the place.

As we left to brave the elements outside, I reflected that as well as singing beautiful harmonies, the sisters had entertained us with some rather fine Northumbrian clog dancing. I was immediately reminded of the last gig I attended when I witnessed Nils Lofgren and Greg Varlotta tap dancing during 'I Came To Dance'.

I wondered, could I be setting something of a trend here?

I'm next scheduled to see Steven Wilson in January. I'm not expecting him to don clogs or tap shoes, but you never know do you?

 

Full Circle After 47 Years

In the summer of 1968 I took a holiday job at a country hotel before returning to school to commence my A-level studies. It was a memorable time for all kinds of reasons, most of which I shan't go into here. However the weekly wage packets and frequent tips enabled me to purchase my first long playing records with my own hard earned cash (as opposed to pocket money from my parents). 

The two albums I chose to buy on one of my days off were 'Mr Fantasy' by Traffic which had been around for about six months and a brand new release by the Moody Blues called 'In Search of the Lost Chord'. I recall being impressed enough to even submit a review of the latter to my school magazine. Both were regularly on my record player over the following months and years and they remain firm favourites of mine. 

Of course the time eventually came when both records were replaced by the new shiny silver objects that we came to know as CD's. And I still have both CD's though my copy of 'Mr Fantasy' was upgraded a few years ago to an issue that contained both the UK stereo album and the US mono version. (They are different). 




I do occasionally wonder what led me to actually purchase those two albums when there was so much competition for my hard earned cash. I was familiar with the Traffic singles 'Paper Sun' and 'Hole in My Shoe' but had heard nothing from this debut album. As for the Moody Blues, I had heard 'Go Now' and 'Nights in White Satin' and that was it. I was hardly a fan. So I now wonder how much I was influenced by the distinctive cover art work of Chris Wood and John Benton Harris (Traffic) and the striking painting of Philip Travers that adorns the front cover of the Moody Blues' release. I will never know.

I only mention this because while browsing through some vinyl in a local charity shop recently I came across that very same Travers painting and despite having a personal rule that I won't buy any vinyl that I already own on CD, I was compelled to stop and examine the album more closely. It was only then that I discovered that it was an original mono pressing in surprisingly good condition considering it is now 47 years old. And the price was a snip.

I'm sure you don't need to be told that the album is now nestling among the rest of my growing vinyl collection. Forty seven years may have gone by but I am still getting a thrill out of finding and playing this stuff. Some things never change it seems.