It is Gospel!

It is… an incredible story.  A film made of a concert by the most successful artists of early 1970s – Aretha Franklin was made but not released ’til 2019. This is what Rolling Stones magazine says about the...

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Boogie Woogie Smiles

What sort of music brings a smile to your face? Try this – Jools Holland, Charlie Watts and friends in a style that consistently turns my the corner of my mouth into a smile. It lifts my spirits.  Piano in the Boogie...

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Singing the Blues

Understanding The Blues is simple with the leader of the world’s best Jazz orchestra as your guide.  Wynton Marsallis is an excellent musical educator as well as the blowing a hot trumpet for over 40 years. Wynton is part...

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Eurovision Song Contest

This year Israel will host the 64th Eurovision Song Contest   The little film at the end of this blog shows last years champion singer.  The contest is scheduled to take place in Tel Aviv in May 2019, following Israel’s...

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Hugh blows hard

Hugh Masekela played trumpet for a lifetime.  He would have been 80 this month.  His music still continues to bring joy even after his death in January 2018.  In the film below, he talks about the ‘old geezers’ of...

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Lullabies are good for you

Studies conducted by New York chief of newborn medicine, Dr J. Perlman discovered that gentle music therapy slows down the heart rate of prematurely delivered infants, helping them feed and sleep better.  Other studies prove...

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Dmitri’s Leningrad Score

  This is the story of a symphony which is frequently performed at a cemetery  in St Petersburg ( formerly Leningrad). Over half a million victims of the terrible 900 day seige of the city are buried here.  This seige was...

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Black Poetry Matters

Thought I should listen to what young Black poets have been saying over recent years in light of the series of country-wide protests in the USA. Danez Smith is the author of two books, the first won the 2014 Lambda Literary Award...

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I’m Going to Graceland

Paul Simon is one of my musical heroes.  I have had the privilege seen his wonderful band perform outdoors at Edinburgh castle.  I have bought his records.  I am a fan. To say he is an impressive songwriter, guitarist and...

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9/11 and the Boss!

Bruce Springsteen watched on helplessly with the rest of the world as the second plane flew into the twin towers on September 11, 2001.  He was in New York, only 15 miles away and that afternoon could actually see in the...

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