1429 Benny Goodman Tribute launches Whitley Bay Jazz Festival and the roof leaks over my desk

By nature I am terrified of life and new experience, and the implications and consequences of old age and the thought of dying in sudden circumstances before I have organised everything to reduce the expense and sorting out of issues without them being burden on others is a constant worry, and would prefer not to have to think or spend time on dealing with the practical aspects of such matters and I have so much else that I want to do.

write for myself about myself, something which people are discouraged from doing, with the current expression is too much information. The decision not to write about people who are alive in an identifying way unless they agree or the matter is already a public issue was important and right within the overall concept of public and private art and public and private life, However working out the dividing line is a constant problem with at present communications made and responded to by the English and Wales Cricket Board and Durham Cricket Club. More on this in the next day or so Blogs as events continue to unfold during today Friday, where my first priority is attending to the sudden but fortunately brief appearance of rain water through the ceiling above my main work station during a torrential downpour in the early hours of Thursday morning. I was sitting at the station finishing off some work needed for later in the day when the water dropped on the mouse and mouse pad so the not working out what the problem was I immediate moved the table out of the way, got a bucket as the water continued to fall and switch off the electrics and then did quick tour of all the of all the under roof areas and window. It was only after this did I work out that the rain had come through the comparatively small area about 9 by 3 feet where there is a sloping tiled roof to the widow bay.

The water penetrating only last a few minute during the heaviest of downpours and later in the morning after I was able to grab some brief sleep I was able to check and found that there were no worn slates so I suspect this is a problem which required attention anyway and which the severe rain storm simply brought forward and hopefully means that a greater problem has been prevented.

Although it has meant the cancellation of a mini trip I am not disappointed given recent events and that there are some competing activities which I was unaware when I made the booking.

On Thursday I had an excellent lunch at the national glass centre which comprised a charcoal lemon chicken breast pieces on a bed of noodles which was delicious followed by a fruit food salad although when I saw a neighbours strawberry shortcake which comprise two pieces of biscuit type base shortcake with a generous wallop of cream as a sandwich and on top with fresh strawberries on a beautiful inset glass dish with icing sugar dribbled. I had an iced water with the meal followed by coffee. This set up for the evening entertainment, the first concert of the Whitley Bay Jazz festival which has now fully reached my horizon and will be a priority for my agenda next.

First last night's concert celebrating the music of Benny Goodman and featuring his radio broadcast music in the first part and the Carnegie Hall Concert in the second and where I have the original 2 LP discs sets.

The Story of Goodman is covered in the film which bears his name, The Benny Goodman Story and where I have the video. He was born in 1909, the ninth of 12 children in Chicago, a poor Jewish immigrant family from Hungary, and a pass thought is that GB has become the principal immigrant country for Europeans which once the USA was, When only 10 he was enrolled at the local Jewish Synagogue for music lesson and he then joined a boys, band and came under the influence of its director a classically trained clarinettist. Fortunately for all of us he developed an interest in New Orleans Jazz and clarinettists Johnny Dodds and Jimmy Noone, a few of whose records I have owned for fifty years. At the amazing young age of 16 he was invited to join one of Chicago's top bands, led by Ben Pollock. He moved to New York playing in various well known bands of the day in the 20' and 30's but it was not until the 1935 that the situation and dramatically changed. He had appeared with a band on the radio programme Lets Dance playing stock arrangements of the day but also Swing arrangements by Fletcher Henderson who had been introduced by that extraordinary impresario and recordist music John Hammond. There was only a modest response, until the band performed in Los Angeles with some 4000 young dancers present and given the poor response to the stock arrangements decided to start playing the swing arrangements only to find this was what the young dancers had come for and everyone stopped dancer and corded the bandstand to listen and to cheer.

Among those in the main band at this time was Harry James and Ziggy Elman on trumpet, his brother Harry on bass and the legendry Gene Krupa on drums. Black musicians were not allowed play with white musicians in the full bands so Goodman got around this by creating a quartet with Teddy Wilson on the Piano and Lionel Hampton on Vibraphone, but who could also play the piano.

Last night the part of Teddy Wilson was played by Keith Nichols, the musical Director with Mattias Seuffert playing Benny Goodman Richard Pite the Drums and Raymond Grasier the guest Soloist on the Vibraphone.

Although I enjoyed the first half especially Lets Dance which opened the records and King Porter Stomp together with Down South Camp Meeting and Stardust, most of the programme was not familiar. I also enjoyed the jazz singer Joan Viskant from Chicago and more about the great jazz singer and great to look at young lass later. I was disappointed that there was no performance of Shine, Runnin Wild, Darktown Strutters Ball, the St Louis Blues, Caravan and the Sheik of Araby.

I had not attended a performance in Hall 1 of the Sage, a three tier main hall where the third tier back seat disappear away from the stage some distance seating a total 1700 and which about 12-1300 in hall for the concert. I had asked for a stall and was given one of the best seats in the house second from the stage at one side but just above stage level so one did not have to look up. It will be difficult to get a better seat.

The second half was superb. The Carnegie Hall concert was a triumph Black tie event and the first of its kind. Don't be that way opened last night's as it did the original 1937 concert and Life Goes to a Party with Body and Soul played as a quartet although as a trio at the concert and Avalon followed by the Man I love. Blues skies was played as the build up to the finale last light although it came earlier at he original show and I was pleased that

Joan Viskant did both Loch Lomond which was a popular swing number of the day and Mei Mir Bist du Schon. China Boy from the concert was played in the first half from the radio performance. There was also Swing time in Rockies and the man I love. However the anticipated highlight proved to be even better this was the concert version of Sing Sing Sing released as double sided 12 inch 78 record and where Richard Pite reproduced as effective, and dare I say it, more effective drumming performance than Gene Krupa. You have to hear it to believe what is one the of great piece of Jazz band music of all time and which also has exceptional solos. The show was closed with Goodbye, the traditional ending for the band followed by an encore.

At the concert Johnny Hodges played alto and Soprano Sax, Lester Young the tenor and Buck Clayton had joined Harry James on Trumpet. Count Basie also performed at the Piano with Teddy Wilson.

