Sick as a Dog

This blog is mainly about kulcha - sharing the music, films exhibitions and other events we've managed to squeeze in but I'll take my current convalescence as an opportunity to catch up on what else is going on too.

The week after Musicport was Kim's 60th birthday. She booked a huge luxurious barn conversion in Suffolk and invited 17 family and old friends for the weekend. I was a bit apprehensive about the combined brainpower being concentrated in such a confined space but turned out really nice, good food, plenty good wine, excellent company and unseasonal walking weather that would have graced a summer weekend. Along the coast from Dunwich on Saturday, Aldebrugh on Sunday and on Monday Margot and I went to Orford Ness on our way to Claire's over the border in Norfolk. A beautiful part of the country.

By this time I had a streaming cold - probably too much time in the hot-tub over the weekend - but managed a nice sunny walk on the Fen on Tuesday. Wednesday we set off for home with me driving the first bit as Margot hates the country roads. Stopped at Grantham on the A1 for lunch and Margot took over. As we left the service area the van began to do barrel rolls. I grabbed the door and dashboard so as not to be flung out but it seems it was just in my head. On Margot's advice I shut my eyes and put my head between my knees. She pulled over but it was half an hour before I could even lift my head and peak out to check the world has stopped spinning. For someone who hates Alton Towers it was one of the scariest turns of my life, especially as half an hour earlier I had been at the wheel at 70mph with 40-ton trucks in front, behind and to the side.

With my eyes closed all the way we made it back to York. Next day I went to the doctors and had some tests and nothing wrong so they reckon it was an ear infection. Bit un-nerving though.

The cold then morphed into a some form of viral attack so have spent last week in bed with nasty flu systems (despite having had the flu jab) and synchronised diarrhoea. Feeling better today and actually went round to the shops with Storm for the first time but it certainly takes it out of you and will need a couple more days to get back to my normal bouncy self.

Of course this has left Margot in charge of Storm sitting when Jim is at College. When push comes to shove, Storm can out pull Margot so it makes walkies a bit of a challenge. I can sit in the garden throwing balls for him so that helps and its luck that I managed to get the garden 'dog-proofed' before going off sick.

Although he seems to be getting better, Storms behaviour is still a bit erratic. Most times he is well behaved but sometimes without warning will lunge at passing bikes or dogs. He's not bitten anyone but its a bit frightening as he looks like he could tear your face off. Was going to the dog behaviourist this weekend but was still in bed. In the meantime we tend to take him to places where there are no other dogs and no bikes.

He also has a problem with guitars. He cowers when I pick mine up (no, he hasn't even heard me play). It would be fascinating to know what is behind this.

Next weekend Margot Jim and I are taking Storm to Dovedale to meet Matt and Sam with Bones for a weekend at the Isaak Walton (discount thanks to Groupon). Fortunately Storm and Bones seem to get on fine.

MUSIC

Margot and I went to Selby last Saturday to see HOT CLUB OF COW TOWN a threesome from Nashville mixing hot jazz and western swing. Absolutely gob-smacking, so much energy and quite honestly I think Stepan Grapelli himself would have had to look to his laurels. http://hotclubofcowtown.com Back in the States now but in Maine in July so watch out if you're over there.

We intended to see CATHARINE MACLELLAN http://www.catherinemaclellan.com from Prince Edward Island at Sheffield as part of our support-any-acts-from-Canada policy but I was too sick. It was this policy that got us to Selby the first time to see the Wailing Jennies a couple of years ago. Still our favourite venue and waiting expectantly for the spring programme due out any day now.

TV

Watched 'August Rush' from my sickbed. Rather dubious plot but fascinating sound track, not just the music.

KILLING II has started and we are already hooked. It was better with series one where we had them stacked up on the hard-drive. TWO EPISODES A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH !

Musicport 2011

Previous years we have parked our camper on the site at Bridlington, home of East Yorkshires indoor answer to WOMAD. The rain-soaked walk back along the prom at 1am on a November sunday morning was never a highlight of the weekend so this year we booked overnight at Caitlin's B&B just 5 minutes from the Spa, very comfy and very welcoming from Caitlin, born in Glasgow but with the strongest cockney lilt north of Bow Bells. At £40 (OAP discount) money well spent.

Saturday was outstanding as we moved from one venue to the next, insulated form the rain and wind, and from Kentucky to Gambia, to Portugal, Tibet and Sheffield.

