Good Morning

Simon Bainbridge

Yesterday in the post I received a cheque from the tax people for the princely sum of £11.

So I ordered this CD which had a glowing review in Wire back in 1999.

Simon Bainbridge - Ad ora incerta: No.1 "Il conto del corvo."

Born in 1952, Simon Bainbridge was influenced early on by Steve Reich's process music and by jazz - the chamber piece For MiIes paid tribute to Davis and especially his collaborations with Gil Evans.

Wire said -

"This intensely moving recording, one of the finest recent releases by NMC, is an orchestral song cycle which sets poems by the Italian Holocaust survivor and novelist Primo Levi. The four poems here were probably written in 1946, soon after Levi's release from Auschwitz. Although Bainbridge has written a number of concert work including concertos for viola, horn, and guitar, this is his most ambitious orchestral composition to date. The vocalist - here, mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley - is shadowed almost throughout by the bassoon of Kim Walker, with The BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. The pairing of voice and bassoon is a brilliant stroke. The first three settings approach the terrible subject matter obliquely. In the first, "The Crow's Song", cascading lines represent the malign bird wheeling in flight, bringing its unspecified "bad news".

The second, "SunsetAt Fossoli", finds voice and bassoon in rhythmic unison but often diverging in pitch, to a spare backdrop of strings. The full horror is revealed in the final song, 'Bunan. wherein the terrifying opening section we hear the 'Wiles tremble at dawn" -the "bad news" direct Joined by the horn, the bassoon gives a sickly commentary, the writing displaying an often overwhelming yet controlled power."

I ordered in on eBay (£11.50 inc. postage) rather than Amazon's ridiculous price of £24 for a single CD.    This will be my ninth CD on the NMC label.

Simon Bainbridge

Yesterday in the post I received a cheque from the tax people for the princely sum of £11.

So I ordered this CD which had a glowing review in Wire back in 1999.

Simon Bainbridge - Ad ora incerta: No.1 "Il conto del corvo."

Watch on YouTube

Born in 1952, Simon Bainbridge was influenced early on by Steve Reich's process music and by jazz - the chamber piece For MiIes paid tribute to Davis and especially his collaborations with Gil Evans.

Wire said -

"This intensely moving recording, one of the finest recent releases by NMC, is an orchestral song cycle which sets poems by the Italian Holocaust survivor and novelist Primo Levi. The four poems here were probably written in 1946, soon after Levi's release from Auschwitz. Although Bainbridge has written a number of concert work including concertos for viola, horn, and guitar, this is his most ambitious orchestral composition to date. The vocalist - here, mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley - is shadowed almost throughout by the bassoon of Kim Walker, with The BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. The pairing of voice and bassoon is a brilliant stroke. The first three settings approach the terrible subject matter obliquely. In the first, "The Crow's Song", cascading lines represent the malign bird wheeling in flight, bringing its unspecified "bad news".

The second, "SunsetAt Fossoli", finds voice and bassoon in rhythmic unison but often diverging in pitch, to a spare backdrop of strings. The full horror is revealed in the final song, 'Bunan. wherein the terrifying opening section we hear the 'Wiles tremble at dawn" -the "bad news" direct Joined by the horn, the bassoon gives a sickly commentary, the writing displaying an often overwhelming yet controlled power."

I ordered in on eBay (£11.50 inc. postage) rather than Amazon's ridiculous price of £24 for a single CD.    This will be my ninth CD on the NMC label.

Wire Top 100 Of 20th Century Music #7

Continuing with the 1992 article in the Wire - more from the 20th century top 100 recordings -

Oliver Nelson - Hoe Down

A top-notch version of Aaron Copland's classical piece.

Oliver Nelson – alto saxophone, tenor saxophone.....
Eric Dolphy – flute, alto saxophone.....
George Barrow – baritone saxophone....
Freddie Hubbard – trumpet....
Bill Evans – piano.....
Paul Chambers – bass....
Roy Haynes – drums.

Bill Evans - My Foolish Heart

Oh yes, one of the most albums ever!!

Ranked time after time as one of the best live jazz recording sessions in history, and yielding two of Evans’ most classic albums (Waltz for Debby, Sunday at the Village Vanguard), The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 represents the pinnacle of spontaneous musical communication: three men breathing as one on a tiny bandstand. The performances on these LPs demonstrate a new and more interactive approach to playing as a trio, one in which all instruments carry melodic responsibilities and function as equal voices. Keepnews recalls in his liner notes that “from the very first moments of the recording, it was impossible to ignore the importance of these performances.”

Sonny Rollins - Blue 7

Album: Saxophone Colossus
Year: 1956
Label: Prestige

Sonny Rollins — tenor saxophone
Tommy Flanagan — piano
Doug Watkins — bass
Max Roach — drums

Another jazz selection later folks.

Enjoy.

Gammon & Eggs

Another cheap half-price food visit at my local pub with all the distancing and sanitizers in place. I had the 10 oz. Gammon Steak with large flat mushroom, two eggs, chips and peas and a pint for less than a fiver!!

I decided to have a blowout and followed it with a chocolate sponge cake with chocolate sauce and ice cream - just for the decadence of it of course.


Sold some books at Past Sentence for a fiver as well.

Deposited the tax rebate in my bank as well.

Not a bad day after all.

Sunny Ahead

It was a lovely warm sunny 24 C today. Had an hour sunbathing in the garden. The forecast is good.

Wire Top 100 Of 20th Century Music #8

And hence more jazz from the past.

Muggsy Spanier And His Ragtime Band - Someday Sweetheart

Count Basie And His Orchestra - Let Me Dream

Coleman Hawkins - Body and Soul

Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - You, You Darlin'

Charlie Parker - Ko Ko

Enjoy.

Just Wondering

What part of your day would you rather have excessive time to enjoy?

What are three realistic goals that you think you will be able to accomplish?

What is your ultimate sandwich?

Bill Frisell

Fave jazz guitarist time -

Bill Frisell Trio - What The World Needs Now

Live in Kensington Brooklyn, 7/19/20

Bill Frisell - guitar
Rudy Royston - drums
Thomas Morgan - bass

Beyond the deadly virus and the forces of hate, thank goodness for these 3 fine musicians delivering this message to the masses and feeding the intangible good side of man. Thanks for musicians everywhere that take up this mantle because we need them in these times.


Bill Frisell - Ambush

Enjoy

Good Night