miracles come in moments... be ready and willing

When i awoke...

2008-06-23T00:05:00.002+01:00

As if from a slumber...
I recognised a face... a smile... a gesture. A beguiling nature of thought. A wonder... a sense of presence, a feeling of togetherness. Dreams are indeed made of such things. Alas as dreams can and often do... they become awash with otherness.. attached to external stuff, inhibiting the wonderous nature of the now! Oh how my heart aches, oh how my mind quakes with echoes. The paths we tread are always unsteady, careful as we tread we must. In our hearts we must trust, for as sure as day follows night, there is always a new start, a new beginning. As a light I shine, bright and beacon like. may anyone passing by recognise my true nature, may they accept the warmth it brings... the song....no words... just a timeless melody.... oh hark.....how it sings.

The birth of computer music

2008-06-19T09:31:00.002+01:00

Baa baa black sheep...
A scratchy recording of Baa Baa Black Sheep and a truncated version of In the Mood are thought to be the oldest known recordings of computer generated music. The songs were captured by the BBC in the Autumn of 1951 during a visit to the University of Manchester. The recording has been unveiled as part of the 60th Anniversary of "Baby", the forerunner of all modern computers. You can sample this pioneering bit of electronic history her http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7459848.stm.

I lay myself bare

2008-06-18T16:07:00.001+01:00

Elegant lyrics... simple and haunting

2008-06-16T14:32:00.003+01:00

Oren Lavie weaves a magic spell
This track was submitted to me via a healthy meander on planet Last.fm. I just also checked out his website which I may say is a wonderful experience. However the vid posted here is all I could find suitable to illustrate this beautiful song and lyrics. It was used on an American car ad but i didn't want to feature this. http://www.orenlavie.com/ Enjoy!

Jazz in the bard's backyard

2008-06-16T10:19:00.002+01:00

Jim Mullen's Organ Trio
Last night I went to see the superb jazz guitarist Jim Mullen and his organ trio at a gig in the White Swan in Stratford-upon-Avon. What a pleasure it was too. I have seen the man perform many many times over the years and he has never failed to deliver! His current band consisted of Mike Gorman on organ, Matt Skelton on drums and the superb Stan Sulzmann on tenor sax. The set consisted of some new self penned compositions plus some old faves from previous outings. The evening finished on a rendition of the famous Univercity Challenge theme tune.... here's your starter for ten.... who did compose that?

Bless mr martyn

2008-06-13T10:59:00.001+01:00

And the weather which brought him to us

Common name... uncommon talent

2008-06-13T09:47:00.003+01:00

Superb guitarist..
Back in January 2007 I went to see a gig by John Martyn at the Birmingham Town Hall. One-legged John was obviously a shadow of his former self, but the 'Solid Air' night brought back lots of memories of my first hearing of that beautiful album. I was also knocked out by the support, a Mr John Smith (yeah right)... no really that's his name. John is an absolute dream of a guitar player, and the songs weren't bad too. You can check out his website at http://www.johnsmithjohnsmith.com/ plus take a look at one of his performances on the vid below.

Your brain on music

2008-06-12T21:22:00.004+01:00

Understanding a human obsession
Ever wondered why you can identify your fave song from hearing the first 2 notes? Or why you can't get that certain jingle or tune out of your head? Or why some songs leave you cold? Then you gotta have a look at this book by Daniel Levitin. It really is a great read and it explores the 'nature' of sound at a neurological level. Despite illuminating a lot of what 'goes on' in our brains with music, it doesn't spoil enjoyment, it only deepens the mystery of music. http://www.yourbrainonmusic.com/

the dead letter office

2008-06-11T22:34:00.003+01:00

Sometimes sad, a little wierd...
A little while ago a friend of mine sent me a link to this site. My initial feelings were of real apprehension and dread. Having explored it, I realised it's real worth. It is a website dedicated to the letters left by people who have passed on and contains words of desire, despair, regrets and hopes. Please visit http://www.thedeadletter.com/

bonjour... au revoir simone

2008-06-11T15:47:00.003+01:00

There's something 'nice' about this
Recently while trawling the airwaves of last.fm I came across this band, and was gently awoken to their innocent and dreamy sound. I know, I know there are some poeple out there who bulk at the very mention of the word 'nice' but I will not be moved, and stand firm on my use of it here. Check out their website which I also thought was 'nice' great graphics, a lovely 'movement' to it, and you can listen to some of their work too http://www.aurevoirsimone.com

The beauty of minimalism

2008-06-11T14:04:00.000+01:00

ok so it's obvious what's going on here...

2008-06-11T08:46:00.002+01:00

'The Longing' by Felixdroid
I couldn't really start this whole thing off without introducing you all to my latest piece of work. You can check this out with full length high quality audio previews.... and even purchase your own copy at http://www.felixdroid.co.uk/.

This collection of pieces has taken over a year to finalise (sounds grand but it's not really) it began as an audio sketchbook. After re-visiting the book I realised there was a common theme or set of feelings behind most of them. So began the process of listening, re-recording and collating the sketches and publishing them into what I hope is an amalgam of ideas that although separated by silences gives the listener the impression of 'the whole'