Christmas Cards 2020

 

We're sending a limited number of Christmas cards this year and have made a donation to Shelter to help their work with homeless people over the Christmas period.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM 

STEVE, ALISON, CHARLIE & TESS

New Jazz: Marcin Wasilewski Trio & Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff

Listening to this new ECM release this morning. Some mellow vibes, beautifully recorded as always with ECM. 

Marcin Wasilewski Trio & Joe Lovano: Arctic Riff

Nice review here, ECM page with info & a YT album teaser video.

Eraldo Bernocchi album: Like A Fire That Consumes All Before it'

New to me.

Listen to Eraldo Bernocchi - Like I Wasn't There (from 'Like A Fire That Consumes All Before it') by RareNoiseRecords #np on #SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/rarenoiserecords/like-i-wasnt-there

Nice review here:
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/like-a-fire-that-consumes-all-before-it-eraldo-bernocchi-rarenoiserecords-review-by-john-ephland.php?width=393

Great interview with Rudy Van Gelder - note comments on digital vs analog.

This (from 2011) is all worth a read however these comments on digital vs analog are worth paying attention to:

What are your feelings on digital versus analog?

The linear storage of digital information is idealized. It can be perfect. It can never be perfect in analog because you cannot repro­duce the varying voltages through the dif­ferent translations from one medium to an­other. You go from sound to a microphone to a stylus cutting a groove. Then you have to play that back from another stylus wig­gling in a groove, and then translate it back to voltage.

The biggest distorter is the LP it­self. I've made thousands of LP masters. I used to make 17 a day, with two lathes go­ing simultaneously, and I'm glad to see the LP go. As far as I'm concerned, good rid­dance. It was a constant battle to try to make that music sound the way it should. It was never any good. And if people don't like what they hear in digital, they should blame the engineer who did it. Blame the mastering house. Blame the mixing engi­neer. That's why some digital recordings sound terrible, and I'm not denying that they do, but don't blame the medium.

Via:
https://jazzprofiles.blogspot.com/2011/05/rudy-van-gelder-signature-sound.html

Hell You Talmbout

David Byrne's band played this as their final encore at last night's Leeds gig.
Really powerful, didn't really understand it as they were playing it.

Here's the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell_You_Talmbout

Climate Change: We've been told, plenty of times.

The most important news which should affect every political & economic decision we make.
I don't think we (as a species) have any intention of changing from 'business as usual'. We'll just watch the calamity play out.
#HopeImWrong

Global warming must not exceed 1.5C, warns landmark UN report
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report

For tradecraft fans... The Spy and the Traitor - BBC Book of the Week

Enjoyed listening to this on a long drive yesterday.

The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintrye

Ben Mcintyre's thrilling history tells the breathtaking story of a KGB double-agent operating at the height of the Cold War.
Passing countless secrets to his British spymasters at M16 over the course of a decade he undermined the Soviet Union's intelligence gathering machine from deep within. Eventually, he was betrayed and what followed was a sequence of events involving ingenuity, duplicity, and fearlessness.
Read by Tim McInnerny.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0blvnxb

Interesting in the light of recent claims/revelations.
You can understand how people who join and risk their lives, put their trust in colleagues, don't take well to traitors.

See also
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintrye review – the astonishing story of a cold war superspy
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/sep/19/the-spy-and-the-traitor-by-ben-macintyre-review

#TrueStory #Tradecraft

The Shape of Water

Finally got around to watching The Shape of Water last night.
"Set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962, the story follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who falls in love with a captured humanoid amphibian creature."

Rather lovely.

Offbeat and quirky (n all that).
Great setting in the early 60s in the middle of the cold war.
Lovely score and the way it's all shot in various shades of green (or is that teal).

Kermode get it right:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXzdPzGi1_8

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shape_of_Water

Family/Childhood Cine Films

Thanks to my sister Sue and brother-in-law Phil who have dug out and processed to digital these old family cine-films from the 1960 & 70s.
Do not adjust your volume - these are silent movies.

Various family activities, mainly from holidays, showing a slice life for 60/70s kids.
They feature various family members and some lovely views of our parents who amazingly kept us all active and entertained.
No electronic devices and distractions... we had to make our own fun/dispel the boredom ;-)

There are a few scenes of me playing football which I'll do another post on some time.

YouTube Playlist here:

Dedicated to The Few... favourite 3 tunes of 2015

As prompted by Mr Tom Finnerty and The Few...
Few’s North Music Poll – 2015

1) David Bowie - Blackstar

Out of nowhere... weird and wonderful with a new backing band of NYC jazzers.

So good to have Bowie releasing genuinely interesting and challenging music and videos.

Can't wait for the album.

I'm a blackstar, I'm not a gangstar. I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar. I'm not a pornstar, I'm not a wandering star. I'm a blackstar, I'm a blackstar

2) New Order - Nothing But A Fool

Really enjoyed the NO album... a breath of fresh air.
This track just got to me... a mix of the older guitar-led NO amongst the more synth-led (a la Technique) style of much of the album.

Hummable pop music for indie-sensibilities.

3) Matthew Halsall & The Gondwana Orchestra - Into Forever (feat Josephine Oniyama)

A recent(ish) discovery for me.

