Recent Happiness Experiment entries - Barcelona: from colours to black

Fri 29 May / Maig - Music day

Hearing Back in Black (AC/DC) drifting across the night-time city

Listening to sitar music at sunset near Arc de Triomf

A perfect lunch (with backgammon) in a hidden square dappled with sunlight accompanied by two real mccoy flamenco singers

Thurs 28

An old-school games shop where D bought Civil War playing cards and I bought a wooden mini backgammon set

Discovering atmospheric back streets of Barcelona near the cathedral

Photographing together with D and passing on tips

Wed 27

Pulling off a good talk (Docs Barcelona)

Afternoon coffee with D on a palm-lined avenue, rounding off initial explorations

Catalonian custard - Crema Catalana

Starspot #390

Andrew Neil

6.V.15 Great Peter St

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - Barcelona with D

Campari & soda on ice (on arrival at Docs Barcelona)

Being in D's dreams

Travelling with a son

Creative Accounting #409

Alan Ladd = Edward Norton

Starspots #389

4/5.15

Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall (HFR)
Alastair Campbell (Horseferry Road)
Ed Miliband (Broadway)
Trevor McDonald (New Scotland Yard)

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Late afternoon walk around Kenwood with Adam Z

Lunch at Amicis with NG

Playing late-nite backgammon with DG

Creative Accounting #755

The 39 Steps / The Riddle of the Sands x opening = Boredom

More Boredom:
Marlowe (Chandler)
Holmes (Conan Doyle)
Willard (Coppola)

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Ma's reaction to her 75th birthday present - cut pearl earrings - she'd unusually left her earrings off by mistake coming to her party in Chandler's Cross, Herts. (The Grove) where the England football team's coach was in the car park, so Harry Kane was in the building somewhere

Sunday breakfast out (Golder's Green) with The Week

D discovering old school hiphop

Creative Accounting #764

Graham Parker = Elvis Costello + Bruce Springsteen

eg White Honey

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Lunch with Jack Hazan at El Parador

Reading An Inspector Calls in the garden late on a sunny spring afternoon - and discussing it with D after

Tidying up my bookshelves and making space

Yesterday's HEE

Lunch at Amici with newspaper and amara drink

Watching Chappie with U to mark St Patrick's Day

Clearing my head with a run

Creative Accounting #763

Nick Hornby is to England what Roddy Doyle is to Ireland

Creative Accounting #762

Chappie = Robocop + Frankenstein + Star Wars plus

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Walking to and laughing over dinner with the Enfants Terribles at Nahling

Coffee & chat with Martin Bright at Amici including tales of the Mitfords

Watching the beginning of Apocalypse Now with N

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Up on the Roof - a return visit to Beautiful with N

Getting a vinyl copy of A Love Supreme at Honest Jon's in Portobello Road

Reading a mystery (The Cambridge Theorem) by the Grand Union Canal in Kensal Green

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Driving beside a silver-grey Aston Martin DB6 at the foot of Highgate Hill northside

Sunset jog in St Pancras & Islington

Talking photography with D - got each of us three a new SD card for the G1

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Music and other chat with Des Shaw at The Vine

Mayo & Kermode podcast while jogging in St Pancras & Islington

Listening to In A Silent Way

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment Entry

Protesting outside the Town Hall to save our library

Meeting with Rick Edwards about election/politics - he sent a message of support during the protest

Book group at Paul's - The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan

Today's Happiness Experiment Entry

The positive reaction to my unplanned talk on Don't Stop the Music at TV or Not TV at Somerset House

Reading about A Love Supreme in the sunshine

Listening to John Coltrane

A Love Supreme

recorded 9 Dec 1964 - Feb 65 released
New Jersey

• Elvin Jones
• Jimmy Garrison
• McCoy Tyner

the vocal chant "A Love Supreme", sung by Coltrane (accompanying himself via overdubs)
An alternative version of "Acknowledgement" was recorded the next day on December 10. This version, which included tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp and bassist Art Davis, did not feature Coltrane chanting "a love supreme" 
The only live performance of the "Love Supreme" suite was on July 26, 1965 at the Festival Mondial du Jazz Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, France

Played at Gaumont State, Kilburn - Coltrane played there in 1961

1964-04-27, 1964-06-01 recorded Crescent  (1964)

1965-02-18, 1965-05-17 recorded The John Coltrane Quartet Plays  live (1965)

1965-05-26, 1965-06-10 recorded Transition (1970)
1965-06-10, 1965-06-16, 1965-10-14 recorded Kulu Sé Mama (1967)

KIND OF BLUE

recorded New York City on March 2 and April 22, 1959 ("All Blues" and "Flamenco Sketches") - released on August 17, 1959

