Thin lines. Between genius and madness. Between success and failure. Between order and chaos. Is that what Thinium is about? Or is this the Immortal Onion's way of reminding us of the tissue paper layers in the vegetable that makes us cry? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNP5SIMf2_Q This Polish jazz trio has appeared here before - in February 2021…Read more Thinium
Chris Opperman
Opperman was first inspired to become a composer by hearing the music of Frank Zappa. The Chris Opperman website The Zappa influence on Chris Opperman's compositions is clear on his debut album, Oppy Music, Vol I: Purple, Crayon. But there are more strings to his bow (and his piano) than that. The solo piano pieces…Read more Chris Opperman
Time Zones
Time Zone Clock "Tempus fugit", they say, when you are wasting time. And the speaker usually means you are wasting their time as well as your own. The insinuation is that time is too precious to be wasted, and those who squander it are bad boys and girls. But how can we decide how best…Read more Time Zones
Alan Mearns
I first came across the name Mearns in my late twenties. Quite out of the blue, I received an email from one Pete Mearns that read simply, "Fancy a game of Dippy?", and gave details of his Diplomacy fanzine. Puzzled, I scratched my head for a connection and, eventually, it dawned on me that I…Read more Alan Mearns
Free Speech, No Offence
Warning: Some readers may find some of the views expressed in this blog post offensive. On Saturday, The Times published an article by our Home Secretary, Suella Braverman. It was prompted by an incident at a school in the North of England in which a Quran suffered some minor damage. The reports in the media…Read more Free Speech, No Offence
Move
The universe is big. The universe is complex. The universe is dynamic. Everything in it moves. You can't move a mountain, but mountains are moving across the surface of the Earth. The Earth itself moves. It spins on its axis and it orbits the sun. The sun wanders through the Milky Way. The galaxies pirouette…Read more Move
Afrikan Culture
Shabaka Hutchings is a paradox. A paradox, that is, in the sense of "a person, thing or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature" (dictionary.com). He was born and lives in the U.K.'s capital city, but he has inherited dark skin and African features from his Barbadian parents. His last name is fairly common in this…Read more Afrikan Culture
Bala Rocky
Early morning view across lake Bala, North Wales What does the word 'Bala' mean to you? To me, it is a lake in North Wales. That part of the country is mountainous, so it probably has a rocky shoreline. But "Bala Rocky" is not how you would express that in English. Perhaps, then, the title…Read more Bala Rocky
Me and My Friends
Judging by how much time we spend together, my best friend is a computer. My Amelia connects me with the world and all the people in it. Sometimes, she sulks, but she is always there when I need some information or advice. She is a great source of entertainment, too. The other day, for example,…Read more Me and My Friends
Out of the Mist
The original line-up of Renaissance was: Keith Relf (guitar, vocals), Jim McCarty (drums, vocals), Louis Cennamo (bass), John Hawken (piano) and Keith's sister, Jane Relf (vocals). The band was formed in the Spring of 1969 and just a year later it was falling apart. Through various personnel changes, the band quickly morphed into a second…Read more Out of the Mist
Crotchety Man 