CELTALABRIA are a local duo who do a great show. The clue is in the name and they bring a fan base of local belly dancers in tow every time. The North Sea stage with its glass wall looking out over the surf and seagulls gave a bizarre backdrop

CHRIS WOOD Unknown to us (shame!) but "The finest and most original singer-songwriter to have emerged from the British folk scene since Richard Thompson" – The Guardian. did a stunning set. But then he was Folk Artist and Album of the year 2009. Seems to be back on the road in March so we shall be off across the Humber Bridge to catch him in Barton-upon-Humber http://chriswoodmusic.co.uk/ Also on in Bury St Edmunds, Claire

GEOFF BERNER, back on the North Sea stage, is a one-off. If you like punk tinged kletzmer music with biting politcal satire and a good knees up (you know you like it) then this is your man. http://geoffberner.com/ Apparently in his element in run down bars at night but currently in Scandinavia then heading back to western Canada for the new Year so no chance for a while.

RANDOLPH MATTHEWS & BYRON JOHNSTON were an unexpected treat, mixing spanish guitar with African soul, vocal gymnastics and infectious enthusiasm http://www.randolphandbyronmusic.com They seem to play the South Bank loby from time to time so FREE! if you are in the neighbourhood.

We both love Portuguese Fado and CLAUDIA AURORA is currently one of the best with a great backing ensemble. Haven't been back to Portugal since Salazaar died, probably Fado is the only thing that hasnt changed. http://www.claudia-aurora.com/ Must get there next year.

Another treat was BRIGID KAELIN from Louisville Kentucky, near where my ol' buddy Adrian lives. "ALT-COUNTRY CABARET MUSIC WITH KENTUCKY ROOTS" hardly covers it. Multi-instrumental, a great voice and excellent songwriting. http://www.brigidkaelin.com/Site/Home.html She seems to have just resettled in Edinburgh so as yet no dates set up but should be hopeful. I've advised Selby Town Hall to book her. Lots of good cheap or free downloads on her website.

JULABA KUNDA was an interesting combination of Scottish fiddler Griselda Sanderson and Gambian Riti player Juideh Camara . We also caught some of MARY COUGHLAN. Not part of my history but the same cant be said for the evening's mainline act HUGH MASAKELA. How is it that someone who was such a name in my youth is still playing so well? Part of it of course is getting together a really good band and this was so very good! Absolutely tight with amazing soloists, just reminds you what good music is about. http://www.myspace.com/hughmasakela

SUNDAY

A comfortable night and full english (for me) at Caitlin's B&B left us wIth time for a stroll round Brid harbour before heading back onto the Spa. Not fair to talk of a let-down but Saturday was so brilliant it was always going to be difficult to follow

JOHNNY KEARNEY & LUCY FARRELL were talented but still young and a bit too gentle for me. Worth watching out for. We took time out after lunch at one the ethnic food vans parked up by the promenade exit to see a Moroccan film "Ali Zaoura" about homeless kids in Casablanca. Not an easy view but ultimately uplifting unless you remind yourself how may kids live this way, and how few do get to have happy endings.

In the afternoon, IAIN MATTHEWS and KIM RICHEY were both good so it was by any other measure a grand day out (or in) but nothing really I would go to see again. How easily we get so picky, but there is only so many hours in a day.We missed FRAN SMITH as she clashed but also she is local, from Wakefield, and we could catch her in a local pub. Great songwriter pianist.http://fransmith.com

There we were a couple of good acts lined up for the evening but we agreed enough was enough so we retrieved the van from Caitlin's mate's driveway and headed home.Got home early enough to catch a couple of episodes of THE KILLING on BBC4. We've been watching both Danish and American versions simultaneously though not necessarily synchronized - quite fun but a bit confusing at times. Danish version definitely better of the two but US version good in its own right. Great to hear series 2 is starting in a month's time.

Why blog?

This blog is mainly for me. I enjoyed doing the round the world blog and just recently looking back at it brought back some great memories. More critically I had a scary moment when trying to fill in my tax return for our first year back in the UK and I couldnt remember for the life of me what I had done. Twelve whole months! I was pretty sure I hadn't had a paying job but what else did I have to show for it - no great american novel, no home extension, no meteoric rise to political power. Two years later it makes a lot more sense. Having worked full time (and more) for 10 months in 2010 I was back dong nothing in particular and once again time flies with never enough to do all things I'd like to do.

The other reason is that much of what I (we) like to do is going to music gigs and movies so this is a place to share and keep track of stuff we enjoyed or mean to see if time and chance allow.

So here goes .....