• 1 Miles Davis – trumpet (band leader)
• 2 Julian "Cannonball" Adderley – alto saxophone, except on "Blue in Green"
• 3 John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
• 4 Bill Evans – piano (except "Freddie Freeloader")
• Wynton Kelly – piano on "Freddie Freeloader"
• 5 Paul Chambers – double bass
• 6 Jimmy Cobb – drums

Davis had only given the band sketches of scales and melody lines on which to improvise -  Once the musicians were assembled, Davis gave brief instructions for each piece

many scholars and fans believe that Bill Evans wrote part or the whole of "Blue in Green" and "Flamenco Sketches"

Producer Quincy Jones, one of Davis' longtime friends, wrote: "That [Kind of Blue] will always be my music, man. I play Kind of Blue every day—it's my orange juice."

Evans and Chambers played on the sessions for The Blues and the Abstract Truth by Oliver Nelson in 1961

Milestones - Recorded: April 2, 1958 – April 3, 1958
1958 Miles - Recorded: May 26, 1958
*
Someday my prince - Recorded: March 7, 1961 – March 21, 1961

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b051s0fp

A Love Supreme: 50 Years On

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - Beautiful

Up on the Roof and Natural Woman in Beautiful (Carole King musical) with Ma

Reading about A Love Supreme (while listening to it) Ashley Kahn book

Signing off 3 eps of 24 Hour Party Politics

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - Woods & Zombies

Buying a gig ticket for Enfant Terrible No. 2 (Flatbush Zombies) - he's so excited, planning his trip to Brixton weeks in advance

A lunchtime chat with an Australian and an American colleague (followed by a short burst of book reading, Into The Woods)

The late afternoon sun as I worked up on the top floor of C4

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Watching a young England rugby team beat Wales at the Millennium Stadium, in particular Jonathan Joseph's masterful try

Reading Breaking the Code in the sunlit back garden

Watching the film BAFTAs with the Enfants Terribles (after a roast beef dinner together)

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

The text from N telling me Spurs had beaten Arsenal thanks to two goals from Harry Kane

A shower in the coloured dot shower

Breakfast with Eileen and Matthew at Joan's

Un Moment

Yesterday I had the satisfaction of knowing a French phrase that the two Francophones at the table did not know: Un ciel maquereau

= mackeral sky

= altocumulus undulatus

Coming to terms with the Human Condition

The essence of a conversation in the car this morning with Enfant Terrible No. 1 which started from talking about a young woman (26) who has recently lost her father to whom she was very close.

To come to terms with our mortality - which could be called Wisdom - we need to do two things, from my experience:

(1) live in the present - as opposed to religion which usually tries to convince us that there is a future beyond death (meditation is one way to regularly drag yourself back to the present) - this is the best way to make use of the limited time you do have, appreciating and using every moment (which does not mean you need to be constantly active/productive)

(2) decide what you want to do with your time - will you use it for yourself or others? ultimately it is most satisfying to do the latter.

Thursday's Happiness Experiment entry

Some flakes of snow outside La Rugoletta with Marco & Clemence, N & D

Kick-off meeting for Just Cos with Kell & Dan

Drinking Madeira wine with Marco

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Wander around St Pancras & Islington cemetery with Marco & Clemence in late afternoon

Enjoying the paintings and interiors at Kenwood with M&C

Laughing at the dinner table with D & family (near Saracens)

Star Spot #516

w/e 30/1/15 Alex Brooker (Last Leg) - HFR

Star Spot #515

w/e 24/1/15

Dr Christian Jessen - HFR

Jacques Peretti - HFR

Sue Perkins ?? - Parliament Hill

Creative Accounting #409

Two Days, One Night = Ken Loach X Arthur Schnitzler X Brecht

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Picking up Bowie's Berlin trilogy near Checkpoint Charlie and listening to it

Saturday night at the flicks with D

Doing a walking tour of Berlin with D including the Holocaust memorial

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Seeing bits of the Berlin Wall with D (especially a section inside a new building)

Going round a flea market (in Mauerpark)

D delighting in cafe society

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry

Late afternoon sun catching the top of the eucalyptus tree

Lunchtime run around St Pancras & Islington cemetery

Lavender bath

The Cure - Hammersmith Odeon 21/12/14

Shake dog shake
2
3 change???
4
5 (wailing wall)
6
Caterpillar
Japanese walk (visiting time)
Close to you
Spiderman
Let you go (sticky as chips)
1
Just like heaven *
Pictures of you **
1
I will always love you
Bass bass
(Miles and miles and miles)
(I hate my mum ) *
1
2
3

Encore 1
(Soldier song)
Charlotte Sometimes *
(The very first time)
The top? (pls come bk)

