The Morning Star by Ger Wolfe

In the absence of any live music to enjoy during this pandemic, one of the things that has kept me going is music sessions on the internet by various artists. Among the musicians I have particularly enjoyed are sessions by Richard Thompson, Christy Moore, Cara Dillon and Sharon Shannon. I have felt that they should be rewarded for their efforts because musicians have been hit extremely hard recently by not being able to perform and earn a living. I have bought CDs or sent a tip via PayPal. A couple of weeks ago a friend posted a link on Facebook to another live session by an Irish singer-songwriter called Ger Wolfe. I enjoyed the session so much I ordered his latest album called The Morning Star which arrived a few days ago. I first heard the name Ger Wolfe about a year ago when he is mentioned in the title track on Christy Moore’s excellent Magic Nights album. I think Ger wrote that song in collaboration with fellow Cork resident John Spillane. The Morning Star is an excellent album and Ger has a unique voice with a distinctive accent. I would describe him as a nature poet. The songs are like poems set to music. The lyrics are full of references to birds, animals, the land, the sea, the sky, and the seasons. He obviously feels close to nature. This gives the album a very spiritual quality, because as you know, people who are closer to nature are closer to god.

The album is produced, engineered, and mixed by Amhlaoibh Mc Sweeney who also plays harmonium, banjo, sruti box, bass and drums. Ger has a very distinctive delicate guitar style, possibly influenced by Bert Jansch, but I do not play guitar, so it is not really for me to say. There is Spanish guitar & steel string guitar. Ger also plays nice mandolin, fiddle, and piano among other instruments. His son Diarmuid Wolfe is the pianist on one track called I See The New Moon. Colyne Laverriere and Julie O’Sullivan are guest vocalists on The Last Rose Of Summer. I do not have a favourite song, but if pushed I think the opening song Hello Gorgeous is both charming and poetic. I love the piano playing on When We Were Farming Land and the harmonium and mandolin on tracks such as Colder Than The Winter which created a nice atmosphere in my kitchen as I listened on a winters afternoon. Something Stirred A Memory is about how simple things like finding lost items in a drawer can bring memories flooding back. In I Am A Wave Ger has put new words to an American tune called The Dying Soldier. On first listen I thought that song was the most immediately accessible. The final track called Walk The Long Road reminded me slightly of another nature inspired album by Vashti Bunyan called Another Diamond Day, but I am sure other listeners will find their own magical moments in this album.

If you want to hear a taste of this album, I have shared a beautiful video of Hello Gorgeous to this blog site below. 

Ger Wolfe -'Hello Gorgeous' (official video)

Night -Time Radio by Willow Springs.

So, I was wondering what to do with myself on this grey December day when a new CD popped through my letterbox. It is the new album by Willow Springs called Night-Time Radio. Willow Springs is the brainchild of Mark Crockard who is a singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland. I first heard of Mark when he played with an excellent Van Morrison tribute band called Celtic Soul who I saw at the party to celebrate Van’s 70^th birthday in 2015. This is Willow Springs second album and I have spent a very pleasant afternoon listening to it. As well as singing, Mark plays harmonica, acoustic & electric guitars, percussion, keyboards, banjo, and upright & electric bass. Also on the album are Lisa Brady on vocals, Rik Gay on drums & percussion, Keith Ward on piano & keyboards, Marcus McAuley on acoustic guitar & mandolin, Richard Nelson on pedal steel guitar, Vic Bronzini-Fulton on guitar, John McKinley on trumpet and Jim ‘The King’ Brown who sings on two songs.

I suppose you could describe the music as Americana. If you like country-rock I am sure you will love this album. Once I started listening, I forgot about genres and just enjoyed it as great music. The opening track is called Together, a duet between Mark and Lisa with tasteful piano and pedal steel guitar accompaniment. Same Old, Same Old Thing features Lisa again, in a jazzier bluesy mood with Richard’s pedal steel guitar to the fore. It Takes A Little Time is much rockier, driven along by electric guitar and great piano playing. Hello Friend has the great voice of Jim ‘The King’ Brown. You would swear it was Elvis singing. On Willow Springs Facebook page I saw that Jim has been suffering from Covid 19. I wish him a full recovery and hope it has not affected his great voice. Lisa sings again on I’ll Do Whatever It Takes. What a nice voice she has. This song also has a wonderful guitar solo by Vic Bronzini-Fulton. The eponymous title song Night-Time Radio is next and is possibly my favourite track after two listens. It reminded me slightly of Michael Nesmith’s early solo work or the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. It is a great song anyway. The heartfelt A Darker Shade Of Blue is accompanied by tasteful discreet harmonica and banjo. To Be With You is another Elvis style big ballad by Jim. I love it, especially the Duane Eddy twangy guitar sound. I wonder what Elvis would have thought of this song.

