A quick glance around the schedules

[Paul Sherratt]

That's a bone cracker isn't it. Has it been played on R3 ?
I know they've all got copies of it !

[johncorrigan]

That's a bone cracker isn't it. Has it been played on R3 ?
I know they've all got copies of it !

I'm pretty sure that Max played it - maybe time that MAK gave it another wee spin!

[handsomefortune]

But what is the trick with Cousin Bichonnade, handsome ? Where was the Lartigue show ?

it was in a tiny gallery in paris in about 93, i can't remember the name, (but my mum might).

i'll try to explain tricks, maybe not 'tricks' exactly paul?..... maybe fx ..no... but anyway, he's taking photos at a time when movement as portrayed in photos might be viewed as either a 'mistake'; or, as with the race horse legs photo footage, provided a 'good excuse' to portray movement.....a scientific excuse being 'ideal'. he wasn't a scientist. that's my interpretation of one of the contexts anyhew!

i guess because in 1901 still photog was 'very still' - took ages to set up, portraiture-wise people had to sit very still for ages, obey instructions etc, he must've rejected it all, and made his personal 'photo dairy' pics very differently.

the young lartigue must have sub consciously thought he'd do the complete opposite, instead became obssessed with photographing 'uncanny movement' ...because he could. it's not like he worked for anyone, unlike professional photographers, so had greater artistic license to do just as his instinct told him, with what was immediately available:his relatives, pets and friends. in 'diary of a century', in the first part of the book, we can see his uncle, and other family relies, in quite 'uncompromising' poses....especially considering his family's wealth and status. but then relatives must have imagined that no one would ever be interested in little jean's 'blurry' and 'childish' early photos.

titles such as 'my big cousin jean haguet' sees a large adult relative, apparently propelling himself, horizontally down a river, 'suitably' dressed for the occasion in a tight, strapped swimming hat, short legged costume, and sort of ballet pumps. it is funny, in the way that children excell at achieving perhaps? an extremely mischievous type funny, i mean. so there's the recurring trick of conveying a subtle humour in his diary.

to start with especially, ideally, he likes to see his subjects 'doing something of note' to be worth a photo. the 'in flight' gravity-defying trick he obssesses over, is perhaps a sort of hang over, from photo illusion, or magic tricks that the victorians adored, which he continues with. but he reinterprets it ingeniously, and intimately, as in very personally.

for instance, if you look closely at 'bichonnade in flight'.....she doesnt actually appear to have feet or legs, but is sort of levitating down the steps, rather than physically touching them. that's his speciality hallmark trick of that period. he's certainly not flattered her face, that's for sure!

however, mnsr plitt, forinstance, seems to intently concentrate just enough to propell his jack russel dog, about 8 ft above a river .....as though the dog has an invisible engine and propeller.

as a youngster he is clearly fascinated by movement and illusion, as in the 'uncanny' or 'magic tricks' of victorian photography..... his work probably delights viewers as much because when you look at his governesses, and family etc of the period, they are a bit of a grumpy, starchy bunch, to say the least. so at this stage, it's perhaps a combination of tricks: mischief, timing, movement, subtle humour and victorian photo illusion....as well as a coping mechanism for dealing with stuffy adults.

early stuff espesh is testimony to his mastering fantastic photographic and comic timing as a child. these themes and techniques stay with him into adulthood, but by then, the scenery and people are very different obviously....as well as cameras.

by the end of the diary (1970) we see his pics of the 1960s period (an interesting comparison to those on retronought, and the link that you posted paul, on a neice's recommendation iirc, both on hornspieler's thread)? but simultaneously, at the end of the diary 1970, he snaps simone, his topfave cousin, and best mate .simone is pictured striding while levitating, across a lawn, at speed... '65 yrs after his first encounter with her in 1904'. obviously, his timing by this time is aided by relatively sophisticated late 60s camera equipment ..... yet back in the early 20th c, when he learned to be almost cruelly accurate if he chose to, as demonstrated in his photo of bichonnade falling from her bike .... bichonnade lies face down, in a potentially nasty accident, looking remarkably like a dress maker's maniquin, not a bit of compassion is captured whatsoever. the caption reads mmater of factly: 'bichonnade has just tried a new bicycle with puncture proof 'ducable' tyres'!!!

so, typically 'full of tricks' as in home made mischief, that you can't actuall buy a roll of, and of course, adding trick fx, in photoshop/whatever would obviously defeat the initial purpose, as well as take his photography out of its unique historical context.

well that's my interpretation of him, at least.

ps as regards 'the dry bones' jc, the whole catacoomb is strangely dry but damp - i don't know how people who work there manage to keep their sense of femur tbh!

[Lateralthinking1]

At 7 tonight on BBC4 one of my favourite Nashville singer-songwriters performs: Diana Jones.
Plus Steve Earle & at least 1 other.

Back on r3 on Sunday 18 March, at 11.00 p.m. in a jass slot, its Mulatu Astatke.