E2
(Dressed to)
2
It's never enough
4

En3
3 imaginary boys*
(Twist and turn)
(Waiting for something to happen)
Forest

En4
Love cats
Let's go to bed
Why can't I be you
Boys don't cry **
Hey you yes you

Van Morrison - Nell's Jazz & Blues Club, W. Kensington

Baby please don't go *
I just Want to make love to you
You Don't love me no more
Blue money
Days like this
Magic time
Did ye get healed? **
Think twice before you go
Symphony said
I believe
Moondance (so what/god rest ye merry gentlemen/my funny valentine) *
In my memory (the comedown)
Wherever god Shines his light *
I can't stop loving you
Enlightenment
It's too late to stop (walk when I walk) *
Brown eyed girl



Celtic Swing
Higher Than the World
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchment Farm/Don't Start Cryin Now
I just Wanna Make Love To You
You Don't Love Me No More
Blue Money
Days Like This
Magic Time
Did Ye Get Healed
Think Twice Before You Go
I Believe to My Soul
Moondance/My Funny Valentine
In the Midnight
Whenever God Shines His Light
I Can't Stop Loving You
Enlightenment
Help Me
Brown Eyed Girl


Dave Keary (Guitar)
Paul Moore (Bass)
Paul Moran (Keyboards)
Bobby Ruggiero (Drums)
Dana Masters (Vocals)

YHEE

Man hugs with an uncool half with KG - Futurgasm cast & crew screening

N getting two work experience offers and talking docs at the event

Tats and a hint of naughtiness - Codename One Step Beyond sleeve

THEE

A chat about street art and a book gifted

Reading Men Women & Children

1st Christmas lunch of the season - at C4

THEE

Shooting Scattergun with N in Chislehurst, Kent

Watching What We Did On Our Holidays with D

Christmas party at Dan & Stef's in Stoke Newington

Peter Gabriel - So - Wembley Arena

1 Shock the Monkey
2 This Time You've Gone Too Far *
3 Undergrowth
4 Solisbury Hill (remember that now gone single)
5 Why don't you show yourself? (Mexican film)
6 SO
Don't Give Up *
Mercy St
This is the picture? *
7 Biko (encore)

Star Spot #412

Fenella Fielding (Carry On Screaming) - Mayfair Hotel 29/11/14

Horst - V&A 29.xi.14

Protege of Hoyningen-Huene
Bauhaus under Gropius
"The only real male elegance was English"
Beaton
Lee Miller

Dali (1943)
Mainbocher Corset 39 ***
A torturous item of clothing
Original & Touched-up
Original better as clothing more artificial

Isherwood

Lisa Fonssageives 39 *
Nude behind veil Louis 14th style
Hand only thing in front of veil plus slit of raw reality down right

Hats by Best Lord Taylor 43 *
Red White Blue triangle
3 women reading papers

Dress by Sally Victor - Muriel Maxwell * 39
Red and white lipstick and sunglasses

Creative Accounting #588 Interstellar

Interstellar = Gravity + Inception

YHEE

East Finchley Library Users Group's first campaign meeting in Martin school - Polly & I have been campaigning for the library for 10 years now

Meditation in the garden before work

Robert Elms Show - piece on the birth of The Who

Van Morrison opening Nell's Jazz & Blues Club, London W14

Van & 7 players
With Neil T
Front row, 5 feet from the Man

1 Celtic Swing
2 Long Long Long Gone?
3 the new Symphony sid

4 Someone like you
5 Magic Time **
6 Turn Away = who can I turn to

7 veedon fleece song? = In The Midnight
8 Rough God - actor impressions
9 Mose Allison

10 Bo Diddley You don't love me *
11 Baby please Dont Go
12 sometimes we cry

13 John Lee Hooker
14 Streets of Arklow
15 John Lee Hooker Boogie Chillin *

16 brown eyed girl
17 whenever god shines his light
18 Moondance *

19 Somerset (Acker Bilk)
20 Lonely Avenue ***



NELL’S JAZZ & BLUES CLUB
LONDON
ENGLAND
3 NOVEMBER 2014
1h 51m

:Celtic Swing
:Lost John
:The New Symphony Sid
:Someone Like You
:Magic Time
:Who Can I Turn To?
:In The Midnight
:Rough God Goes Riding
:If You Only Knew
:I Can Tell
:Baby Please Don't Go >
Parchman Farm >
Don't Start Crying Now
:Sometimes We Cry
:Think Twice Before You Go
:Streets of Arklow
:Boogie Chillen
:Whenever God Shines His Light
:Brown Eyed Girl
:Moondance >
My Funny Valentine
***
:Somerset
:Help Me > Stormy Monday >
Night Time Is The Right Time >
Lonely Avenue >
Mansion On The Hill >
Mean Old World

Van Morrison : vocals, saxes, harmonicas, maracas
The Van Morrison Band :
Dave Keary : guitar;
Dana Masters : vocals;
Paul Moran : keyboards, MA;
Paul Moore : electric and double bass;
Bobby Ruggiero: drums, MC;
Alistair White : trombone, tuba;
Chris White : saxophones, flute.