And now to Joan Viskant who is on tour in the UK over the summer and appearing with Pete Long and his Benny Goodman band at Marlborough this weekend, then Hever Castle with the Ella Fitzgerald show. At Aldeburgh at the Maltings in August followed by the Dover Street Wine Bar on August 18th which the day I coach back from my London visit. She has released three CD's and I was able to listen to a couple of snippets from each on line However she thrives before a big band. She has very good stage presence and is a great mover in a lady like restrained way which reminds me of Anita O'Day (Jazz on a Summer's Day. Joan is a slim woman who worse a black dress with little slit at the from and a glamorous but tasteful top which she discard for an over the shoulder scarf. Style, finesse and quality are words which immediately come to mind.

The performance is part of the Whitely Bay Jazz festival where for £65 there are three days of traditional and big jazz band music from noon to midnight with day tickets at a new Hotel Village between Whitely Bay and Newcastle because the Whitley Bay venue is being modernised. Six of the 20 bands can be heard fro free at the Tynemouth Jazz Stage by the Rock of Gibraltar between noon and six over the weekend.

There was only one potential hiccup to the end of the evening having decided to prepay the car park fee at the Sage I pressed the wrongs sequence so that the ticket did not show the correct departure time. However there was someone on the exit barrier and there was no problem so I returned home contently to watch the end of Question Tine and the weekly Parliament Show

1426 Lulu in the Park British Grand Prix and Wimbledon Tennis

Having gone to bed at one am and risen several times, going back to sleep, but not feeling I had done so on waking, and then getting up before six full of asleep and unhappy with myself but without any obvious cause, I knew it was not going to be the good day I hoped for. And for a time this seemed to be so.

I had problems getting online. I messed up at chess and failed to win several games at Hearts. When I did get online I learnt of the death of Clive Normby who played Jack Sugden in Emmerdale for 28 years at the age of 63, six years younger than me. I was pleased that I had rejoiced at being alive despite the uncomfortable night and that I accepted that another day of strong showers meant that that I would miss the concert of Lulu in the park.

I continued to sort and scan photos coming the last few of phase one although the task of converting slides to photos would then be a long process. I turned my attention to the British Grand Prix and the news that in 2010 the contract had been signed for a move to Donnington Park near Derby a better location from the transport viewpoint although multi million expenditure was required in order to create the latest world class racing track and facilities. The weather conditions would make the penultimate Grand Prix at Silverstone an interesting race although I was grateful I was watching from the comfort from home without the long and slow drive here, the likelihood of watching in an open stand to the weather and then the long wait to get out of the car park and the crawl for hours to get away. The team 'mate' of Louis Hamilton was on the grid first and was also first away with a member of the Red Bull Team amazingly second and Louis fourth although in the first rush he passes these to take second place challenging his team mate who refused to give way, but then did so a little later. This was a race where drivers were spinning off as they hit surface laying water, some managing to get back on the track, but several finding themselves stuck in gravel and out of the race. The main question teams and drivers faced was which tyres to use with the intermediate wet which slowed lap times by about ten second or the full wets which cut the loss of time but if the track dried there were gains for the intermediate, and losses for the wet and reverse positions if it rained significantly.

There was one significant moment for Louis as both he and his closest rival entered the pits to change tyres and refuel, but amazingly the Ferrari did not change tyres and with Louis managing to exit half a second before he commenced to move away. He hit one patch of water later on which involved a minor spin but otherwise he drove according to the weather conditions and continued to win his first British Grand Prix, the first time there has been a British winner since 2000 and with his main rivals faltering he now leads the driving championship table with two others and with the second half the series to come. My day had changed.

Although it was still cloudy with the strong possibility of rain I considered going to the Lulu concert after a quick dash to the supermarket for batteries for the slide viewer, some onions for the stir fry and some pears. I had cooked a chicken for lunch with microwaved vegetables.

I could not park below the hill so returned the car to its garage and seizing my new £4 sports umbrella then walked down looking across to the Tynemouth priory and castle and the river piers before walking through North Marine Park and across South Marine still undergoing million pound renovations and into the concert park where there was one of the biggest crows I have experienced given the weather conditions.

Around 1964 I went to the cinema in Oxford and watched a short supporting feature called something like New Faces which featured new musical talent. It ended with a fifteen year old fiery Scottish lass wearing a shimmy dress with a strong accented voice sing Shout. This was Lulu with her backing group the Luvvers. The amazing aspect of her performance to-day at the age of sixty was that has lost none of that energy and was able to persuade the usually seated and sedate family audience to get on its feet and stomp to the beat. She was supported by a strong band and to young male dancers and backing singers. It did start to spit and then drizzle and for a time umbrellas were needed but unlike previous concerts the audience stayed and were attentive. Lulu was joined by local Jarrow singer song writer John Miles who once toured with Tina Turner, and his guitarist son, which was one high spot and then when she finished her hour long performance with Shout, followed by an encore, in sudden and temporary sunshine. She has had an amazing career with a joint winner of the European Song Contest Boom Bang a Bang! After working in America she had her own TV series which ran for seven years and then co hosted Oh Boy when it was revised in the 1980's. She also appeared on the West End Stage in the 1980's with Song and Dance Andrew Lloyd Webber and the National Theatre's production of Guys and Dolls. She sang the title song for the Man with the Golden Arm and continued to appear on radio and to record singles and albums. 23 or is 24 albums have been released and she has appeared in nine films including To Sir with Love I and II. Off stage there was her much publicised marriage to Maurice Gibbs, and they remained friends after it ended. She married again, in 1977 her hairdresser and they remained together until 1991 when they separated and then divorced in 1995. There is one son from the marriage. There was also the publicised romance with David Bowie. She was involved in a major car accident which threatened her singer career but recovered to be able to entertain those of all ages to this day. While never attaining the great heights of popularity and stardom she has remained a shinning example of the Scottish and British Entertainer putting to shame the one hit youngsters who continuously flat across our horizons. She has received the O.B.E and a Honorary Doctorate of Music.