Also upcoming is Oilrig with the Songlines nominations and the good Doctor at 10 on Sunday explains how she cracked the nut of Brazil. maybe

The Essay this week is on the topic of mountains...don't think there will be much WM in them but you never know.
The first one sounds interesting as does Lucy Skeaping's show on Sunday at 1300 on the lullaby - looks like there is at least 1 WM track.

So, let's join Mr Lartigue's Cousin Bichonnade and jump into the aural unknown during next week...

Global, John, hf etc - Thank you for the recommendations. While some of the BBC management leave a lot to be desired, I still believe that the BBC is the best broadcasting service in the world. Rather than catering only for narrow interests, they provide a service for all and at a very small price through the license. We still have our specialist programmes, for which I am grateful, and in many respects the radio service across the network is much better than it was a decade ago.

Speaking of history, if not as distant, the one who I really miss hasn't been mentioned recently. I don't think that there was ever anyone in his field who was more straightforwardly without ego or affectation. Arguably, he was also more knowledgeable, more appreciative of the music he played, more kind, and more communicative with his audience than any other broadcaster, present or past. Charlie Gillett, who died two years ago this very week. - Lat.



Charlie Gillett

20 February 1942 – 17 March 2010

[Paul Sherratt]

>>well that's my interpretation of him, at least.

Thanks for that, handsome. It's whetted my appetite to re-visit this copy of ' Lartigue, Album Of A Century '
It'll have to wait a couple of days thought as it's a bit too heavy to take on the train

http://www.exhibitionsinternational.org/img/0500542910.jpg

[johncorrigan]

Thanks hsf for that info - I hadn't heard of Lartigue though I had seen some of the photos - I'll need to have a look at some more.

......and thanks for the Charlie reminder Lat - in my stint in the garden yesterday I had a couple of old tapes - Andy with Gaughan and Taylor as guests; terrific and Charlie with Souad Massi in the studio - he always seemed to up his game when the ladies were around - quite the charmer. His shows were so different from Andy's - a different vibe which makes them very distinctive broadcasters. Really good listening to him yesterday - he still always has me thinking of the George Martin, strangely (or maybe not so strange!).

[Lateralthinking1]

Charlie with Souad Massi in the studio - he always seemed to up his game when the ladies were around - quite the charmer. His shows were so different from Andy's - a different vibe which makes them very distinctive broadcasters. Really good listening to him yesterday - he still always has me thinking of the George Martin, strangely (or maybe not so strange!).

Yes, I agree with all of those comments John. Possibly one of the last was with Yasmin Levy. It wasn't the easiest interview he ever conducted. There was though enough there to want to get to know her better and, well, what an absolutely fantastic artist. I'm still not completely won over to Souad Massi - was rather underwhelmed by her recent collaboration with Paul Weller - but I will give her further thought.

[johncorrigan]

I'm still not completely won over to Souad Massi - was rather underwhelmed by her recent collaboration with Paul Weller - but I will give her further thought.

Know what you mean about SM Lat, but she seemed really relaxed with Charlie and performed very well - I quite like a wee bit of her - don't think I could listen to a whole CD, but more than I could listen to of PW.

[handsomefortune]

It's whetted my appetite to re-visit this copy of ' Lartigue, Album Of A Century '

oh good! always lovely to share something you thoroughly like! perhaps his later stuff is a tiny bit less extraordinary, in that far more people have their own cameras, use them for casual/personal/creative use, as the 20th c progresses? (similarly, the comparitive 'ordinaryness' of digital photog, in comparison with old photographic tools, as described on hornspieler's thread)? anywaysup, perhaps it doesn't actually matter, the main thing is that we can see stuff then and now - due to the invention of the camera. i am reassured by whoever posted that just seeing sprocket holes moved them though ...

I don't think that there was ever anyone in his field who was more straightforwardly without ego or affectation. Arguably, he was also more knowledgeable, more appreciative of the music he played, more kind, and more communicative with his audience than any other broadcaster, present or past. Charlie Gillett, who died two years ago this very week. - Lat.



Charlie Gillett

20 February 1942 – 17 March 2010

tbh i was about to post about charlie gillett but on 'the peel buidling' thread, when paul sherratt asked about lartigue. not because i knew it was cg's anniversary though, i didn't know that ....so thanks for that lateral.

i was going to post because i missed charlie out of my list of 'lovely presenters' whose style i miss or treasure specifically. especially in view of the beebgabble style, that lat references on the other thread. the old heads on young bodies line was painfully familiar btw lat

anyway, thanks lateral, your reminder is beautifully put! especially without ego or affectation, and apparently very helpful to emerging musicians, if he could support their media exposure in anyway. this includes music journalists too....(some of which are male btw).

though imo the subject of charlie should really be on the 'peel building' thread? anywaysup, it also raises the question, where's the ruddy 'gillet centre' then beeb? they've got enough buildings ...surely they could commemorate all these chaps, who got the ball rolling initially, and helped shape what we have today. especially as peel, gillet and walters had rather short lives ...coincidentally.

did charlie charm the ladies ....? he charmed everyone .. but certainly charmed me .....just because he didn't talk rubbish, and bothered to find some unique material to broadcast.... on 'the world service', now much depleted, complete with an audio logo loop that sounds like a speech impediment. crackers .

i used to have a bookmark of charlie's archive, but now don't... so, if anyone's got a link to charlie's archive, i'd be very grateful.... if it's still available? glad jc listened to his charlie gillet tapes yesterday - which must have been bliss in the sunshine.

