Fighting the Flu To Do What I Do

Weekend Links and Updates

We left Hawke’s Bay the other weekend and my mum wished sickness on us, “hopefully one of you guys will take this flu away”. We promptly flew away with it. Well, we drove. Katy was hit with it first and soldiered on. My turn to be the trooper this week. It hasn’t been pleasant. I think last year’s big lockdown (and its mostly gorgeous weather) gave us a layer of protection we could never have anticipated.

Speaking of Hawke’s Bay - and sad news too - I found out just the other day that Roy Dunningham died. Who, you might rightly ask? Roy Dunningham was a retired high school teacher. He taught art - and though he was kind enough to remember that I was once one of his students I knew him better as my cricket coach and also for the amazing talents that he did nurture. Freeman White, Regan Gentry and Matthew Couper were all taught by Roy. They all went to the same school as me (the talent had to be there to be nurtured). I’m lucky to know all three of them, consider them friends. I’m in awe of their abilities. Roy frequently thought of them as three of the best he ever taught. The other big name he nurtered? Phil Judd.

A couple of years ago I reconnected with Roy - he remembered me (I guess he remembered the good and the bad students) and we had a series of phone calls. It culminated in me recording a conversation with him for my podcast series. Everyone I talk to for my podcast is important - they’re hand-picked, I wouldn’t choose them if I didn’t want to know them, know about them and didn’t think they were worth listening to. But I recognise that sometimes if a name isn’t known or a subject seems less interesting (visual art is a tricky one for an audio medium) it might get skipped over entirely. So I just wanted to wave this under your noses again - this time in tribute to Roy. Just a lovely man and a kind, wise soul. R.I.P. Roy Dunningham.

Still speaking of Hawke’s Bay and still speaking of podcasts this week I shared my talk with Margot Pierard. Margot is an extraordinary talent. A singer whose soul is deep to bursting. We had a wonderful chat and a great connection and I probably shared a lot of stuff about myself that I haven’t in any other podcasts. This was recorded a couple of weeks earlier when I went up to HB for the Crowded House gig. I’d love you to take a listen and check out Margot when you see her name on a bill.

REVIEWS:

Lots of jazz this week. First up Mara Rosenboom Trio. This name was fairly new to me - the playing is wonderful. A definite recommend.

Nils Frahm is a pianist (and producer) I’ve been listening to for most of the last decade. His work always feels like the right choice. Graz is his latest. But actually it was recorded back in 2009 and left on the shelf. It’s a solo grand piano recording - you can hear the breath in the room. It is beautiful. Released as a surprise for Piano Day (The 88th Day of the Year; a day to recognise the beauty of the instrument - the day was invented by Frahm just a few years ago).

I’m such a huge fan of Vijay Iyer. In fact I’m a fan of every single musician on this album - all three have worked together and in a bunch of different configurations. Drummer Tyshawn Sorey is not only one of my favourite drummers - he’s a pianist, horn player and contemporary classical composer (how’s that for overreaching!) And wow - this brand new trio album is just absolutely beautiful and brilliant. The music just bursts. A good old blowing session here.

I was won over by Mikael Tariverdiev when I heard the description, “The Russian Morricone”. That was enough. I knew I was in. But this recent compilation of archival jazz playing is extraordinary (I kicked off yesterday’s Something For The Weekend playlist with the opening track from this album.

I’m on a Dylan kick (again/always). And so I reviewed this Bootleg Series sampler. If you don’t know the Bootleg Series you really are missing out. Dylan is one of the few artists where the leftovers and offcuts and alternate versions really are as good as the studio releases. Often better. Don’t believe me? Here’s where you can dive right in…

And even more jazz. Joe Chambers is a drummer that has played on some of my favourite records. Jazz heavyweights (Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Miles Davis). He’s also made many albums under his own name. This one is his first in a half decade. At 78, he is still brimming with ideas, there are new songs, covers and standards. He’s on drums and vibes and percussion. And his trio is sublime. Another must.

READING:

Plenty of reviews starting to flow in about Charlotte Grimshaw’s book. I wrote my own which I shared with paid-up subscribers, since I’d previewed the book. I then reposted that review as a Substack entry (but didn’t spam you all with another email). Which works better though? Do you want reviews at Off The Tracks always and still or do you like the idea of a stand-alone review appearing in your inbox from time to time? Just askin’…

That Wednesday post about Selima Hill still has me knocked out. That poem! It got me writing my own short poems - a form I’ve been into for a while - and I started reading not just a bunch of Hill’s works but also old poetry by Kevin Ireland and new poetry by singer/songwriter Adam McGrath.

I’m also into a couple of Bob Dylan books that are a couple of years old. And even more poetry. A book by singer/songwriter Halsey.

WATCHING:

Not a whole lot got watched this week. I realise in sharing these links and things I’ve still ploughed through a bit of content but I felt slack. And sick. And needed sleep. I have been loving the box-set of George and Mildred - it’s funny and silly and it mostly stands up. Classic British farce. I’m well into season 4 (of 5) already.

And I started watching Twin Peaks. Lol. How could I have not mentioned, in my gushing about David Lynch that I have never seen Twin Peaks! Never. I know the music, I’ve read books about it - I feel like I already know it and know it well and feel like I’ve always been watching it. And yet, I’ve only just seen my first episode of it - last night in fact! I’m hooked by the way!

It’s school holidays of course - so today we’re off to see Godzilla vs. Kong. It wasn’t my first choice. But I’m excited!

LISTENING:

Ana Roxanne is an amazing talent and her latest album has finally found it to my ears. And they’re thanking me for it.

Dianne Swann released her debut solo long-player yesterday. I am so thrilled for her and for anyone that gets to listen to it. Swann is such a talent. Has always been a talent. And deserves your ear-time. I’ll be reviewing this as soon as I feel like I can string together the right words to say the right things about how really great it is. So a little plug here first. Do check it out.

And Haruomi Hosono’s Heavenly Music is not new but this week it was one of the things I kept listening to and just loved so much. His catalogue is something I might write about more one day - but where to start. Well, for today at least, you could start with this. He might be the most eclectic musician on the planet with the most proof of wide-spanning genius. And though Heavenly Music’s covers in ambient-lounge style is just one facet of what he does - this week it was a total balm for me.

LINKS:

This week on Substack I’ll give a shout to Flow State which gives you great musical recommendations. And there’s a range of subscription options of course.

Compelling reading here about the KKK in Harvard.

High School Poetry in The Age of Zoom.

Well, I’m sure there was more I was going to link to but I’m off for some weekend rest. I’m feeling close to mended. All of this great art and pop-culture soothes the soul eh.

R.I.P. Roy Dunningham