Boulder, Rock Or Stone is a much quieter affair. Why Did I Ever Fall In Love With You? Is a simple arrangement which again features effective acoustic guitar playing by Marcus McAuley. The laid-back mood continues with Thanks For Believing which is perfect music for a cold winters day. A Party On Saturday Night is much livelier. A Tex-Mex flavoured dance tune featuring frenetic trumpet playing by John McKinley. Marcus’s acoustic guitar is again featured on the final track I’ll See You Somewhere Down The Road which brings this most enjoyable album to a close. Congratulations to everyone who worked on this project, especially the multi-talented Mark Crockard.

Patrick & Hilda.

Patrick Kavanagh died on this day November 30^th in 1967. He was one of the finest Irish poets and a novelist. Arguably second only to W.B. Yeats as the greatest Irish poet of all time. He also was a huge influence on Seamus Heaney. Patrick met and fell in love with a young medical student called Hilda Moriarty and in 1946 wrote a poem inspired by her called ‘Dark Haired Miriam Ran Away’. It became one of Ireland’s best loved songs when in the 1960s he met Luke Kelly in the Bailey pub in Dublin and Luke sang the definitive version known as ‘On Raglan Road’. Van Morrison, Sinead O’connor, Mark Knopfler, Dick Gaughan, Billy Bragg and many others have recorded this song.

On Raglan Road on an autumn day I met her first and knew

That her dark hair would weave a snare that I might one day rue;

I saw the danger, yet I walked along the enchanted way,

And I said, let grief be a fallen leaf at the dawning of the day.

On Grafton Street in November we tripped lightly along the ledge

Of the deep ravine where can be seen the worth of passion's pledge,

The Queen of Hearts still making tarts and I not making hay –

O I loved too much and by such and such is happiness thrown away.

His love for Hilda was unrequited, mainly because of the age gap. She was only 22 when they met, and he was 40. Dr Hilda Moriaty later married Donogh O'Malley who became Ireland’s education minister. His reforms made him one of the most popular members of the government; he was affectionately known as 'the School Man' for his work in education. His sudden death in Limerick on 10 March 1968 before his vision for the education system was completed came as a shock to the public. He was buried with a full Irish state funeral. They had two children, the actor Daragh O'Malley, and Suzanne, a fashion designer.

Also, I found out just last night that  that the famous singer Dido wrote a song called Grafton Street in memory of her father, who was a nephew of Hilda Moriarty. The Irish Times said that as a young girl Dido was obsessed with great-aunt Hilda, the tales of her beauty, and her role in Raglan Road, and that she sang Raglan Road to her father as he was dying. So, I am incredibly pleased that Patrick met Hilda and it just shows that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady.

It was in the 1960’s that the name of Charles Mingus entered my consciousness. In a song by Donovan called Sunny Goodge Street. The lyrics said, ‘Listenin' to sounds of Mingus mellow fantastic, My, my, they sigh’. Then in 1979 Joni Mitchell put lyrics to Charles Mingus compositions on the album Mingus, but I never heard it. I was not ready for jazz just yet. In recent years I have started to show more of an interest. It might be partly due to Van Morrison having a jazz feel to a lot of his music. I want to experience some of the work of the jazz greats. I have albums by Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Sidney Bechet and an album by The Mingus Big Band called Blues & Politics, but that was recorded after his death. I looked on the internet to see what the critics rated as Charles Mingus’s greatest work and The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady seemed to be the popular choice, so that is what arrived here a few days ago.

The CD has a nice gatefold sleeve and there is a booklet inside with an 18-page explanation of the music by Mingus. To me, his language reads a bit like Mezz Mezzrow. It is jazz jive talk, but I get what he is saying, I think! Charles also got his psychologist Dr Edmund Pollock who did not know much about music to write a review. It is a good review because although Dr Pollock did not know about the techniques of music, he did know what made Charles Mingus tick, so he understood the emotions behind the music. The album was recorded in one day on January 20^th 1963. Charles’s co-arranger Bob Hammer had the band practice this work night after night during a six week residency at the Village Vanguard club, so by the time they got in the studio they were au-fait with the music. There is an eleven-piece band consisting of trumpets, trombone, tuba, tenor & alto saxophones, flute, piano, guitar, bass, and drums. I expect the band members are all well known to jazz fans, but the only name I recognise and know is Jay Berliner on guitar. He played on Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and I have seen him play in Van’s band on a few occasions. I must say after two listens to this album that some of my favourite parts are Jay’s delightful solos on Spanish guitar.