When I returned the Spaniard Rafa Nadal, the humiliating conqueror of Andy Murray in the quarter finals, was two sets up on the five times in row Wimbledon Champion Roger Federer. Then with advantage to Nadal there was a long rain interruption in the third set which went to a tie break win to Roger and as did the fourth so the match was then all square at 2 sets each. There was a further break for rain which meant that there was the prospect of the game not finishing, especially as without a tie break it subsequently continued in the gloom to 7 games each, but then Nadal achieved the break in service to take the match. These brief words do nothing to convey the longest men's final of all time, the most exciting, the most concentrated quality performance in a final there has been. The physical and mental stamina was matched by courage and extraordinary skill which left former champion Boris Becker and would be champion Tim Henman were left speechless in awe. The gulf between the best of British tennis and the world's best is there for all to see.

It had therefore become a great day but with one disappointed. Having praised Catherine Tate for her acting in Dr Who she appeared on the Graham Norton Show, always a mistake suggesting desperation by an actor seeking publicity for their work. She revealed her lack of interest or understanding about the significance of the programme, but also the approach to her work in general which is to give herself wholehearted to her role of the day and then move on oblivious to its impact which was shown by the contrast in the reception she received to the equally well known and liked James Nesbitt of Cold Feet fame and subsequent series and individual performances. Her appearance underlined the myth that all publicity is good publicity but this was only a hiccup in what had become a great day.

1419 More Glastonbury Spain wins against Germany

To-day I started out uncertain of how I would use this day and opened a photo album and the decision to start scanning and then look for the souvenir album of cards and memorabilia from the event and which in turn led to commencing a project album from the material, and soon I had become so engrossed that the day had passed by and become the priority work for the week ahead. I have wanted to do this work but putting off for several years as it will take a lot of time.

In the evening I was able to work and watch the Euro Cup final between Germany and Spain and the delight of the Spanish population, the British nations and most of Europe the Germans were thoroughly beaten by a classic performance of imaginative and skilful football the like of which we have not seen since the Brazilians performed at their best. The Germans did not come close although the final score was only 1.0 they were outclassed in every aspect of the play. Of course I remembered that my grandmother and great grand mother were Spanish and several holidays in Majorca, Blanes and Lloret with visits to Barcelona and a one day trip along the coast from Gibraltar.

I enjoyed a later Sunday lunch of a large chunk of freshly cooked chicken with a small portion of vegetables. Later there was smoked salmon on one slice of toast cut into four with for a late supper of tomato soup with plain bread and a prawn salad followed by strawberries. And at nearly midnight, some coffee. It has been that kind of day.

And then there has been Glastonbury where it has been possible just to give myself to the music and this time I decided to watch a recording of The Gossip which I had left viewing before because I doubted she would be able to connect with her audience in the way she had on the John Peel Stage in which she closed the show with such electrifying effect last year. Oh ye of little faith. It was another wow performance in which Beth Ditto still gave her all, reminiscent of an overweight Janice Joplin. A new to me performer was another visitor from across the Atlantic, this time from Toronto The Crystal Castles in which lead singer Alice Glass is best described as a screaming shouter whose hypnotic sound overwhelming the physical being and is another who throws herself bodily into the crowd in musical orgasma. Both artists put into perspective the prima donnish behaviour of Amy Winehouse on Saturday night. In complete contrast I enjoyed Goldfrapp Electro folk pop with Alison Goldrapp, a marvellous commercial undertaking with a harpist and beautiful girls in baby doll dresses prancing about the stage and then in colourful paper ostrich feather outfits and someone pole dancing. Violins were also much in evidence on the band of King Solomon Burke, a huge man sitting on a throne surrounded by female violinists in a rhythm and blues and soul preacher's set. Violins too were also a major part of Elbow but I agree It is looking like a beautiful day matched the mood although not sure about the pink rubric cube effect. Another concoction of instruments is Mark Ronsons Band. I managed to catch a Will Young number on his own some unlike the super production number at the Diana concert. I have heard the Zutons before and they whipped up the crowd although this was not difficult on this day when everyone seemed in a great party mood forgetting everything else happening in the UK and abroad.

However the surprise find of the day was Newton Faulkner who I thoroughly enjoyed, especially the Queen numbers. There is no doubt that the afternoon//early evening top performance went to Neil Diamond who gradually built up the support of his audience after early microphone failure, giving all his well known numbers for over an over an hour and creating a very happy atmosphere which was shown on the faces of everyone and he evidently was having the time of his life. I stayed up until after 1 am, fell asleep and then dragged myself to bed. A day significant

1418 More Glastonbury, Poor Amy Winehouse and more TV

I commenced the day unsettled because of many things I wanted to watch on TV conflicting with project work activities, and the in-tray. It did not prove to be a great or memorable day although there were except highlights.

The surprise of the day was an exceptional first part of Dr Who which saw the reappearance of. Billy Piper, the Daleks and the Dr commencing another transformation as he clearly leaves the series to play Hamlet at the RSC and someone else takes over if there is to be a new series. The acting was excellent and Catherine Tate has stopped being Catherine Tate and become an effective travelling companion, the story line is a good one with the whole earth hijacked with twenty seven other planets, and the pace and level of surprise was also significantly above average. It will become a classic episode, especially if the second part can match or excel the first.

I also enjoyed some of the acts on America has got talent which I have missed over a couple of weeks, included an amazing young illusionist but the main viewing was between sport and Glastonbury with a horrendous performance by England against New Zealand, poor bowling and bad batting with the captain's curse striking Petersen. Durham are to play Yorkshire again in the 20.20 quarter final at Chester Le street Riverside Monday week with a second day allocated if the weather continues as most of June. This will an exceptionally competitive game with a large crowd coming from Yorkshire, hopefully, to add to the occasion. Andy Murray commenced to conquer Wimbledon and replace Tin Henman with a concentrated professional demolition to reach the last sixteen with the fourth round match on Monday. He had a brief stutter losing his first set of the tournament, the second of the match when he lost his service rhythm but this was regained to complete the match in four sets, The centre court was full of personalities with Sir Bobby Charlton alongside Sir Bobby Robson and Nail Quinn, Terry Wogan and Matthew Pinsant along Sir Redgrave is it eight or nine gold medals for rowing between them. Tin Henman is making himself at home looking forward to the afternoon tea and evening meal, no doubt courted among the other personalities.

