Brian White

Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues by Joe Cocker. 👍🏻

The title track is one of those which seems to distill everything you love about rock'n'roll into one song. I've loved it since I bought the single on release. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Coming back to this after several years and my god, what a masterclass it is. Garrison Keillor's epic history of a fictitious Minnesota town brilliantly employs dry-as-dust humour in tribute to these mundane and futile lives. Just glorious writing.

And once again (yawn) extra points to those who correctly pronounce the name of this towering figure of 20th century music, as "Lewis" and not "Loo-ey". His Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings must hit young listeners like The Beatles decades later. A truly great man. 👍🏻

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One of those albums I play regularly. Eric Alexander's warm yet powerful tone plus guitarist Pat Martino and the great Joe Farnsworth on drums always make this one of those sit-back-and-enjoy treats. Jazz, no fuss, just straight down the middle.

I've said it here before, I believe he was the single most influential musician of the 20th century.

That's a wonderful memory. I saw her in concert a couple of times. I think she came alive in performance rather than the studio. But what a class act the lady was.

WKRP was such a great series. The whole cast was excellent. Jennifer was lovely but I always had a thing for Bailey . . .

Back in the day this was the most difficult Santana album to find if, like me, you lived in North Wales. I had practically all his and the band's LPs. I eventually came across it in a specialist shop in Manchester. I still remember that thrill. Thanks for the reminder. 👍🏻

The greatest popular/jazz singer of all. 👍🏻

Bravo, sir. "On The Beach" is such an accomplished record, "Giverny" just one of several flawless songs.

I remember seeing Dave Swarbrick playing a solo gig in a Llandudno pub. After each song he'd take a drag on his cigarette, a gulp from his pint and a deep inhale from his oxygen mask. What a guy.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Artie Shaw once remarked that one of the greatest tragedies is that Glen Miller hadn't lived and his music died. 🤔

"San Lorenzo" by the Pat Metheny Group. Also, "Bella" from Carlos Santana's "Blues For Salvador" album.

I read "If This Is A Man" at age 15. It flooded my mind and changed my view of mankind in a way no other book ever has.

The version of "Stardust" is just gorgeous. Lovely album. 👍🏻

One of the greats. So versatile, so recognisable and so often imitated. A superb musician.

Ah, that's sad. He was one of my introductions to jazz music. RIP Mr Mangione. 😥

One of all-time heroes, and not only in terms of music. A truly admirable human being. 👍🏻

I love this one too. He had a distinctive sound in his large groups. I also have his big band album "Moanin'" plus a quartet record with Art Pepper and one with his own trio. A super musician. 👍🏻

I had a friend who bought a car from the husband of a lady whose sister once cut Petula Clark's hair.

Genesis on "Seconds Out": Los Endos. 👍🏻

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#FrankSinatra
Patrick Williams worked with Frank Sinatra and he pays tribute here with a stellar band. Hugely enjoyable album.

My favourite moment: "Which one of you is Batman?", asks a telegram delivery guy to two men in the street, one of whom is wearing a grey suit. The other one is dressed as a bat.

I absolutely endorse these messages! A superbly original novel. 👍🏻

Thanks for the rec, Andy. I'll seek this out. 👍🏻

David Sanborn was so great here. "Hideaway" also features a gorgeous Manieri solo. Robben Ford on fire in the Monmouth College piece. Randy Crawford and Al Jarreau sublime.

First LP I ever bought in 1970. I was 14 and my friend's older brother played it. "Heartbreaker" was the first track I heard, it absolutely blew me away. I'd never heard anything so exciting. 👍🏻

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#DaveArch
#BritishJazz
Band leader Dave Arch is chiefly known for BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" but he's worked with everyone from Greg Lake to Joni Mitchell. His 2016 solo CD is wide ranging, covering jazz/rock, big band and sweeping orchestral pieces. Recommended.

I've previously posted about this album. I love it, a wonderful tribute and an excellent album in its own right. 👍🏻