Music – Page 20 – Frames of Reference

Kew Gardens

On the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, aka Whitsun Bank Holiday or maybe even Whitsuntide, we went down to Kew. It was a slow journey. There was a UEFA Cup Final at Wembley that evening and a Premiership Rugby Final at Twickenham that afternoon, there were roadworks in Ealing and there was a continuous traffic jam around the North Circular. There was a long queue to Kew. By the time we arrived I was stir crazy. Once inside the gates I was snap happy. The resulting photostream begins with eucalyptus, smooth-skinned and animal-like with aromatic blade-shaped leaves. Continue reading “Kew Gardens”

Grand Union @ Wilton’s

The world’s oldest surviving music hall can still – just – be found…No theatrical facade: just a door set into a peeling wall.

It did take some finding but that’s part of the fun. Once found it’s a place for many happy returns. Wilton’s Music Hall is a fragile survivor, in need of restoration but not too much; it’s shabby chic is a big part of it’s charm. Perhaps stabilisation rather than restoration. Continue reading “Grand Union @ Wilton’s”

Jonny’s Got A Brand New Bag

After we hung Jonny Hannah‘s exhibition at Kensington Place last week I discovered a box of leftovers containing these wonderful hand painted paper carrier bags, for these popular high street retailers – Ishmael’s Stripey Top Shop, Henry Thomas Tackle & Bait Shop, Ahab’s Fish & Crinkle Cut Chip Shop, The Cullen Skink Fishmongery. We’re just missing The Kensington Plaice. Continue reading “Jonny’s Got A Brand New Bag”

Discaholism

Here’s a nice cartoon by Robert Crumb from Rock’s Back Pages on the pain of record collecting. Follow the link and the trail leads back to Discaholic Corner and a great interview with the cartoonist musician about his addiction to tracking down old 78s. Portrait d’un 78 Tard by Les Primitifs du Futur, on which he plays banjo, from their album World Musette, tells a similar tale –

Jonny Hannah At Kensington Place

There’s a new Art Wall at Kensington Place chockablock with fruits de mer and other tasty sea flavoured morsels by Jonny Hannah. He’s entitled it What Did The Deep Sea Say? and if you’re curious to know the answer, if you’re hungry for more please drop in next time you’re passing. Continue reading “Jonny Hannah At Kensington Place”

Amen

Amen, there’s a ring around the moon… there’s a light inside my chest that switched on when we first met and it will not let me rest… Amen. This is my favourite Jolie Holland song from Escondida.

Im Planetarium

Kap. Wlodek from their 1999 album Aus Glücklichen Tagen on Trikont, sehr schöne Musik.

Beautiful Cosmos

This is for Ivor Cutler, in performance at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane with The Roches, in the next seat at a Dollar Brand concert at Camden Town Hall, in the same train carriage from Hampstead Heath to Gospel Oak, now sadly departed. Also for Cosmo the cat, Beautiful Cosmo. These colour photographs are 100 years old from Russia. Cosmo is 15 years old from a cat shelter in Haringey.

X-Ray Discs

Two framed flexi discs from the 1950s Soviet Union where underground samizdat recordings were pressed onto discarded x-ray film for the distribution of jazz music, which was prohibited after WW2. Continue reading “X-Ray Discs”

Mingus Says…

Here’s a little taster. More soon from Jonny Hannah.