(yes jc agreed, pw )

[Oilrig]

I miss Charlie very much - ironically, we saw far less of each other while sharing Wo3 - he was a kind and generous soul who helped make my introductions to the world of world music. And yes, he was indeed very charming, and I was very happy to be charmed!

[Globaltruth]

ok, without wanting to get maudlin, I'd like to dedicate this to Charlie, I never met him but was a keen listener to his shows for many years on many different radio stations....

I do think he would have enjoyed this.

Taking a classic piece of Purcell from Dido & Aeneas, this is a wonderful World Music re-working by Taraf de Haidouks and Iva Bittova who doesn't actually get the credit on this Youtube clip (and the accompanying pics and ads are so wrong as to heighten the poignancy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fexacnhMgHs

Here it is on Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/track/0nYNdIiaGeNqkb7xXgWxdN

and here are the lyrics:

Thy hand, Belinda, darkness shades me,
On thy bosom let me rest,
More I would, but Death invades me;
Death is now a welcome guest.

When I am laid, am laid in earth,

May my wrongs create No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;

Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.
Remember me, but ah! forget my fate.

also recorded by Jeff Buckley (but I can't remember which album) and nicked for the film Band of Brothers, where it appeared as an instrumental with the title 'Nixons Walk Then there's the Alison Moyet version which I came across... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85ytCrJ_ygI what a voice.

[handsomefortune]

spot on globaltruth! at last!

[Lateralthinking1]

Oilrig - It was lovely to hear your memories of Charlie. Thanks for them. Your programme is a tribute in itself.

Handsomefortune - Thanks for your nice comments too. This has an archive - http://www.charliegillett.com/

Global - First, the best of luck to KS this week.

Some very nice clips. TDH are class. I put my hands up to having a copy of "Alf" on vinyl. It was a "do I really want this one?" purchase in the days when there was more cash. Good singles but I didn't go hugely for the rest at the time. Just too eighties in production. I did like "Ole Devil Called Love" when that was released. Then again, I would generally choose the Billie Holiday version. You are right though. She always had a great voice. Perhaps time for another reappraisal.

You have got me wondering about the Jeff Buckley track. From memory, it isn't on what I would see as the main two discs - "Grace" and "Sketches...." but I have others in my collection. Actually most. Will need to revisit. I have already found this clip. Interesting because it is a personal recollection of how it was recorded - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVCL262gmU

[Globaltruth]

You have got me wondering about the Jeff Buckley track. From memory, it isn't on what I would see as the main two discs - "Grace" and "Sketches...." but I have others in my collection. Actually most. Will need to revisit. I have already found this clip. Interesting because it is a personal recollection of how it was recorded - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSVCL262gmU

Thanks Lat - do please keep looking. I would like to hear a decent quality version of it, would help to know the album for a start. - the version on Youtube I gave up on after about 30 seconds - recorded through porridge. Not on iTunes either.
That clip you posted is interesting - but as someons says, a version without voice over would be of interest too.

[Lateralthinking1]

Thanks Lat - do please keep looking. I would like to hear a decent quality version of it, would help to know the album for a start. - the version on Youtube I gave up on after about 30 seconds - recorded through porridge. Not on iTunes either. That clip you posted is interesting - but as someons says, a version without voice over would be of interest too.

Well, I checked. Apart from "Grace" and "Sketches.....", I have "Songs to No One 1991-1992", the 2-Hour Legacy Edition of "Live at Sin-e" and the cd single of "Everybody Here Wants You". All to no avail.

Initially an internet search suggested "So Real" which is a "hits" collection that I didn't buy for pretty obvious reasons. But looking at the track listings, apparently not so. That leaves two answers, somewhat contradictory.

The first is that it is on "1995-07-01: Meltdown Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK by Jeff Buckley". Track listing here - http://www.last.fm/music/Jeff+Buckle...C+London%2C+UK. But is it a disc?

(Note the inclusion of Corpus Christi Carol; the splendid original on "Grace", and not without similarities)

The second is that the BBC have a tidied up version of a bootleg - obviously not my view or the view of this website (!) - but here's that line - http://www.jeffbuckley.com/pages/node/229.

One thing that is for sure. The BBC does have a recording of some sort because it was in that clip from Radio 4's "Soul Music".

Footnote - I was blimmin' annoyed because of all the nineties Glastonbury festivals, I went in 93, 97, 98 and 99. Not bad considering that I had to be abroad for work every Jun-Jul ish from 91-97. There wasn't a festival in 96. But I missed him - he was there 94 I think or was it 95? It was also one of the few that was baking hot. So friends who were there try not to gloat, just as few did when a classical music fanatic reported in the early 80s that he had just seen some people called The Clash busking down the road in a York car park. I never got to the truth or otherwise of that one. I didn't want to find out if it was true!