The Musical Box
Music has been a key to my personal growth since I was a teenager and, although I don't play an instrument myself, I have been surrounded by musicians and music all my life. This section of the blog shares the contents of the discoveries, experiences and events in my personal musical box. I grew up with UK pop and rock music in the 1960s and 70s via records, radio, live concerts and TV. In 1981 I carried all this to France and mixed it with other musical styles – la chanson française, jazz, classical and world music. In the early 1990s my musical world was shaken yet again when I discovered traditional tango from Argentina. For the first time in my life I learned to dance and discovered a whole new way of perceiving music. I began working as a tango DJ, starting a webradio, organizing events and seeking out people I admired. Tango continues to be part of my daily musical soundscape.
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The rocky road to becoming a guitarist 1
The shortest path to becoming yourself is rarely a straight line, and learning to get there can take a lifetime. The Learner Tales series continues in conversation with guitarist Chester Kamen talking about how he learnt his craft and became a professional musician. He reflects on the learning path it takes to get to play with people like Bryan Ferry, David Gilmour and Madonna.
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Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
A number of composers have tried to put the seasons to music, so we can have them all year round. Antonio Vivaldi dominates the field with his Four Seasons from 1725. But since 1999, thanks to an arrangement for classical orchestra called Eight Seasons by Leonid Desyatnikov, a concert programme now alternates movements from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi and those by the Argentinian Astor Piazzolla from his tango suite The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, also known as Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas. Let's take Piazzolla out from the shadow of Vivaldi by taking a closer look at his Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
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The Musical Box
Like most people, my musical box contains its own personal mix. You'll find stuff about discovery, about heroes. There are recollections of those songs which just won't stop playing on your inner juke box. There are also pieces on Tango, which I discovered in France, and which taught me to dance and to live and listen to music differently. I hope you enjoy the mix!
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Songsmith Wreckless Eric Singing About That Special Someone
Songsmith Wreckless Eric and that Special Someone. It's summer up here in the Northern Hemisphere and time to fall in love again. How about making that definitive this time? Not as easy as it sounds? Questions like these are at the heart of "(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric which tells the story of a mother's answer to her son's despair at ever finding that special someone. Take it away, Wreckless!
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Rory Gallagher
Onstage, Rory Gallagher moved like a cat and played his guitar like a lion. He had a way of speaking between numbers which was natural. He hoped we were enjoying the concert. He thought we might like to hear something from the new album. Nothing was forced. He gave us gold from the end of the Rainbow.
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Taking Brother Bruce Springsteen Home
Bruce Springsteen has often felt like a member of my family. Born seven years before me, he was the older brother I never had. What follows is about how a Bruce Springsteen album sneaked its way into my home in Harlow, Essex. The story starts in early 1973.
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The Dave Simmons Soul Show BBC Radio One 1972-74
Tribute to the Dave Simmons Soul Radio Show broadcast by BBC Radio 1 between 1972 and 1974. This was where I discovered not only soul, blues and R&B but also how musical genres and styles are interconnected. You'll also find links to uploads of recordings of the show online.
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Brass In Pocket
How can one song make such a big difference? "Brass In Pocket" is a fine example. It changed everything for The Pretenders in 1979 as the Songsmiths series explains in this latest post.
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Songsmith David Bowie Back In Berlin
At first hearing on the radio, "Where are we now?" sounded like somebody sleepwalking, a ghost from the past. Didn't I know that voice, that London drawl, that downbeat drag? By the chorus, it was clearly David Bowie. Released overnight unannounced as the lead track for The Next Day on 8th January 2013, Bowie's 66th birthday, "Where are we now?" was his first new solo single since 2003. It is also the subject of the next instalment of the series Songsmiths.
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Songsmith Chrissie Hynde and the Ladies’ Tea Party
The song "Brass in Pocket", which came out in November 79 changed everything for The Pretenders. A joint composition by Chrissie Hynde and guitarist James Honeyman Scott, it was so successful that it actually altered people's perceptions of the group's name : they were still Pretenders, but no longer pretending as in unending make believe; they were now pretenders as in contenders for the crown. Hope you like this latest piece in the Songsmiths series.