On BBCi I discovered a video recording of a Bruce Springsteen Sessions with the full 18 musicians to recreate the Album to the work of Pete Seeger. This was an unexpected bonus. I re-logged on to ITV on line which is just that with lots of information including clips about programmes but I am yet to find complete programmes. However on ITV music it is possible to listen to a few bars of all the tracks on records such as Amy Winehouse Back to Back and just about every other album in release The idea is that you listen to a bit and the download buy the whole number or album for a cheaper rate than in the high street.

The big disappointment of the evening was Amy Winehouse who looked on another planet, physically a wreck, her singer debateable and her chat incomprehensible. She and I thought she would pop out of her dress at any moment and it was not a promising prospect. It was very sad but she continues to have a lot of support among Glastonbury goers who hug the front of stage.

The biggest Glastonbury treat of the day was James Blunt although I have missed the full set recording which was not repeated but I was impressed with three numbers performed, one exclusively for BBC which were full of intense emotion and musicianship and what contrast to Amy. Will Young was interviewed and said it was his best performance experience but alas no video. Joan Armatrading sounded good without the wow factor and this also applied to the full set of Buddy Guy whose Mojo was working well and had Mustang Sally going. Likke Lil a Swedish acoustic stage group were interesting using a loud hailer for part of the number. Saw Shakkin Stevens who opened and 10.45. Understand the fuss about Jay Z who is evidently good at what he does and has a large following but I do not enjoy rap, but I understand the argument about his place in the order of appearance as headliner on the main stage on a Saturday night. Also saw bits of Neon Neon, Duffy the latest in bird, Crowded House and Elbow but nothing produced a new Wow or stopped me from going to bed as soon as I was tired.

A different experience was the decision to reorganise the upstairs work room so I couple starts a few sessions of working with my electronic keyboard. I need to learn to read music again after some sixty years. At present I can mess about playing with automatic rhythms and tones, sometimes using some of the includes tunes such as House of the rising sun and let it be. I use a good set of ear phones which also had a head microphone and in and out connections. All being well this will be a next winter activity.

Recently I wrote about the reappearance of Paul Temple on Radio Four so it is was a pleasant surprise when BBC audio books asked to be a friend. Coincidence or does someone check out the database re interests and references.

It is one year since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister and Labour losses deposit at Henley By Election polling less votes than the National Front. But who will be King Herod?

1417 Dylan and Caitlin Thomas The Edge fo Love and Glastonbury 2008

For the second time since writing on MySpace my attention turned to Dylan Thomas, In 34 15th March 2007, I wrote of my experience attending a one man show presentation of his work at the Northern Playhouse and the opportunity was taken to remember my visit to Laugharne, seeing and listening to Performances of Under Milk Wood on the radio, on stage and on video. It was only yesterday that I discovered that the first of two films about some of the women in his life had been released. When the weather forecast indicated that play in the final 20.20 of the first part of the competition was unlikely I decided to experience the film, The Edge of Love in the afternoon, making an early lunch and taking cool bags for shopping beforehand. The sun was shining so there was also a little hope for some cricket.

The queue of cars at Asda, South Shields was such that I abandoned the stop to visit to the station greengrocers for fruit and went on to Lidl were I stocked up on salmon steaks in various dressings, some salami and some cheese. The only fruit which appealed was plums. There was a good size wholemeal loaf for 87pence and some milk. One upon a time a Councillor ran a greengrocers in Fredericke Street, and while he is still on the Council thirty five years later and the greengrocers continues but is under different ownership. There I filled a bag with what I thought would cost £3 or £4 of fantastic large and sweet cherries which came to only £1.87 pence. Strawberries 95p carton and 4 bananas for 50p. It was only later that I learnt that the supermarkets had placed large adverts in the morning papers announcing they had commenced a programme of major reductions in order to help with rising costs, but no doubt also to do something about the sudden drop in sales as consumers decided to cut down on non essentials and therefore tipping the country further into recession, rising prices and wage pressure, an escalating situation which spells disaster.

I then went to Boldon Cineworld for the film listening to Mark Kermode's film reviews at Wimbledon where play was held up because of rain. I then immediately knew there would be a problem when two teenage girls passed me going out and on the back row there were half a dozen others. They looked school age but were not in school uniform. Perhaps they were doing Dylan as part of the English curriculum. There were two couples, one elderly one middle aged sitting in front of me and two young women arrived and sat behind. The girls talked incessantly throughout the adverts and trailers and debated the upset of telling them off or having the film experience ruined. The female of the couple immediately in front shouted that she hoped they would be quite when the film started. They were not, so I stood up and said they had been asked once, now I was telling them to shut up or I would ask for them to be ejected, Shortly afterwards a staff member cam in and took a look at the back of the theatre suggesting my intervention had been picked up. It was necessary to turn round and give a long warning look which had good effect later and if it had not I would have requested assistance.

Now to the film. This centres on the alleged relationship between neighbours of Dylan and Caitlin at New Quay Ceredigion in 1944 Vera Killick nee Phillips which led to her husband William shooting up the outside of their adjacent home and being charged with attempted murder but was found not guilty at his trial. As the film is produced by the grand daughter of William one hopes this ensures some truth to the story. I have tried hard to find independent evidence to substantiate the details without success so far. Dylan remains one of the best loved and known British poets whose work I read again or listen to his tapes or watch video from time to time. However I do not overlook that he was as a drunk which led to his early death, that he went with any woman who responded to his advances and he lived of the generosity of others. The film suggests that he was also a coward and committed perjury at the trial. If true then he is damaged further and therefore I attempted to established the accuracy of the story in this film.

