Friday 27 February 2009

György Ligeti - Poème Symphonique For 100 Metronomes

Looking forward to a live performance at this year`s Aldeburgh festival!

Monday 23 February 2009

Louis Armstrong - Potato Head Blues

Last week saw the 9th anniversary of my father`s death. He wasn`t expecting to die: he went into hospital for a fairly routine op. and things started going wrong. A few months before this happened I`d asked him what his favourite single recording was. His hero was Louis Armstrong and he told me it was his recording of `Potato Head Blues`. Apparently it is the second trumpet chorus after which music was never the same. Although my father played drums in his own band, I could never fathom the attraction of traditional jazz: I just couldn`t stand the banjo or sousaphone. I think you had to be there in the 1950`s to understand the trad jazz revival. His band played at his funeral. We also played this recording.