Apparently, I buy too many records

My wife Helen, like every other woman i've ever lived with, believes that I buy too many records.

Which, as every record-buying man knows, is a ridiculous belief.

I will concede, however, that I do indeed buy a lot of records and that I don't afford them the same amount of listens and attention that I did 20 or 30 years ago.

To this end, I have decided to blog about the records that I buy, in order to help my appreciation of them - and perhaps to show Helen that I don't buy that many records after all.

Because i'm crap with deadlines the blog posts will be sporadic and probably be about a month or 2 behind but that's just the way i am! The posts will not necessarily be actual reviews (most likely comments, at best) and will generally be pretty damn short due to the reasons outlined above. As a writer in a previous existence i have decided not to worry about writing as art in the pieces but, instead, to attempt to convey feeling over semantic (and often grammatic) perfection.

And 'OCRB'? It stands for 'Obsessive Compulsive Record Buying' - a little known mental health affliction that is potentially damaging to the bank account but ultimately life-affirming. It is sad.......but a nice form of sad.

Friday 23 September 2011

Howard Riley & Keith Tippett: Interchange (Turning Point)

As much as i love jazz, i rarely buy new jazz albums - preferring to search out original Impulse, Riverside & Blue Note pressings and paying an arm and a leg for them. This, however, was cheap in Norman records and i needed another record to get over the £50 'free postage' curb so i took the chance.

It wasn't really much of a chance as:
a) It had Keith Tippett on it
b) It was a piano duet
c) It had Howard Riley on it
d) It was a wholly improvised live performance
e) It was only about a fiver

Needless to say, it doesn't disappoint, the two of 'em play with each other - as opposed to against each other as so many of these improv duets tend to do. They give each other respect and space and it is this that lets each musician open up and let himself flow. Highly melodic, and never abrasive, this album gets up near some of the best Keith Jarrett improv albums in quality - which is a high recommendation indeed.

One little moan though - at nearly 30 minutes per side, the grooves are a little bit too tight, and this a bit quiet at times. But that's just me being an uptight twat, so don't worry (or take any notice).  
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