The album is one continuous composition divided into four sections and six movements. It was originally orchestrated with a ballet in mind. I am not sure I understand it very well. I find it very avant-garde and experimental. I think Mingus was trying to push the boundaries of jazz with this work. Maybe, I will get into it after a few more listens. At times it sounds very chaotic to me. If it were a painting, I think it would be something like Guernica by Picasso. I think Mingus is trying to express the emotions of a black person living in a world where white people call the shots. I do not find it easy listening that is for sure. Perhaps I should have ordered one of his earlier albums to introduce myself to his work. Track four probably contains my favourite passages, especially towards the end where it accelerates relentlessly driven by the drums of Danny Richmond and the crazy trumpets of Rolf Ericson and Richard Williams. I will persevere and keep playing it and I will let you know if it grows on me.

Brilliant Corners.

Thelonious Monk & Charlie Parker. New York 1952. The person at the table smoking a cigarette looks like Jack Kerouac.

It is Sunday afternoon. I had to go out this morning because I had run out of provisions. I got a great big bag of groceries in Morrison’s and scurried home. It is noticeably colder today. I fed my birds and my fish and got in the warmth of the kitchen. I will not need to go out again for a while if the weather is bad. Whilst pottering about and doing about four days’ worth of washing up I have been listening to Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk which arrived yesterday. I played it for the first-time last night. I had been meaning to get a Monk album for a while to add to my small but growing collection of jazz albums. An old friend of mine is a big fan of Monk, so I wanted to hear him. Also, I like the name and his personality intrigued me. I read that he was a friend of Allen Ginsberg and I like anything Beat. When I saw a photo of Monk performing with Charlie Parker and saw a figure in the audience who looks like Jack Kerouac, that did it for me. I ordered Brilliant Corners because I read that Brilliant Corners and Misterioso were the pinnacle of his artistic achievement.

The album was released in 1957 on the Riverside label. It features Monk on piano, Ernie Henry & Sonny Rollins on saxophones, Oscar Pettiford on bass and Max Roach on drums. The opening title track is an extraordinarily complex affair which took 25 takes to record and even then the producer had to splice the finished recording together from various takes. I am not a great fan of drum solos and that sort of thing, but on this album I love the tasteful drumming of Max Roach. I think I heard Ginger Baker say that he was one of his favourite drummers. The second track is called Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues -Are which takes its name from Monk’s exaggerated pronunciation of Blue Bolivar Blues. Monk’s friend Pannonica De Konigswater lived at the Bolivar Hotel where she gave Monk somewhere to live. Despite her exotic name she was actually a British aristocratic jazz fan, a member of the Rothschild family. I think I can detect a slight influence of Monk on the playing of Georgie Fame on this track. 

Pannonica.

The third track Pannonica is one of Monk’s most popular tunes and I think it is my favourite from this album as well. He plays a type of piano called a celeste on this track. I surrender Dear is not an original composition. It was written by Harry Barris and was originally a song which Bing Crosby recorded in 1931.It is a solo performance of just Monk and his piano. Bemsha Swing is the final track and written in collaboration with Denzil Best. Paul Chambers plays bass and Clark Terry features on trumpet. For me the highlight of this track is the drumming of Max Roach. I read that it was listening to this track that persuaded Monk’s son Toots Monk to become a jazz drummer.

I must say I have enjoyed listening to this great album on a cold November Sunday afternoon and I will definitely be getting some more jazz music soon. Maybe Charles Mingus next time. There is a documentary about Ronnie Scott’s club on the telly tonight which I am also looking forward to seeing. See you later.

The Turning Tide by P.P. Arnold.

Saturday morning. It has rained constantly for hours. I won’t be going anywhere today. I have only left the house twice in the last 10 days. Once to go to the shops and once for a bike ride. Social media has been my only contact with the outside world apart from a couple of phone calls. At least there is no danger of getting COVID-19 whilst banged up in here. I quite like it in a way because I have saved loads of money and not drinking has done me good. I feel better for it. I have treated myself to a couple of CDs. The first one arrived yesterday, and I am listening to it at this very moment. It is called The Turning Tide by P.P. Arnold. I came across this album the night Joe Biden was projected as the next American President. After four years of the Trump nightmare it seemed like a brand-new day. I wanted to share the Van Morrison song of that title with my Facebook friends. On YouTube I stumbled across a version of Brand New Day by PP Arnold which I listened to and thought was great. As well as her soulful voice I thought the backing musicians were excellent, so that was the version I shared. I wanted to hear more of the album from whence it came and when looking on eBay found an unplayed promotional copy for sale and bought it.