The core of the story is that Dylan and Vera were childhood friends who made loved once when Vera was 15 years of age. According to an interesting article in the Daily Mirror of May 2007 when filming in Wales was about to commence Dylan and Vera did attend the same school and their parents were also friends

Between May 1940 when Dylan failed his conscription medical and the incident in 1944. Dylan was dependent on well wishers to support his wife and child and their life style, and this included frequent moves between London and Wales and at various houses of patrons. The couple also lived separate lives even when together and this included affairs. According to the film Dylan remeets Vera in wartime London who is then a singer and actress and pursued by William Killick, a fan and serving officer in the British army. Surprisingly although Dylan has become well known, involved with making propaganda films and working for BBC radio the film suggests that Vera did not known Dylan was married until his wife arrives seeking his attention and fed up with being left to care for their son on her own or with relatives who she does not get on with. The film suggests that Vera who had continued to carry a torch for Dylan, first love, what we do and who we do it with lives with us and them for ever, but struggled against her inclinations which became impossible when Dylan and Caitlin resorted to living with Vera in her small accommodation after they had fallen out with relatives, and that it was this situation which led her to accepting the advances of William Killick, although the decision to give herself to him and to agree to marriage arose after the couple were nearly killed in a bombing raid which decimated those who had been around them in a basement nightclub. Dylan and Caitlin were the witnesses at the wedding something which can be verified by obtaining a copy of the marriage certificate.

The film for shortens the period between 1940 and 1944 when it is known that Dylan and Caitlin first rent the modest single storey home on the Welsh coast at New Quay and the Daily Mirror confirmed that they were neighbours of the Killicks, and that for a time William was away on an expedition to Greece, returning home on his own something of a hero and suffering from what is generically now known as shell shock but which throughout both World Wars was dismissed by the services and the officialdom, especially the courts as bunkum.

What has not been established and again this is something the family of William might have access to relevant records is the extent to which Vera used her own money and that of her husband through their joint bank account to fund the lives of Dylan and Caitlin and their son, their drinking and their hospitality to their intellectual and fashionable friends, or the abortion which Caitlin was said to want after one of her affairs. I did not gain the impression from the film that Caitlin and Vera became lovers rather than for a time they developed an intimate friendship led by Caitlin, not just because of the money but because she saw Vera as the one threat to her marriage, bearing in mind that she had only met Dylan before the war, and that she was quickly aware of his life style, although the film suggests that Dylan' behaviour was a reaction to that of Caitlin who he says cannot help herself.

This all makes one hope that the film on the life of Caitlin with Miranda Richardson will be completed. In an Observer article of November 2006 it was revealed that the producers were racing to complete and release their films in he light of what happened to the two films about the life of Truman Capote, one of which although released in the USA and achieved some box office success had not been released in the UK. It will be interesting to see how the second film present Caitlin and if attempts to balance the rather one sided view of her presented in the Edge of Love, a script written by Keira Knightley's mother and where the original actress to play Caitlin is reported to have dropped out over the interpretation of the character in this film.

Most people will accept to a degree the financial dependency and chaotic lifestyle of the exceptional artist and his partner and parent, including the infidelities and the abortion, together with the self injury from being drunk in charge of a bicycle, but Caitlin and Dylan and shown to push everything beyond the limits, There is a hint of what it is to come when Vera asks Caitlin if she is threatening her about the relationship with Dylan and admits towards the end of the film that is the fact that Vera had not disclosed the relationship which developed with Dylan during their stay in Wales which led to her turning her back on the couple at the time of the shooting incident and trial. I could not help thinking of the relationship between George Melly and his wife, Diana and Molly Parkin. Diana and Molly were close friends for many years but it was when George commenced a relationship with Molly that the relationship between the two women broke down and where according to the recent documentary there was some reconciliations during his last year and with his death.

In fairness to Caitlin she also warns Vera about not disclosing her previous relationship with Dylan although the way the couple behave would have been difficult for anyone not to realise that they were more than conventional childhood friends with a common language and heritage. It could be argued with hindsight that that shooting incident became inevitable when battle scarred William returns to his wife clutching a Sten gun and finds her with a son, living closely with Dylan and then finds that all their and primarily his money has gone when advised of the situation by the bank. The film suggests that it is the loss of the money and the extent of village gossip plus the visit of some of the Bloomsbury set which triggered the shooting incident.

The film also suggests that the reason for Dylan's evidence at the trial against William arose because Vera had pleaded with him to help because she loved her husband and could not bear it if he was sent to prison fro attempted murder. When he does the opposite and says what he can to get a conviction Vera accuses him of wanting her to be the young girl he seduced when she was 15 and that if she asked him to leave Caitlin and live with her he would not do so.

So much for the story line. I liked the style of the film which captured the nature of wartime London and being active soldier without unbalancing the film yet giving it serious framework. The four principal characters were convincing and the interaction between Keira Knightly as Vera and Sienna Miller as Caitlin is remarkable and despite the problem with the children, (I wonder what they made of it). I was able to give myself to the film. I also liked the way the film included clips of Dylan reciting his work to remind that this was a great artist and the clips did appear to fit in with the timeline of his work. However I am not sure if this film will have any appeal to those unfamiliar with his work and life although it could lead some to enquire further. I also thought that the intensity of the lifestyle could have a corrupting influence on the young minds behind although I hoped they took in that Caitlin as well as Vera had sexual experiences before they were emotionally mature enough to cope with its lifetime impact. Caitlin was seduced by Augustus John when she was also 15.

As forecast as I left the film theatre the sky had dampened and there had already been a shower. I debated returning home but given the situation earlier in the week decided to go to the ground as I was already part way there. The omens were not good as the blanket of rain cloud covered the ground as I approached. There was a great crowd in the ground as I had to park my park several rows in the overflow park in the adjacent Riverside parkland. Although I have a large black gentlemen's umbrella I rarely use preferring the smaller telescopic variety and my Durham one felt apart year's ago. Lidl were selling brightly coloured ones for £4 and I bought an attractive single colour maroon one which had to be used on the walk from the car to the ground, although rain stopped and play continued, having started before my arrival but was cut short for bad light as the rain clouds closed in. As anticipated there were no free seats on the Members Veranda and although I could have obtained a seat inside it was too warm for comfort and I cannot enjoying viewing through glass. I therefore made my way to the allocated seat and soon the umbrella proved a great buy as it poured down but I remained protected enjoying sandwiches prepared before departure. However a look around suggested the rain was set for the evening and there were counter attractions on the television. I returned home after drinking some coffee in the car and but left the soup for the morrow