Manchester based trumpeter, composer, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall is one of the rising stars of the UK jazz scene. http://www.matthewhalsall.com/

This incarnation of his band the Gondwana Orchestra produced a lovely album of contemporary jazz which looks backward to influences from the greats and forward to keep the jazz flame alive.

Halsall’s jazz sensibilities constantly lead him to energise the gentlest passages with contrastingly prodding bass hooks, tough drum patterns and rimshot snaps (as on The Land Of), McCoy Tyner-like piano lines edging through Rachael Gladwin’s harp swoops
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/sep/24/matthew-halsall-gondwana-orchestra-into-forever-review

I've chosen this, title track from the album as they chose to feature it with a video and it is representative of the feeling of the album as a whole.

Wikipedia Vandalism FTW: Quick Thinking editor pranks #WhitehawkFC page

Was just watching some footy news on BBC1 and they were covering the FA Cup tie: Dag & Red 1 v 1 Whitehawk

and they interviewed the Whitehawk manager (left)... who looks a bit like Harry Enfield (we thought).

So checking on Wikipedia who he is it says (or does now): Harry Enfield.

Looking at the history you can see that somebody else had the same thought and did some quick work to update the Wikipedia page :)

He's actually Steve King - I expect it'll be corrected soon.

Bill Adams Tributes

On behalf of Sue, Wendy and myself.

Dad's funeral was a week ago and it was so good to see so many friends and family in attendance.

Thanks to everyone for your support and such kind words about Dad.

Here are some shares of information and photos.

Order of Service PDF Download

Tribute from Steve PDF Download

Meadhurst Retired Member Tribute PDF Download

Photos from the reception HERE & Slideshow

Other Photo collection HERE & Slideshow

ODE TO “SIR WILLIAM OF WALTON” (from the BP RMS) HERE

Bill Adams Funeral Arrangements ~ Monday 23rd November 2015

~ Bill Adams Funeral ~

Monday 23rd November 2015

Everyone is welcome to attend both the service and reception

Download as a PDF HERE

Funeral Service: 2pm

South West Middlesex Crematorium

Hounslow Road
Hanworth
Feltham
Middlesex
TW13 5JH
Tel: 020 8894 9001
Website
Google Maps LINK

Reception: 3pm

Meadhurst Club

Chertsey Road,
Sunbury On Thames
Middlesex
TW16 7LN
Tel: 01932 763500
Website
Google Maps LINK

Flowers & Donations

Flowers from immediate family

Donations via Lodge Brothers Funeral Directors

• Via Post: 65 High Street Walton on Thames Surrey KT12 1DJ
• Online via Lodge Brothers HERE
• Collection at the funeral

Princess Alice Hospice

This local hospice provided amazing care for our Mum and Dad and is funded mostly by donations. We would like to recognise their role in our lives and to help fund their continued work.

Sir Bobby Robson Foundation

The Foundation funds projects that directly benefit cancer patients and which also contribute international research into the disease.

We feel this charity reflects Dad’s lifetime love of football.

Rest in Peace Dad

Bill Adams - 2015

Our lovely Dad, Bill Adams passed away peacefully this morning at around 05:30.
My sisters (Sue & Wendy) were with him through the night and I spoke to him on the phone yesterday afternoon.

Charlie and I visited him last week and spent some precious time together.

Click HERE for a link to an online slideshow of a set of fairly random photos from my collection from the last 15 years or so (the digital photo era).

Update: Tuesday 26th May

Bill's continuing to recover well and on Saturday moved from St Peters to Clare House in Walton and has settled in very well. He would love to have some visitors and suggests you call ahead on his mobile to check for a good time.

By Sue on Saturday 23rd April

Clare House [website]
36 Hersham Road
Walton-on-Thames
KT12 1JJ

Update: Saturday 16th May

Bill's continuing to recover from the infection and is responding well to treatment.

We're expecting him to remain in hospital for a few more weeks, possibly more.

He's had visits from more friends & family recently and he'd love some more visitors now.
If you want to visit or get in touch see the details below.

Taken By Sue on Friday

Hospital Details: Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey

Bill is in the Swift Ward (01932 722201) which is in the Duchess of Kent Wing (To the rear of the site)

Guildford Road, Chertsey,

Surrey, KT16 0PZ

Switchboard: 01932 872000

http://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/patients/getting-here

http://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/car-parking

http://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/hospital-site-maps

http://www.ashfordstpeters.nhs.uk/hospital-site-maps

Bill Update: Sunday 10th May

Bill's been doing much better in recent days. Out of bed more and feeling stronger.

(Daughter) Wendy saw him yesterday and provided the photo below.

Bill: 7th May

Dad's really picked up in the last couple of days, out of bed & sitting up, stronger appetite & enjoying his food. He's enjoyed visits from family & friends.

Bill: Monday 4th May

Steve and John Jeremiah visited Bill today. He was a bit quiet but doing OK.

Here's a photo of the two of them together.

Bill: Sunday 3rd May

Dad had a much better day yesterday (Saturday). His voice returned more fully (had been a bit of croaky whisper) he ate much better and had some conversations on the phone and with visitors.

Sue's with him now (Sunday morning) with his good friend John Jeremiah and I'll be going in later on.

Here's a photo I took yesterday.

So here's hoping he has another good day today.

I'll keep posting updates here which you can find via this link: http://goo.gl/g3FSQZ