I will just tell you a little bit about P.P. Arnold in case you have not heard of her. She was born in 1946 in Los Angeles. In 1965 she joined The Ikettes who were the backing singers for Ike & Tina Turner. In 1966 while in London on tour with the Rolling Stones she quit the Ikettes and stayed in London to establish a solo career. She liked the way that black musicians were treated in London as opposed to the USA. Mick Jagger was a friend and helped her get a recording contract with Immediate Records which was owned by the Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham. The Small Faces were also on Immediate and they worked with her and she had a brief love affair with Steve Marriott the Faces singer and guitarist. Her first backing band were The Nice who featured Keith Emerson on keyboards. This is when I first heard of P.P. Arnold because she recorded some classic singles on Immediate. My favourite was her version of Cat Stevens’s The First Cut Is The Deepest. Angel Of The Morning was another great song.

With The Small Faces.

Sadly, Immediate Records went bust in the late 60’s. P.P. Arnold signed a deal with Robert Stigwood who was also the manager of The Bee Gees and Eric Clapton. She went into the studio with Barry Gibb as producer to record an album. Two singles were released, but the album never saw the light of day until incredibly it was released 46 years later in 2017. That is the album that popped through my letterbox yesterday. When I looked at the sleeve notes I realised why the backing musicians on Brand New Day sounded so good. This album is packed with talented musicians. They include Eric Clapton, Jim Gordon, Bobby Whitlock, Bobby Keys, Rita Coolidge and Doris Troy. A lot of these musicians would become members of Derek And The Dominos. There are also beautiful arrangements by Bill Shepherd. Six of the songs called, Born To Be Free’, ‘Bury Me Down By The River’, ‘Give A Hand, Take A Hand’, ‘Happiness’, ‘The Turning Tide and High and Windy Mountain are written by Barry Gibb. I have never been a great fan of his, but her powerful singing and the great musicians make the songs something special. 

There is a great cover of Steve Winwood’s Medicated Goo, Spinning Wheel, which was originally by Blood, Sweat & Tears, as was You’ve Made Me So Very Happy. There is also a splendid version of The Stones You Can’t Always Get What You Want. There are two songs which P.P. Arnold co-wrote with Caleb Quaye called If This Were My World’ and Children Of The Last War. It would be hard to pick a favourite song after two listens, but It is probably Brand New Day because I’m biased. What this album tells me is that P.P. Arnold is one of the great soul singers with a spiritually and emotionally uplifting voice and sadly underrated. I might be wrong, but I bet in her native USA hardly anyone has heard of her. Listening to this CD on a dark and rainy Saturday in the middle of a pandemic has lifted my spirits, so I am pleased I stumbled across The Turning Tide by P.P Arnold. PS,While I was writing this story the post lady delivered another CD which I’ll tell you about later.

The Bicycle Diaries, Chapter 1.

I had not ventured out of the house for six long days. We have been back in lockdown since last Thursday. I went to the pub last Wednesday evening for two pints of cider and did not go out again until today. I haven’t seen another living soul or had a drink since. I am going to see if I can get through until December without alcohol. It will do me good and It is no fun drinking on your own indoors is it? Also, it might help get rid of my fat belly. Another reason I haven’t been out is because although the weather has been mild it has been quite rainy.

Chalford or bust!

This afternoon however, the sun came out and I motivated myself to go out for a bike ride as I desperately needed some fresh air and exercise. I gave my tyres some air and off I went. I headed up Alfred Street, crossed the main road and went up Newtown heading for the White Horse. By the time I got to the countryside I was sweating and tired. I am really out of shape. I couldn’t face the uphill struggle to the White Horse, so had a sit down on a bench and reassessed the situation. Just before the equestrian centre there is a lane to the right. I had never been along there but decided to explore it and see where I ended up. It was very muddy in places after the recent rain but quite pleasant. I said hello to a few dog walkers and people on horse back and the trees looked great in all their autumnal glory.

I eventually emerged on the main road at Chalford. I could have freewheeled back down into Westbury, but I had only been out for about half an hour, so I crossed the road and headed for Old Dilton. I had been this way a few weeks ago, so when I got to a turn off for Upton Scudamore I headed up there. It became too much like hard work though, going uphill. “I’ll save that for another day”, I thought to myself, and turned back. At a place called Hisomley I turned right and hurtled downhill to Westbury Leigh. I noticed that the church clock said it was nearly 3.00. I had been out for 90 minutes. “That will do for today”, I told myself and headed home for a well-deserved cup of tea. I felt quite pleased with myself for making the effort to get out and about. I'll try and go a bit further next time.