I knew that between 9 and 11pm ITV were showing highlights of the Hyde Park concert celebrating the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela who has become increasingly physically frail. The concert was designed to promote the causes which he has promoted since retiring as the South African President and this governed the ITC production which spent a such time interviewing celebrities for their reactions to the great man and his causes as they did showing the music and where there were also frequent breaks for advertisements. I thought the presentation was sycophantic and banal and counter productive on a night when I also discovered it was the Friday of Glastonbury, Nelson Mandela has rapidly become a Godlike figure exploited my heads of state and musicians or looking for worthwhile causes. I cannot ever forgot that he was a terrorist whose organisation used violence mercilessly as did the state. He was no Ghandi although in fairness it does appear he ahs become converted to the search for conciliation and peace, although over the recent decade he has been singularly quiet about events in Zimbabwe and it appears that it had only been international pressure before his trip to London which persuaded him to say the world wide quoted words which can be interpreted as a condemnation. In fairness the point was made during the programme that if the world is now dependent on one man for its future survival or in fact on the actions future generations are doomed and there will be no progress until we all understand and accept our individual responsibility and no rely just on politicians, religious leaders and the media to be our conscience and do what is right.

And so anther year has passed and it is Glastonbury (see 112 Glastonbury from last June). Given that the weekend is always a sell out the BBC has great responsibility to present a compressive representation of the artists performing on the sixteen stages. This year it appears the BBC have settled on those artists they are showing despite having three channels showing programmes BBC 2, BBBC 3 and 4. The problem appears to be the creation of BBC I with the same films whichever channel you press the red button I am being unfair because in fact there was a fair coverage during the over session with occasional short films which convey something of the experience.

From what is regarded as the main stage, the Pyramid stage it was possible to see the sets of The Kings of Leon and the Fratellis where I am not fans but I am of The Feeling and KC Tunstall who were great. I missed out on The editors and only saw part of the Gossip set. Gossip had a giant an oversize girl single who last year wore skimpy clothing and threw herself with great abandon into the crowd. This year for the main stage she was more suitably attired and although was throwing herself over around the stage with just as much abandonment one felt the barrier between herself and the crowd destroyed something of the impact of her performance. I did not watch Panic at the Disco headliner of the other stage or the Hoosiers, but front the third headlining stage, the Jazz World Stage I did enjoy Candi Staton especially her In the Ghetto, and I did catch part of Jimmy Cliff and Estelle. From the John Peel Stage, I looked in vain for the set of Reverend and the Makers whose set last year was one of my highlights, Hopefully they will progress to the other stages and get a second showing. The new band so far which caught my attention is the residue of The Ting Tings where I unintentionally watched the hit record three times but also enjoyed the full set of the singer guitarist with drummer, having split front the rest of the band. Nothing was shown from the BBC introducing stage nor Franz Ferdinand appearing on The Park or Sinead O'Connor on the Acoustic Stage although there was mention that Phil Jupitus had appeared with the Blockheads and it may be that I went to bed for the clip was shown.

There was also nothing from the Left Field although mention that there are Three Dance Stages this year East and West and the Dance Lounge with Fatboy Slim headlining East. It was at this point that I remembered my exchange with the Berlin based group Team Plastic (335) and looked in vain for their listing on the comprehensive BBC list of bands in alphabetical order then on the new list of performers on the individual stages stage.

Tomorrow I hope there will be a showing of Amy Winehouse. Already confirmed is the set of Joan Armatrading and James Blunt and Crowded House. I hope on Sunday they will show the full sets of Leonard Cohen and Neil Diamond together with Katie Melua down the list on Avalon.

1395 A Piano Concert at the Custom's House Dimitry Rachmanov

The mood of boyish excitement generated at the cricket yesterday evening has continued throughout and long and early morning and then evaporated in to sadness and serious thought, and then into the kind of conflict between what I wanted to do, should do and could do from which it is difficult to find rest.

The previous evening I received a notice advising that Travel Lodge Summer rooms for July and August, costing only £19, would be available to book on line from 6am. The plan was to find somewhere in the London areas coinciding with the Lords Final of the cricket trophy which I had planned to attend last year but was prevented with admission of my birth mother to hospital. Although there is the hurdle of the semi final to overcome and given what happened at Wednesday's match it could be argued for and against a win through, I decided to try and book up, and if the semi final is lost then to enjoy a few days in the capital city. I had great difficulty over the next hour but eventually managed to get the full concession for two nights and reduced rates for another two although this involved booking four separate but consecutive nights. However a phone call afterwards reassured that I would be allocated one room for the stay but would have to obtain a room entry key card each day. This meant I could travel by public transport rather than take the car and obtained a concession return coach ticket for a mere £15.50 The cost of travel and accommodation covering six days and four nights is about half of that for a single occupancy reasonable standard room on the cruise ship fleet of the Freedom of the Seas line!

I then discovered that Benny Goodman tribute band is playing at the Sage Main concert theatre during the Whitley Bay Jazz Festival in July( which I must find out more). It was not all satisfactory as I failed to catch up with Prime Minister's Question Time yesterday which failed to upload after several attempts.

I then had an olive salad lunch having earlier eaten two toasts as breakfast and then some rice crispies for elevens and then decided that I would go to the lunchtime concert at the Customs House where the Russian/US pianist Dimitry Rachmanov was giving a concert for £5. Given that there were only 60 to 70 in the audience and that many had season tickets which reduced the price to £4, the takings, would have been around £300 which is just as well that the concert was financially supported by the Arts Council. The pianist was then going to catch a plane to Paris from Newcastle airport having also performed in Durham City yesterday. He played seven pieces, variations by Beethoven, two pieces by Brahms, two pieces by Tchaikovsky, three pieces by Rachmaninoff, two Fairy tales by Meitner, three pieces by Scriabin, and then a sonata by the same composer. The concert lasted over an hour and was exceptional value. The last time I had been to attend a performance at the Custom's house was the U2 Tribute band and I had promised to attend more frequently. Tomorrow there is Geordie Comedian Bobby Thompson who once did a show in an elderly persons homes for me. He is funny but only if you understand the dialect. On Saturday there is a night at Opera on and Sunday Asda Staff raise money for their the Army Benevolent Fund and then there is a gap of a week.

