Lah Di Dah
A number of years ago a friend of mine who was getting married asked me to perform this song at his wedding. I asked him if he was sure it was this song he wanted and he said yes.
To my intense disappointment, the wedding fell through. I don’t think the choice of music was entirely responsible, though.
Here is Jake Thackray, the writer of the song:
R.I.P. Bert Jansch
From here:
Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch, a founding member of the band Pentangle and a well-known guitarist in his own right, has died at the age of 67.
Jansch, who had cancer, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at a hospice in Hampstead, north London.
Born in Glasgow in 1943, the musician recorded his first album in 1965 and his last, The Black Swan, in 2006.
Between 1967 and 1973 he was part of acoustic group Pentangle, best known for their 1970 hit single Light Flight.
John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson and Terry Cox were the other original members of the band, whose albums included Basket of Light and Solomon’s Seal.
Along with John Renbourn, Bert Jansch was the inspiration that diverted my attention away from what I should have been studying in university – mathematics and philosophy – into playing the guitar.
Here he is playing one of his ingenious arrangements, best known because it was filched by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page:
Here’s another. Reynardine:
R.I.P. Joe Morello
One of the great Jazz drummers of the last century.
From here:
Legendary jazz drummer Joe Morello, from the Dave Brubeck quartet, has died aged 82.
With the quartet he played on some of the best-selling jazz records of all time, including Take Five.
His family said he died at home in New Jersey on Saturday.
I attended a drum workshop by Joe Morello in the early ‘60s. I was flabbergasted by the elegance of his technique. As I recall, he had a rather dim view of rock drummers – something I was aspiring to be.
R.I.P. George Shearing
From the BBC:
Anglo-American jazz pianist Sir George Shearing, best known for his song Lullaby of Birdland, has died in New York aged 91 of heart failure.
Blind from birth, he began his career in London before moving to the US in 1947 and becoming one of the best known jazz pianists of the post-war era.
Made an OBE in 1996 and knighted in 2007, he was renowned for his unusual “locked hands” style of playing.
Nat King Cole and Peggy Lee were among the music stars he worked with.
Sir George played for three US presidents as well as the Queen and led his own quintet for decades.
He was still performing into his 80s but suffered a serious fall in 2004 that led to months in hospital and nursing home care.
The previous year he had received a lifetime achievement honour at the BBC Jazz awards.
At the time of his knighthood, Sir George spoke fondly of his early years “playing in a pub for the equivalent of $5 a week”.
“Receiving such an honour as a knighthood might also show young people what can be achieved in life if one learns his craft and follows his dreams,” he added.
A sad day for Jazz – on earth, at least.