Laura Marling, Song For Our Daughter.

Song For Our Daughter is the seventh album by Laura Marling. I had been meaning to listen to her for years because she is always being nominated for prizes and being voted top female singer at the Brit awards and receiving great critical acclaim. I had been prejudiced against her because she is the daughter of a baronet and had a genteel upbring in Berkshire which did not appeal to my socialist sensibilities. That is very unfair though, people should have a chance in life whatever their background! It was not her fault. Anyway, finally I have bought a Laura Marling album. I suppose the first thing to say is that Laura has not actually got a daughter, she is fictitious. Wikipedia told me that the title song was inspired by a book by Maya Angelou called Letter To My Daughter.

The album has a very stripped back sound with just guitar and percussion which gives it a very intimate feel. On some tracks there are some exquisite string arrangements by Robert Moose. The opening song is the strange and haunting Alexandra. Apparently, this is based on a Leonard Cohen song called Alexandra Leaving. You wonder who Alexandra was, maybe a previous lover of her partner. ‘Where did Alexandra go? Is the mysterious refrain. Laura’s pure vocals are quite sublime. Held Down is one of my favourite tracks. It is so good that I have played it over and over. It is the shimmering layered harmonies of Laura’s own voice that make it so great, where the last word of every verse is repeated several times. It reminds me very much of Parallelograms by Linda Perhacs, another album I like. Strange Girl is an upbeat song with lots of percussion. I am not sure what it is about, but seems quite sneering of pretentious people, ‘Oh girl, don’t bullshit me’ is one line. The gentle guitar sound of Only The Strong Survive reminds me slightly of Simon & Garfunkel. Blow By Blow is a very sad song which has a beautiful string accompaniment. The title track Song For Our Daughter is next. You can see the subtle influence of  an older generation of musicians like McCartney, Cohen, Dylan and especially Joni Mitchell all over this album. I think her parents record collection must have had a big influence on Laura.

Fortune is another of the great songs. It is an incredibly sad song which mentions her mothers running away fund which she never had the courage to use. Laura’s vocal performance is fabulous. The End Of The Affair is the name of a novel by Grahame Greene and the title of the next song. Laura is obviously a well-read lady. She mentions books in several songs. There is a character called ‘Max’ in this song. I wonder who he is based on? The penultimate song is Hope We Meet Again which for me has very enigmatic lyrics. I must confess that I don't understand the lyrics in a lot of the songs. You won't find songs about the big issues of the day. These are very introspective songs. I have read that Laura has been studying psychoanalysis. Healing inner trauma seems to be her interest. The album ends with the simple and charming For You which has Laura’s boyfriend humming along in harmony. It features some nice electric guitar and brings this album to a pleasant and positive end. This is a wonderful album. You will be rewarded by playing it several times. It grows on you. I should have mentioned that the acoustic guitar playing is excellent and Laura’s voice is the best I have heard in a long time. Congratulations to Laura Marling on this great album. I have shared Held Down from YouTube to this blogsite if you want to hear it.

Laura Marling - Held Down (Official Audio)

The Writing On The Wall.

My story begins about five days ago. A friend on Facebook posted a video of Dick Gaughan singing The World Turned Upside Down. I love this song which tells the story of The Diggers who in 1649 occupied common land on St George’s Hill in Surrey because they believed the land was a treasury for all to share. Listening to the song again made me curious about the person who wrote it in 1975. His name is Leon Rosselson. I looked up Leon on Wikipedia and listened to his songs on Youtube. There could be no doubt that Leon’s heart was in the right place. I read that he had worked and recorded with Roy Bailey so that led me to reading about Roy. He has been described as ‘the very soul of folk’s working-class ideals’ I was really impressed and decided to buy an album. When I looked on eBay to see what was available I stumbled across a live CD which Roy had recorded at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2003 with none other than the great Tony Benn. It is called The Writing On The Wall. Not only that, but it is also signed by Tony & Roy. “This is the one for me”, I thought to myself and clicked Buy. 

