The Lonely Goatherd

Because of his fondness for transforming cheesy show tunes I felt sure that Sonny Rollins must have played The Lonely Goatherd at some time, especially with that goatee. It would have been right at home on his What’s New album. I can almost hear it. His lyrical saxophone singing the melody, then deconstructing it with one of his abstract solos over a rhythm of congas and bongos. But I can’t find a recording anywhere. We’ll have to imagine it, and make do with this version by Eddie Cano. Continue reading “The Lonely Goatherd”

Frames of reference

The Goat Rodeo Sessions

A four piece string band featuring Yo-Yo Ma on cello, Edgar Myer on bass, Stuart Duncan on fiddle and Chris Thile on mandolin.

A ‘goat rodeo’ is a chaotic situation where a group of people with differing viewpoints have to work together to avert disaster. These guys seem to manage pretty well. See more here.

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Trip To Birkenhead

A few weeks ago my wife and I spent a few days in the Wirral to see pictures I had in the annual exhibition of the National Acrylic Painters Association in the Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, Birkenhead. I was so pleased with the hanging of my work and so impressed with the beautiful gallery, a truly local gallery so well looked after, away from all the razzamatazz of the Tate Liverpool etc. across the Mersey. Continue reading “Trip To Birkenhead”

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St Cirq Lapopie

This beautiful butterfly cut-out was made by Joseph Silcott from a vintage Michelin map of the Dordogne and Lot river valleys. The central butterfly at the top with the green body features St Cirq Lapopie. Others display Rocamadour and Cahors. Joseph simply draws with scissors to release the butterflies from the map. Continue reading “St Cirq Lapopie”

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The Wave

A spectacular Navajo sandstone formation, known as The Wave, at Coyote Buttes in the Arizona desert, south west United States. This place is difficult to find, there are no signposts and it is accessible only by foot. The picture is from Eyewitness, a series of often remarkable photographs on the Guardian website. I was reminded of it by Liz Somerville’s image at the end of yesterday’s post.

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Dorset Landscapes

On Sunday I went down to Roche Court near Salisbury to see John Hubbard’s Paintings From The 1960s. They are beautiful atmospheric condensations on canvas and paper, displayed in a small light filled gallery in a corner of a garden overwhelmed with sculpture. This tranquil space is a refuge and standing before Rocky Woodland especially I was in a green shade reminded of the undercliff at Lyme Regis. There’s a lot to see. But I was not allowed to photograph it. So I will make do with some we framed earlier, for another exhibition, but one I now discover has just finished! Continue reading “Dorset Landscapes”

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A Good Shave

Ten years ago I received a strange email marked ‘cacklegoose’. Curious both because the author was nameless but more so due to she? he? offering ‘artistic material’ in the form of 328 razor blades. Further corresponding revealed it was from the writer and publisher Michael Raeburn of Cacklegoose Press. When his father, Walter Raeburn, died in 1972 Michael discovered a box of all the razor blades he’d used since the late 1920s along with the well worn razor in its purple velvet-lined case. Continue reading “A Good Shave”

Frames of reference

The Weight

This is a follow up to the post last month on January 14. I’d forgotten then about this earlier performance of The Weight by The Band from Martin Scorsese’s film The Last Waltz, which also features a guest appearance by Mavis Staples, along with her father and sisters from The Staple Singers. A righteous sound indeed.

Frames of reference