Sidney Bechet On Thursday Afternoon In Winter.

It’s January 31^st, the last day of dry January. I could have bought a bottle of wine in the supermarket to open at midnight tonight to celebrate, but I didn’t and I wonder why?. I think it is because I have enjoyed my alcohol-free January. I feel much better for it. When I get up in the morning, I’m immediately wide awake and alert. Not sitting in the kitchen, staring out of the window and feeling depressed. I have been much more active and creative and positive. I think I’ll try and go another few days without drinking. I’ll be into the unknown then. It will be the longest I have been without alcohol since the swinging sixties. Harold Wilson was Prime Minister; The Beatles were still together, and man hadn’t yet set foot on the moon the last time I went more than a month without booze. It is only when I am around other people that I feel the need to drink. I haven’t had much of a social life the last month, but I don’t feel that I have missed out on anything.

When I was up town, I had a quick look in the charity shops because I can’t walk past them without checking to see what they’ve got. In the Dorothy House shop they had cd’s 50 pence each. I bought Killers, Alanis Morissette and Artic Monkeys. I haven’t played them yet, but I also bought Sidney Bechet, The Creole Cavalier and I have played that twice now and I love it. It’s got that swing! , it’s upbeat and puts you in a happy mood. I first heard of Sidney Bechet when he was mentioned on a Van Morrison album. I have discovered lots of great music through Van. This album even has a great track on it called Really The Blues written by Sidney’s friend Mezz Mezzrow and as any Van fan will tell you that is also the title of Mezz’s autobiography. If you scroll down, I have posted a video of Sidney Bechet and Really The Blues.
See me through days of wine and roses
By and by when the morning comes
Jazz and blues and folk, poetry and jazz
Voice and music, music and no music
Silence and then voice
Music and writing, words
Memories, memories way back
Take me way back, Hyndford Street and Hank Williams
Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet on Sunday afternoons in winter.

See you in February.