I’ve arrived at the last few segments of this slight but endearing volume. I’m currently reading about Rick Stein’s adopted home, Padstow.
There’s a part of me that’s forever juvenile, and that part can’t help but snicker at the thought of hearing Betjeman’s plummy voicing enunciating ‘Brown Willy’ and ‘Rough Tor’.
And now we’re playing Scrabble and listening to great music…
After the mellowness of solo Metheny, this 1972 Mainstrean recording by Dizzy Gillespie’s pianist, Mike Longo, is quite manic. Diz’ guests on… congas! Mickey Roker drums, and Ron Carter is on both upright and, more unusually, electric bass.
The first to test out the new throw cover on the nice armchair is… Chester!
We all love this seat. And now even more so.
Well, I clumsily knocked over the Scrabble game. We could’ve re-set the board, using the pic above. But we couldn’t be bothered! Never mind.
Teresa’s now doing dinner. And I’m listening to this:
Paul Humphrey is a master drummer. And just dig these threads:
The personnel on his Cool Aid album is top notch: David T Walker on guitar, Clarence McDonald on keys, and Bill (aka Phil, I suspect?) Upchurch, on bass. It’s a damn funky little record, that deserves to be heard. I wonder if it’s been reissued on CD? I’ve had a look, but not found it.
We finished off the day with duck dumplings, a Bento Box ready meal and Norman Wisdom’s Up In The World.
And to bed… where I started reading my newest book:
And lo, ‘tis good! Very good. Epic in ambition and intent. Well written, and – amazingly, for territory so oft written about – filled with new sources, fresh insights, and even a welcome leavening of wit. Terrific!
Oh, Harvey also deploys my favourite form of structural approach – especially for doorstop-sized tomes such as this – many but short chapters. Splendid.
On this, my first dip in, I’ve read five chapters. The last of which, by way of example of the unexpected freshness, is about a character I’d not encountered before (at least not in any meaningful way).
50p well spent. I look forward to reading more…