It was a pleasant walk back and found that the Flying Angel Club at Mill Dam is part of the Mission for Seamen hostel and centre. I once assessed a National lottery Charities application for the centre, one of the few I did for South Shields. The pavement works appears to have finished and I enjoyed a pleasant walk through the tree covered gardens church yard at St Hilda's. yesterday I had seen a giant cargo vessel enter the Tyne for the port and today across the riverside there were two passenger ferries. I mention this because the route to Norway is being a axed because of lack of demand. Having got some cash and a statement from the bank on the way to the concert, I bought strawberries and cherries at the metro bridge greengrocers on return. I am not impressed with the new paving bricks replacing the previous work at the junction between the shopping streets and the nightlife street, although the work is far from complete.

During the afternoon I watched a film whose title or particular I am unable to confirm despite looking at schedules. The title was something like Marble in the name and is an Estonian film about their civil war struggle for independence after world war one and which they gained until the second world war. A quick view about a country I have known nothing about is that the population is only 1,3 million about the size of Tyne and War with a population a mixture of those with Finish Nordic backgrounds, with a German influence on the middle classes and also Russia. The area was controlled by Sweden from 1500 until the early 1700's when it was ceded to Russia, but the in the immediate post war upheavals, led by the education middle classes there was an attempt at independence, and when conscription failed the army resorted to seeking volunteers among the boys of high school, and film concerned one class at one school in the town of Tartu which was divided between those supporting nationalism and the independence move led by the middle classes, those who identified with the communist Russian interest and those who did not want war or to fight. The film then focuses on one family of two brothers with older joining the communists the reds and the other the whites. The film has an emotionally moving climax in which the reality of fighting is one of the most moving I have experienced because the characters of a small group of classmates their relationships has been established and we are shown how they individually react to a situation where there are on perimeter guard and where because of their inexperience and immaturity they open fire on an enemy column which is crossing in front of them, oblivious to their presence and therefore could have continued without the classmates intervening before they are reinforced with the main body of their forces. Consequently some die, some are injured but four survive to treated as hero's and sent home back to school and one meets up with a girl he has rescued and believes she has been blown up while they make their escape. The train returning home with the wounded is stopped by a small group of remaining Estonian communist's with the consequence that three of the four hero's perish but the young man and his girl friend survive to become part of the new Estonia which managed to achieve independence until the second world war when it was incorporated into the Russian empire without a shot being fired. In 1992 it gained its independence again and while forecasting ahead is a dubious pastime it can be said that it is likely the country will now continue as an independent nation for a longer period that at anytime in the past 1000 years. It is a lesson for those who take the view that big is always best and that small communities and nation cannot survive on their own.

I had a quickly made sweet and sour chicken with rice for an evening meal before going out to a local political meeting, the consequence of which is that I will be spending the few days in writing letters and memo's after pulling all together my prior and subsequent thoughts.

A great deal of time during the evening was spent trying to find my new membership card as a Friend of the Tyne Cinema without success.

I watched the new Big Brother House and the arrival of the new 16 housemates with some incredulity and gave myself a serious talking to about priorities and not getting engaged with the programme again in the way that I did last summer, especially as it will last three months 91 days to be precise.

I watched the last part of Question Time in which my local Member of Parliament and Foreign Secretary tried to defend the Prime Minister's determination to exert his authority over increasing the power for detention from 28 to 42 days. It is likely the tactics will win the vote and seal the end of Labour as a Government for the next election as it will unite the opposition parties and create a significant body of resentful backbench labour members who will find other ways to bring to an end his leadership.

I wanted to stay up and rite this Blog; I wanted to wrote about local and national political matters; I wanted the find my new Film Theatre membership card, but I was too tired to do anything but go to bed but also too tired to sleep.

1355 Humphrey Lyttelton, 100 Oxford Street, The suns of all fears

09.00 The radio news this morning announced the death of Humphrey Lyttleton, at the age of 86. I have this image of George Melly greeting him at the Gates, saying what took you so long man. It's just as difficult to get a gig up here as it was down there, but I did get one show the other day with Louis and the Hot Seven, and there is a hot joint along Celestial Way that said if you want to lead the house band and take over the their daily broadcast hour with an audience of twenty billion, the job is yours.

The usual image of a jazz man is someone hyperactive, unconventional, with many wives and a liking for illegal substances. Humphrey Lyttleton had a very different image, a laid back patrician, as a younger man, the second son of the 8th Viscount Cobham who was a house master at Eton. Humphrey, or Humph as he was affectionately called went to the Sunningdale Preparatory school before Eton College where he was the junior(fag) for Lord Carrington, He became interested in jazz after hearing records of Louis Armstrong and Nat Gonella and formed a college quartet in which Ludovic Kennedy played the drums. He had a short period at a plate works in Wales which turned him into a romantic socialist and then as was customary with Eton men he joined the Guards, the Grenadiers, seeing action in Salerno in World War II. On VE day he went onto London Streets with his trumpet and his playing was captured by a BBC roving reporter. He then went to Camberwell Art college and in 1949 he joined the Daily Mail as a Cartoonist joining forces with jazz clarinettist Wally Fawkes to create the strip cartoon Flook. Later he became a kindly grandfather with a wicked sense of humour introducing a weekly jazz programme and as chairman of an itinerant spoof panel show which filled theatre audiences around the country.

20.00 I had intended to finish writing about Hump before going to the match but the repaired camcorder arrived so I was able to go out for the Daily Mail. I had was led to believe that the day would be warm as well as sunny but here it was cloudy with a temperature reducing wind. I called in at the supermarket on my way back for milk, tomatoes and the like but added a nutty brown loaf when one was discovered. I decided on some sorting out and then lunch and then it going off to the match time taking a flask of coffee with me. Being the Tees Wear Derby there would be a big crowd 45000, in fact, and I nearly miscalculated the time in that I managed one of the last couple of parking spaces available and then relaxed with the paper and the coffee. I left the car for the ground in time to take a peek inside the new ten lane Olympic size swimming pool, high diving facilities and fitness centre. It has been designed for use by the likes of you and me through the week with a programme of swimming and fitness activities. There was no one using any of the 140 odd fitness machines though.
17.00 It proved to be a exciting and enjoyable game although it began ominously as for the second week running a goal was conceded in the opening few minutes but this time the joy of the away supporters was shortlived and we equalised within a minute and then just before the end of the first half we took the lead again. There were several opportunities to extend the lead after the interval and the Boro also had their chances and converted one with about 20 minutes in the match left. As has been a feature of the man we won with seconds of extra to go which broke the hearts of the Boro players as well as their splendid travelling fans who belie the failure to fill their ground. They deserve success given thee strong and loyal heart of their Chairman Steve Gibson, but only as third to the Black Cats and the Toon alternating as Champions now that is celestial fantasy, especially as the other two each year would win one or more of Cups. On reflection in such a scenario the Boro could have the Premier championship the year we won the Champions League Cup. Fantasy of course except that in London there is Chelsea and Arsenal, Spurs and the their like.