Just in case you live in a faraway country and don’t know who Tony Benn is, I’ll just give you a quick few details about him. He was born in 1925 as Anthony Wedgewood Benn, a member of the aristocracy and educated at Westminster School. He became a member of the Labour Party and elected to Parliament. However, when his father died he became Viscount Stansgate which barred him from sitting in the House Of Commons because he was a lord. He fought for years to renounce his title until finally an act of parliament allowed him to become Tony Benn and become an MP. He was one of the great figures of British politics and probably the only minister to become more left wing when in office. He was a great friend of Glastonbury Festival as well and opened the Leftfield Stage in 2002. His speeches at Glastonbury were hugely popular.

As it is another rainy day, I have been in the kitchen listening to the CD. I see the previous owner has included a ticket for Tony & Roy’s concert at Beverley Folk Festival in 2008 which is where they must have got the CD signed. It is a very enjoyable listen indeed. Tony tells stories from British history such as the Peasants Revolt and The Civil War and the international struggle for democracy, human rights, freedom and peace. Roy sings songs relating to the struggle, such as the story of Abeizer Coppe  who was a prominent ranter who were a 17^th century dissenting group. Also, Roy sings The Ballad Of Vic Williams who was a conscientious objector who refused to fight in the Iraq war. There is a lot of humour in their performance as well. Tony was a very witty, intelligent, and articulate man and Roy sings with humour songs such as Corvette Stingray about a woman who sells her husbands car for next to nothing when he is unfaithful.

Tony speaking at Glastonbury.

Sadly, Tony died in 2014 aged 88 and Roy passed away aged 83 in 2018. Their legacy lives on though. When you look at the world today it can be depressing. A world where billionaire oligarchs are supported by corrupt politicians and tax avoiding press barons. There is always hope though. I was pleased to see the Labour Party sweep to power in New Zealand this week which shows that socialism can be popular. Even in this world of climate change, Covid 19, war and poverty there is hope. As Tony Benn once said, “Hope is the fuel of progress and fear is the prison in which you put yourself”. That is why I am encouraged and glad I listened to this CD today.

75 Van Songs by Stuart Bailie

A new book arrived at my house yesterday called 75 Van Songs by Stuart Bailie. A nice hardback book of 178 pages with an attractive dust jacket and lavishly illustrated with great black and white photos. It celebrates the work of Van Morrison to mark this milestone year in his life. The writer Stuart Bailie has had a long career as a music journalist and is a former assistant editor at NME and author of several books. He is based in Belfast and his choice of songs is very Belfast and Northern Ireland oriented which is not surprising, but other places which have also inspired Van such as London, USA, Denmark and the west of England do get a look in as well. As it was a dark and rainy day yesterday I stayed at home and read the book in one sitting. I was pleased to learn something new straight away in Stuart’s introduction. On the original recording of Madame George that later appeared on the TB Sheets album you can hear an Irish voice (presumably Van) who says, ‘Get yer fur boots on, what about big Aggie’. I had forgotten about this for decades until recently when Bronagh Gallagher repeated it on her version of And The Healing Has Begun in a video for Hot Press magazine’s recent celebration of Van. Apparently, Aggie is a generic Belfast character made famous by a comedian called James Young. I am grateful that mystery has been solved for me.

Down the Cyprus Avenue.

This is not a countdown of Stuart’s favourite 75 Van songs. It is his choice of 75 songs which relate to him in a personal way and show how Van’s work is influenced by his surroundings. They are arranged alphabetically, from Across The Bridge Where Angels Dwell to You Know What They’re Writing About. I don’t always agree with Stuart’s interpretation of the songs and lyrics, but that is ok because the listener is entitled to find whatever meaning they want in the music and even Van himself has said that he sometimes doesn’t know where the songs came from either. However, it is interesting to read other people’s point of view, and you can learn something new. For instance, I always thought that the term fair play was an Irish expression, but apparently it can be found in Shakespeare’s plays. I  thought that Connswater was just an enjoyable instrumental track and Van merely gave it that title because he had to call it something, so named it after a local river. Stuart though sees deeper meanings and connects it to the Orange Order and the summer marching season. He might have a point, but that had never occurred to me because I like to think Van transcends all that sectarian stuff.

I especially enjoyed reading Stuart’s view of Cyprus Avenue with the references to William Blake and comparing Cyprus Avenue to Peckham Rye where Blake saw angels in trees. Angels frequently appear in Van songs as well. I also liked Stuart’s explanation of the immobile steel rims because I have often pondered the meaning of that. When I finished reading I was surprised when I realised that Stuart only chose one song from after 2005 which is Dark Night Of The Soul. I think Van has produced some great songs since then, but it is Stuart's book, not mine. The best benefit of reading this book yesterday for me was that it got me listening to Van again. While reading the book I listened to Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart, St Dominic’s Preview and Beautiful Vision. I had not played any Van for a few weeks because I have been a bit annoyed recently with Van’s views on the lockdown and his demands for capacity audiences at concerts again. As most of his fans are in a high-risk age group that would be a recipe for disaster in my opinion. The lockdown songs he has produced are a low point in his career and best forgotten. Stuart’s book is a reminder of the fabulous body of work that Van has produced during his long career, and that is what is important. Thank you, Stuart Bailie for a most enjoyable read.

Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul.

I haven't written anything recently because my younger brother Paul passed away on September 25^th aged 64 after a brave fight against cancer. He was not a distant brother; he has always been there. It will take a long time to get used to the idea that he is not around anymore. Music was an especially important part of Paul’s life. For ten years he ran a pub in County Mayo, Ireland which had been in our family for over 120 years. It was called Joyce’s in Kiltimagh. Our mother was born in that pub in 1920, her family surname was Joyce. Paul decided that the pub needed live music and the sessions in Joyce’s became legendary. I only went there twice during that period, but I know he put on some memorable performers. The Wailers, Henry McCullough, Luka Bloom and Eileen Ivers were just some of the great names to have played in Joyce’s. This year he was determined to go back to Ireland for one last visit. It was all planned for him to go and see his old friends this September. Sadly though, his declining health made that impossible. His friends from the old days in Joyce’s put on a gig for him online to try and make up for the disappointment. That was a wonderful thing to do and Paul loved the show. It was only about a month ago on September 5^th. You can find it on youtube if you search for 'Paul Corley, Kiltimagh gig' if you would like to see it. I think you should because the music is great. It shows how popular Paul was, and even though he had been back in England a long time he was still a legend in Ireland.

Paul behind the bar in Joyce's

I enjoyed every single performance in the show, but if I had to pick a favourite it would be the contribution of Eileen Ivers who sent a nice video message and played some music from New York. (Eileen is at 55 minutes into the video) She is a famous American fiddle player. I remember Paul telling me about Eileen, but I did not know who she was. Unknown to me though, I did know her music because she was a founder member of the band Cherish The Ladies which she founded along with her Bronx school friend Joanie Madden. I knew this group from listening to the Mike Harding folk show on the BBC.  Although she is American, Eileen’s family came from Kiltimagh and she always spent her summers there, which is probably how Paul got to know her. I think I met her uncle Jimmy in Joyce’s one night. He recited a poem to me which was The Ballad Of Dan McGrew.

Anyway, because I thought she was such a nice person and a great musician I decided to order one of her albums. I did not know which one to buy, so in the end I bought an album from 2003 Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul because I liked the name. My intention was to play it to Paul when I next saw him. Sadly, it did not arrive until the day after Paul died. It is a very enjoyable album which mixes Irish traditional music with Latin and African rhythms. The opening track is called Darlin Corey which is an Appalachian song which Eileen revisits and infuses it with an Irish feel. Afro-Jig is just what it says, Irish music with an African vibe. At times, this album reminded me of the Afro-Celt Sound System who I have an album by, but I think Eileen is much better. Reconciliation is a song by Ron Kavana and the sound is augmented by the Omagh Community Youth Choir which brings together Catholic and Protestant kids in Northern Ireland. Paddy In Zululand is an infectious lively tune which gets faster relentlessly and shows what a wizard on the fiddle Eileen is. It is no wonder the New York Times described her as the Jimi Hendrix of the fiddle. Go Lassie Go is a classic traditional song also known as Purple Heather or Blooming Heather, revisited with vocals by Tommy McDonnell. Mundo Pequeno / Small World is a tune with a Latin flavour inspired by a hot summer night in The Bronx. Craic With Jack is a polka dedicated to her husband’s uncle Jack who passed away while Eileen and Joanie Madden were working on the tune. BX Style is a lively romp through Eileen’s area of New York. Dance All Night is a celebration of summer festivals. It is so catchy and infectious I think it could have been a hit single if it got the right airplay.

Joyce's own Guinness label.

By comparison Parting Of Friends is a sad poem by her father-in-law Barney Mulligan who emigrated from Ireland to America like millions of others. When people left for America their family and friends knew they would probably never see them again, so they held what was called an American Wake. After that is the sad, but beautiful Parting Of Friends, Air. Eileen first heard this air played by the great Matt Molloy. I wonder if that was in his pub in Westport? Anyway, it is said to have been composed by the legendary harpist O’Carolan. Eileen obviously didn’t want the album to end on a sad note because the last track is Zululand-Reprise which is a happy lively tune to bring this most enjoyable album to a close. Thank you Paul for bringing the music of the great and wonderful Eileen Ivers to my attention.