Setlist:
Celtic Swing
Lost John
Symphony Sid
Someone Like You
Magic Time (Dedicated by Van to Mary Bell)
Who Can I Turn To
In the Midnight
Rough God Goes Riding
If You Only Knew
I Can Tel (You Don't Love Me)
Baby Please Don't Go/Parchment Farm/Don't Start Cryin' Now
Sometimes We Cry
Think Twice Before You Go
Streets of Arklow
Boogie Chillin
Whenever God Shines His Light
Brown Eyed Girl
Moondance/Funny Valentine
Somerset (Acker Bilk tribute)
Help Me/Stormy Monday/Lonely Ave/Stormy Monday

Leipzig Museum der bildenden Kunste

Max Beckmann of Leipzig
Portrait of a Carpet Dealer 46
Blessing hand

SP on green in a green shirt 38/9

Otto Mueller
Liebespaar 1919

Frans Masereel
Bolougne harbour 27
De Chirico

Archipenko
Wife of Artist 22
White stone

De Chirico
Two seated nudes 26
Cf Picasso classical

Friedrich
Lake by Moonlight 1827/8
Chioscuro

Graveyard in the Snow 26/7
What lies beyond?

Feuerbach
Portrait of Roman woman 1866
Modern classical

Creative Accounting #613

Dan Brown = hide & seek + art gallery

WHY are these books so successful?

Creative Accounting #612

Fury = Battle of the Bulge + Saving Private Ryan + LEBANON

Yesterday's HEE

Going with U to see Ida at the Phoenix

Local Greek en famille (Genco)

Walking to comic drawing course at Institute with D

Tuesday's and Wednesday's Happiness Experiment entry

Wed 17th

Breakfast with Tim Lovejoy at Wolesley

BAFTA sesh with Anna Rafferty

Joan Baez singing House Carpenter (Festival Hall, with Jon & Manu)

Tues 16th - N's 18th, our 19th anniversary

Cocktails and dinner at The Wolesley en famille

N's smile (post-braces)

Having an adult son

Thursday's Happiness Experiment entry

Crit Room with Anna Rafferty at Dome Theatre, Brighton as part of Brighton Digital Festival and Let's Get Real (Culture 24)

Returning to the Beech Hill, Derry the week of our wedding anniversary

Watching the Scottish Independence Referendum most of the night and getting the Union Saved result

Yesterday's Happiness Experiment entry - Derry

Walking around the walls of Derry, sitting on them, speaking on them - and passing various costumed historical characters (Culture Day)

Jogging around Beech Hill among the WW2 history (Camp One Europe)

Dinner at Browns with 360 degree Productions

Joan Baez

1 Angelina
2 Flora
3 it's all over now baby blue
4 Jerusalem
5 (house carpenter) the demon lover**
6 joe hill
7 corn bread*
8 house of the rising sun
9 diamonds and rust
10 Imagine
Swing Lo Sweet Chariot
Hills hell
Seven curses

Festival Hall
Jon, Manu

Starspot #366

Andrew Marr
The Wolesley
16.9.14

Creative Accounting #549

Natty / England = Michael Franti / USA

Today's Happiness Experiment entry - birthday special

Jogging listening to David Crosby - bought 1971's If Only I could remember my name as my birthday present to me

A fresh blackberry as first food of the day

A clay pipe from Wexford from D

The new David Mitchell novel from U

Easy Rider and Dennis Hopper photos of the 60s from Ma

Shower with new gel from Burren

Watching first cut of Bez ep 2

Long chat with Steve Moore at Temple

Guided tour of Temple Church by vicar, discussing Magna Carta

Creative Accounting #872

David Bailey X photography / Dudley Moore X music = short cheeky chappie ladies' man

Today's Happiness Experiment entry

Interviewing Jamie Oliver in his office for When Sparks Fly

Finding loads of old music to download - listening to Michael Franks now

Lunch at 15 - a celebratory sausage

Star Spot #809

Russell Brand cycling along the Regent's Canal at Hackney
31/9/14

Creative Accounting #671 - Jude Law cast as Damon Albarn

Jude Law = Damon Albarn

(Jude top, Damon bottom, if the mike wasn't a giveaway)