21.00 Last night I passed the time away before bedtime with a martial arts film set in the USA in which a maverick police detective joins forces with Samurai type of assassin to rid the streets of drug dealing protection racket gangs with the ubiquitous corrupt senior police officer. I was in the mood. The film has Blade in its title

The previous evening the Arts channel was showing a film which I thought I had seen before called 8 ½ women. In fact the film is about an exceptionally wealthy business man John Standing and his son who after watching Fellini's 8 ½ decide to recruit a private harem each one with distinguishing characteristic from the other. The film I thought was being shown was 8 Femmes, the French comedy murder mystery, which I saw in theatre. 8 ½ Women is a film about intellectual sex where the question "who is really in charge of the asylum." is the plot? However there is no emotional engagement, but this may be just me.

Tonight I watched again The Sum of All Fears in which Ben Afflick saves the world in a tale created by Tom Clancy. The message in this film is that there were known to be 27000 thermo nuclear weapons in the world, and that one went missing, an Israeli rocket bomb which contained USA plutonium secretly provided and which falls into the hands of a neo Nazi group of high placed official on both sides of the former cold war anxious to return to the good old bad days. The other message is that the USA and Russian Presidents are good guys, but who have to go to the point of being prepared to use their weapons rather than lose face. Fortunately there are two kindly father figures high up in intelligence who keep each other informed of what is really going on behind all the public posturing designed to keep ahead of all those trying to take power in the two lands. I cannot wait for the China V rest of the world and winning films to begin.

22.00 100 Oxford Street is a basement, the most famous basement in the central London, perhaps in the UK, and which opened in 1942 during World War II as a facility to show the talents of the sons of Victor Feldman. During the rest of war it became a haunt for visiting GI's who wanted to listen to jazz and to dance and among those performing was Glen Miller with several members of his band. The basement was considered as good as any bomb shelter. After the war it became the London jazz club with sessions on Saturdays and Mondays for the dance music of day (Swing and the Jitterbug) with the Sunday session changing to bebop. By one of the great pieces of good fortune in my life Humphrey Littleton's agent acquired the lease just before I left school and 100 Oxford Street became The Humphrey Lyttleton Club or Humphs providing traditional jazz on seven nights of each and every week. There was a period when I longed to be able to live in Soho and go to clubs every other night if not every night of the week with my clarinet of course until eventually being asked to join a band. Louis Armstrong played there in 1956, and Billie Holliday was in the audience for a session with Alex Welsh band with Beryl Bryden. I saw Chris Barber at the club but because of the boom in traditional jazz popularity he had become too big to appear there and the main regulars were Acker Bilk, Terry Lightfoot and Kenny Ball.

The Club became the 100 as USA artists commenced to come over in number many played or visited the club including Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rushin, Bo Diddley and BB King. My era of visiting came to and end as the club moved into its own new era with Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll, John Mayall's Blues Breakers, the Animals, the Who, the Kinks, The Pretty Things and Spencer Davis. Wild Bill Davidson, George Lewis who I did see there and Earl Hines. Ken Colyer also played here after giving up his own Club in Soho which I had also visited. The Club went through hard times but adapted switching to Punk (Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, Buzzcocks and the Damned), and then the emphasis changed to African Jazz and Township Music. In the 1982 the Rolling Stones played there, in secret session and in the 1990's the Club moved into the Indie scene and to Comedy Nights. However there were also appearances of Chris Barber and Humphrey Lyttleton. George Melly made his last performance there with moments included in his telebiography.

In 1954, a year before I left school, Humph did a show at the Royal Festival Hall with Johnny Pickard on Trombone, Wally Fawkes and Mickey Ashman on base. I have the 10" LP which includes eight of the numbers played that night including Basin Street, I wish I could shimmy like my sister Kate and When the Saints Go Marching In. My first visit to the R.F. H was to listen to the Modern Jazz Quartet as guest of the sister of the work friend who introduced me to the world of live jazz performances. It was also the era when I had joined the American Embassy Library and was borrowing records such as Menotti, the Telephone and recorded music of the Southern Plantations. Lyttleton also moved away from Trad jazz although in 1956 Bad Penny Blues reached the UK singles charts and stayed in for six weeks. He formed a special relationship with Buck Clayton who regarded him a soul brother. I have their LP Me and Buck, the title of one of the Eight numbers with Autumn Leaves, Stardust, and Sentimental Journey my favourites. Danny Moss was the tenor sax and Joe Temperley Baritone. I also have a hardback edition of his autobiography I play as I please. He had some popularity in the USA and in 1968 at the request of NASA he visited to broadcast live to the crew of the Apollo 8 Space craft.

In addition to continuing to play his music for more than 40 years he was the radio voice of British Jazz in his weekly "Best of Jazz" series and which he only stopped when his health recently deteriorated. For most people however it was not the musician or Jazz authority that they came to know and love but as the Chairman of the comedy panel radio show, "I'm sorry I Haven't a Clue" in which he encouraged silliness and harmless double entendres which became so successful that it could fill major theatres around the UK.

Helen Shapiro was a 60's pop star with "Walkin back to Happiness a hit when she was only 14. She developed into amazing jazz singer and went on tour with Humph in the 1990's. I hoped to get to one of their concerts but missed out. I also missed out on seeing him perform with Elkie Brooks although I have her Pearl's a Singer albums ad saw her perform twice at Newcastle City Hall. She was nearly as loud as U2 UK.