What Joni Mitchell Did In Frome.

A couple of weeks ago while I was researching another story I was reading about all the people who had recorded at the Wool Hall studio which is just down the road from here. As well as Van Morrison and Tears For Fears who both owned the studio at different times, many other artists used The Wool Hall during its time as a recording studio. The Smiths recorded their final album there in 1987 and Morrissey his first solo album called Viva Hate. Other artists who used the studio included Annie Lennox, The Pretenders, David Sylvian, Sisters of Mercy, 808 State, Stereophonics, and Paul Weller. 

Wool Hall, Beckington.

The one that really made me sit up and take notice though was Joni Mitchell. I wondered why would an international superstar like Joni Mitchell who would have had the finest state of the art studios in Los Angeles or New York at her disposal come to a rural backwater like the village of Beckington to work? I did a bit more digging and discovered that the reason for Joni being here was that her husband at the time was bass player & producer Larry Klein who came here to work on an album with Ben Orr formerly of the band The Cars. Joni took advantage of the situation and began work on songs for an album that was released in 1988 called Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm. Only part of the album was recorded at the Wool Hall. I also found a radio interview that Joni gave to David Jensen in which she said that she lived in Frome near Beckington from January to June 1987. I decided to order the CD which arrived yesterday. I was a huge Joni Mitchell fan at one time. It is almost exactly fifty years ago in the summer of 70 that I bought Ladies Of The Canyon which remains a favourite album, as does Blue which is one of the greatest albums ever, in my opinion. I gradually started to lose interest after that. I think before this week the last time I bought a Joni Mitchell album was 1977 with Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter which I soon tired of. I think my problem was that I liked the simple folky sound of just Joni, her songs and her guitar or piano. A great artist though needs to grow, Joni got interested more in exploring rhythms and drum sounds and what modern technology could offer, such as synthesisers. She became more jazz influenced as well, which I was not ready for at the time. 

Ashcombe House, Bath.

When I played Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm for the first time yesterday I recognised the first song My Secret Place because I remember the video she made with Peter Gabriel. Joni became friendly with Peter because her husband and Ben Orr both worked on Peter’s album called So. Peter had just finished recording that album and offered Joni the use of his home studio. This was nearby at Ashcombe House on the outskirts of Bath. This was in the days before Peter built his famous Real World Studios in the village of Box. I know Ashcombe House because I went there one afternoon. I had a friend in Bradford On Avon who knew Peter and did occasional work for him. One day Pete wanted some furniture moving and we went over there in a van to do the job. Sadly, I did not get to meet Peter that day, but I had a look in the studio. Anyway, it is a nice quite sensuous love song duet to open the album. 

The second song is called Number One and is all about the pressures of fame. Ben Orr plays on this track which suggests to me it is a Wool Hall recording. I like Lakota because it tells a story. It is about the Lakota Native American tribe and the Wounded Knee & Pine Ridge incidents which I just read about on Wikipedia. There are a lot of guest musicians on this album, Don Henley features here. You can also hear chanting by Iron Eyes Cody. When I read about him, it was quite interesting because all his life he had claimed to be Native American and always dressed in the native garb, but when he died it was revealed that he was Italian. His parents came from Sicily. The Tea Leaf Prophecy, Lay Down your Arms is a song about Joni’s parents and how they met. Wendy & Lisa from Prince’s band The Revolution sing on this track. The unlikely figure of Billy Idol sings on Dancin’ Clown. Tom Petty and Thomas Dolby also play on this track which mentions Rowdy Yates who was played by Clint Eastwood in Rawhide on the telly. I like it, and I also like Cool Water in which Joni reworks an old cowboy song to great effect. What I really like about it is a cameo appearance by the great voice of Willie Nelson. The Beat Of Black Wings is a great anti-war song which tell the story of a damaged soldier called Killer Kyle who can’t get the sound of helicopter rotor blades out of his head. Don Henley shares the vocals on Snakes & Ladders which is a kind of his and her type song. The Reoccurring Dream is a scathing attack on the consumer society in which Joni cleverly samples TV adverts which promise happiness if you buy stupid products. A Bird That Whistles is Joni rewriting the traditional song Corrina Corrina.

I have listened to the album twice now and I really like it. I am pleased that Joni put the time she spent here to such good use. I am glad I bought it. I think it has renewed my interest in Joni Mitchell’s music. I feel sorry for Joni because she has suffered with ill health in recent years, so I hope she is recovered, and I will certainly listen to more of her albums in the future.