In rehearsal, 2009 There we were, round at a mate's house listening to his excellent hi-fi, when he selected a track from his extensive collection and announced the artist as Talvin Singh, OBE. (That's Order of the British Empire for those of you outside the UK.) Embarrassingly, I had to admit that I had never…Read more Talvin Singh
Band/Artist
Grandbrothers
The grand piano usually leads a solitary life. It rarely teams up with other instruments, especially electronic ones. So, the intimate connection between Erol Sarp's grand and Lukas Vogel's electric hammers and dampers may be unique. Together, Sarp and Vogel are Grandbrothers. Sarp is a classically-trained jazz pianist; Vogel is an electronics engineer who builds…Read more Grandbrothers
Pymlico
A house in Pimlico, London Today, Crotchety Man has followed the sign at the Burning Shed, and headed in the direction of Pymlico. We have agreed to meet there on 20th May to celebrate the release of that band's seventh album, Supermassive. In the meantime, I have been mugging up on both the Pymlico band…Read more Pymlico
Diagonal
Scanning through the list of artists, albums and tracks earmarked for further investigation, I noticed that one band appeared twice. Diagonal's latest two albums, Arc (2019) and 4 (2021), each had an entry. With nothing else begging to be heard, it was time to follow this oblique reference and acquaint myself with the band. Information…Read more Diagonal
Light a Fire
There's an examination subject in the Scottish Education system with the title "Modern Studies". It aims to develop students' knowledge and understanding of contemporary political and social issues in local, Scottish, United Kingdom and international contexts. When I was in the middle school (ages 13-15), those of us in the Science stream had two periods…Read more Light a Fire
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Right, pin back your lugholes, listeners, because I've got a real treat for you this week. Set aside the next 45 minutes and press Play on this video of Rodrigo y Gabriela in Seattle, 11th May 2014. But, first, turn off the phone, send the wife out shopping, gag the kids and muzzle the mutt.…Read more Rodrigo y Gabriela
Inventioning
The biggest surprise on my Spotify Release Radar this week was a song called Some People. It was by a band I'd not heard of, but with featured artists of Jean-Luc Ponty and Jon Anderson it had to be worth giving it my full attention. It turned out to be a stomping song that would…Read more Inventioning
Burnt Belief
The witch will burn for her beliefs People believe all sorts of strange things. Everyone used to believe in witches - some still do. Unfounded rumours have always spread like wildfire. And, of course, fire was often the preferred way to rid the world of that evil wizardry. But fire never seems to expunge belief.…Read more Burnt Belief
Potter’s Daughter
There's something mesmerising about a potter's wheel. In the 1950s, the BBC used a short film of a potter as an interlude (reputedly during breakdowns and when moving cameras from one studio to another). He didn't seem to be making anything in particular. His blob of clay rose from the turnable to become a tall…Read more Potter’s Daughter
Ebi Soda
Ebi Soda is a curious name. It sounds like a soft drink or a foreigner's pronunciation of 'episode'. But, in fact, it is neither of those things. It is a 5-piece contemporary jazz band based in the seaside resort of Brighton on the south coast of England. The Crotchety Library contains almost no other information…Read more Ebi Soda
Crotchety Man 