The Life of a Song: I’m a Believer

The Life of a Song: ‘I’m a Believer’
David Cheal
Financial Times
27 February 2014

"Wyatt’s version was a triumph, and showed that it was not always essential to have written a song for it to be authentic, personal and emotional".


Added 1 March after comment on access problems:

It seems like you have to sign up to be able to read 3 articles for free pr month.

The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler in Brighton

The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler from Vanishing Point on Vimeo.

Vanishing Point and National Theatre of Scotland present
"The Beautiful Cosmos of Ivor Cutler"
13 - 17 May 2015
Brighton Festival

And after you have ordered tickets watch this gem from 1981 where Ivor Cutler performs "Counting Song" at Anti-War poetry event, Chelsea, London.

(I got a bit scared off by that "license this clip" message, so run all the way over to YouTube folks).

Global release day

Do we see the end of different local and international record release days?

See news over at IFPI - The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry

"Global release day to go ahead following international consultation

26th February 2015

Following consultation with artists, musicians unions, record companies and retailers, it was confirmed today that the release day for new music will be aligned internationally on a Friday."

Skydive Trio and Monkey Plot

Two new albums from the magnificent Hubro label coming!

First out is Skydive Trio´s album "Sun Moee", with Thomas T. Dahl (guitar), Olavi Louhivuori (drums) and Mats Eilertsen (bass).

Norwegian release: 20.02.2015
International release: 17.04.2015




The next one is Monkey Plot with the album "Angående omstendigheter som ikke lar seg nedtegne".

The band:Christian Winther (acoustic guitar), Magnus Nergaard (double bass) and Jan Martin Gismervik (drums).

The title of the album is borrowed from the Swedish sound artist and poet Pär Thörn, and in English should be something like "Regarding circumstances that can not be recorded/written down".

Norwegian release: 06.03.2015
International release: 24.04.2015

And if you are still irritated by the different local and international release dates on records, see the next blog post!

Richard Dawson

If this isn´t something special I don´t know what to say!

Richard Dawson with "The Vile Stuff" from his latest album "Nothing Important" (Weird World 2014).

His European tour also brings him to Norway, playing Oslo´s club Blå 9 March and at the Bergen Borealis Festival 12 March.

BMX: Rozel Point

I know I´m getting older and slower, but it will be hard to find a good excuse to have totally missed out on the Bergen band BMX´s great second album "Rozel Point" (Øyvind Jazzforum) that was released almost exactly one year ago!

BMX is Njål Ølnes (sax), Thomas T. Dahl (g) (with Mats Eilertsen), Øyvind Skarbø (dr) (with 1982) and Per Jørgensen (tp, voc) (with Jøkleba).

You get seven improvised pieces and two composed, the composed ones being a beautiful version of Carla Bley´s "Jesus Maria" and Njål Ølnes´ "Joey´s Spring" that is supposed to be loosely based on a composition by Olivier Messiaen. I´ll just take their word for that.

I might hear a touch of Miles and a nod to Jøkleba, but most of all BMX music. And that´s fine!
Seek this one out! I haven´t got the CD yet, but the album is at least on iTunes, eMusic and Spotify.

Recorded by Jan Erik Kongshaug.

Taking The Dog For A Walk

"Taking The Dog For A Walk" (2014) a documentary by Antoine Prum, mapping the scene of British Improvised Music, past and present.

"With Steve Beresford, Adam Bohman, Eileen Boyes, Karen Brookman-Bailey, Sarah Gail Brand, John Butcher, Lol Coxhill, Rhodri Davies, Max Eastley, John Edwards, Alexander Hawkins, Caroline Kraabel, Dominic Lash, Phil Minton, Thurston Moore, Maggie Nicols, Steve Noble, Eddie Prévost, John Russell, Mark Sanders, Victor Schonfield, Alan Tomlinson, Roger Turner, Alex Ward, Trevor Watts, Veryan Weston, Alan Wilkinson, Richard Williams, and many others".

I sure hope I get a chance to see this one!

In April 2013 we had a blog post on the Sunny Murray documentary "Sunny´s Time Now" by Antoine Prum.

Taking The Dog For A Walk - Teaser from PTD World Sales on Vimeo.