A Little History of the World - E.H.Gombrich

My most amiable companion for the recent gigs has been the 1935 classic 'A Little History of the World' by Austrian born art historian and writer Ernst Hans Gombrich. It's a book that was aimed at young readers - & in Gombrich's kindly, avuncular tone events from long ago seem much closer & connected to us. This humanity & warm-heartedness is touching & it leaves me dreaming of a world where people express their ideas before their egos. Perfect for any one who wants a satisfying read but may only have time to read in snatches - as every one of the forty chapters is self-contained - and of course for any one who loves great story telling! Strongly recommended, love tt

A Monster Calls

Just finished reading 'A Monster Calls'. The book's own history is worth telling. Siobhan Dowd was a children's writer who died in 2007 from cancer. At the time of her death she had left some details of the story, the characters, a detailed premise and a beginning but sadly did not have the time to write it. Her publishers commissioned author Patrick Ness to complete the book & Jim Kay to illustrate it. The young boy's struggle to accept a terrible loss is a universal one & the illustrations are so powerful that it's worth buying the book for them alone. It already feels like a classic to me, love tt

H.G. Wells, Tracie Bennett & End of the Rainbow

I've begun reading H.G.Wells so I was curious to see a production of 'The Invisible Man' at the Menier Chocolate factory [link]. It was enjoyable, and I loved the re-creation of an evening of good old-fashioned Victorian entertainment but the pace could have been faster. Also saw 'End of the Rainbow' at another charming small theatre the Trafalgar Studios [link]. Tracie Bennett gives a truly thrilling performance as Judy Garland during the the final months of her life shared with her last husband Micky Deans. I marvel at the energy of such a performance and the audience gave Tracie Bennett and the rest of the cast a deserved standing ovation. This production also gives me a good excuse to post a video of Judy Garland and Peggy Lee singing together. I don't want to be overly nostalgic but I think it's rare to find singers today who can sing so effortlessly. I hope you enjoy Love tt

Catch Up !

When you finish making an album, there's the euphoric bit ' Wow, I've just made a record ! ' and in the weeks that follow there's the bit where you feel slightly lost. I'm experiencing that bit right now. So, I've been catching up on some theatre, I saw 'Deathtrap' [link] with a great cast led by Simon Russell Beale, miraculously I did not know the story & was the perfect audience member, jumping out of my seat with every twist in the plot. I also saw 'A disappearing Number' which had a brief revival in the West End. This was the second time I've seen it - why am I so fascinated by a show which has so much mathematics (by far my worst subject at school) ?! Well, it is poetic and ends up being as much about love & loss as mathematics and there is the comforting thought of all the infinities :) Saw the film 'Winter's Bone' [link] great performances, you will either be a little frustrated by the vagueness of the plot or find that the most compelling thing about it. I'm also listening to a lot of music in a wonderfully intense way, the process of making a record makes you hyper aware of every nuance of other records not just your own. I was listening to the radio & discovered the American librettist & lyricist Dorothy Fields [link]. One track after the other, 'I can't Give you Anything but Love, baby', 'The Way You look Tonight' and 'If they could See Me now' came on & I was just floored. The lyrics are extraordinary. I've started Field's biography and I'm sure I will discover more of her great music. Anyway, please enjoy Judy Garland's live version of 'I Can't Give You Anything but Love', it's heartbreaking & glorious, lotsoflove tt

Music, music, music ...

Recently, I’ve been pre-occupied with the planning of my new record (yes, the new record that I seem to have been planning/stalling for two years!) We have finally decided on the final recording schedule, the producer, musicians, the studio and the city in which we will record. I think I even have a title, which is strangely always the most difficult decision… And though I’m no Lady Gaga I must admit a lot of my thinking has drifted to what I will wear in the studio. I want to look the part! One of my favourite photos of a musician and how he is dressed is this famous image of Sviatoslav Richter… it looks like he’s been styled by Margaret Howell ! Will it be wide legged trousers for me? All this crucial thinking explains why my blog has been rather distracted. I will redeem myself this week by choosing a charming but super cheesy wake up song and a TT test subject whose jokes are famous for being cheesy but with one of the warmest voices on radio it just makes him even more appealing : ) lotsoflove tt

Slightly foxed editions and Persephone Books

Reading a memoir by the late Richard Kennedy of his youthful apprenticeship at Leonard and Virginia Woolf ‘s Hogarth press. It’s refreshing to see Virginia Woolf remembered as rather vibrant and sophisticated and not simply depressive, and the eccentricity of writers even running a printing press ( I mean that’s as absurd as an artist running a record company!) is heart-warming. The Bloomsbury memoir is coupled with ‘A Parcel of Time ‘, where Kennedy describes his childhood and how it is affected by the First World War. I’m really enjoying this book but what I am really dotty about are ‘Slightly Foxed Editions’ who publish it [link]. I’ve eagerly collected all their titles since I discovered them about two weeks ago! These are books you want to hold AND touch. There are some really exciting independent publishing houses now that understand that reading is not solely a visual activity but also a tactile one. Another great bonus is that often they are re-publishing books that have been unjustly forgotten and unavailable. Persephone books [link] is another fine example of this. They publish gorgeous editions – using a fabric design for the book’s interior which match the mood and date of the book. ‘Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day’ by Winifred Watson is my current favourite, how could we have lived without this book for so long ?!! Lots of Love tt

Addie Pray & Staff Benda Bilili

Have you ever seen the movie 'Paper Moon' ? I'm reading the original book that the film is based upon by Joe David Brown. It's so good that I can't understand why it isn't more widely read or why it was out of print for so long. I have to resist reading it all in one day because I don't want to lose the company of such great characters as Addie Pray and Long Boy. I'm also loving this track 'Polio' from Staff Benda Bilili, the raggedy guitar sound and soulful playing is awesome - wish I could play like that !! love tt

Books

Paris again this week. It is very hot and quite empty and in the evenings walking across the city you feel like you are in an early 1970s psychological spy thriller ( or maybe that's just me especially when I reach the fun fair in the Jardin des Tuileries !! ). I met up with Larry Klein the producer and musician for a very refreshing chat and cup of tea. We also browsed around the Galignani bookshop where he kindly bought me ' The Selected Essays of Gore Vidal ' and I chose for Larry, Edmund White's ' The Flaneur ' ( we were in Paris ! ). It's a book that expresses how seductive the city is and also what makes me feel sort of distrustful and less comfortable in it. Anyway, it's a real joy to wander into a bookshop and pick out a book for someone you are just getting to know ( I 'd almost forgotten this very old fashioned pleasure ). Here is a classic track that Larry produced with a lovely performance from Madeleine Peyroux. Hope you enjoy, lots of love tt

Gerald Kersh and Bill Withers

Hello, I'm in the middle of a riveting read. It's called 'Night and the City' by Gerald Kersh. Never heard of him till about three minutes ago! And the only reason I discovered him was because I was listening to a radio play and the American accent of the actress puzzled me. So I googled her to see if it was genuine. It was. I'm afraid I don't remember her name but I am thankful to her as she mentions on her website that her favourite writer in the world is Gerald Kersh. Gerald Kersh ?!! How can someone's favourite writer be someone I've never heard of ? Anyway, if you like the idea of a twitchy protagonist crisscrossing a shady 1930s London you are in for a treat with 'Night and the City'... I'm a bit over-excited. A friend has just sent me a link to a new documentary about Bill withers : stillbillthemovie.com. I think Bill Withers is amazing and I can't wait for this film to be released. Take care , lots of love tt.