Weekend at Wimereux

Hullo, just got back from two wonderful blustery days in Wimereux in the Pas de Calais where my dad and mum bought a little terraced house many years ago. I went with boyfriend Matty and good friend Kiran, and we had a great time.

The light was fantastic, the sunsets strong and golden. We walked on the dunes, the cliff top, the beach, through the sports park, to the seventeenth century fort at Ambleteuse and our eyes dried in the sea wind. Apart from Kiran's - she had sensibly brought some large dark glasses.

We saw paragliders wheeling on the thermals, gulls hovering at the same level of us, standing as we were on the sandstone cliffs, folk gathering mussels for tea off the granite rocks and the sea going out unbelievably far. This is such an amazing stretch of sand at low tide. And the waves looked turquoise green and gold-white in the sun.

The back of our Wimereux pad is such a sun-trap, we took our coffee and I went to lie on the grass as Matt luxuriated with his filterless Gitanes, his preferred cigarettes grises, underneath the kitchen window. There's a vine which curves vigorously round a metal arch, but its grapes aren't ripe yet, the same as my garden crop back home.

I think M and K really enjoyed themselves, they seemed to appreciate the adventure and said they loved the place and the company. And Wim is a charming Victorian seaside resort, a real family destination, a jolly bright town. When Blanaid was a little girl she ran along the vast stretch of sand into the sea quick as quick in bare feet, holding her rubber ring round her waist, unselfconscious and full of childish enthusiasm. Going there really brings back happy memories for me, now I'm the mother of a young grown-up.

Aster Aweke

One of my more recently discovered heroines of la musique is Aster Aweke. Yes again I've found her by listening to Late Junction, what would I do without that show? She's from Ethiopia and uses a lovely vocal texture.

I love the way she sings over band music. She is always light in her treatment, which is difficult when you sing over a loud band. Listening to her has made me want to sing with a band for the first time in many many years. Would have to be the right players though. Maybe I'll ask some old friends if they might let me have a shot.

I'm really into a song of hers on youtube called 'Emiyee' which has a rather eeky poppy jazzy accompaniment but her vocals are just so delicate and strong. I would like to get her new album. Fiona Talkington keeps playing tracks from it and it has great traditional music accompaniment which I adore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D_ciE9DDPk

At the 12 Bar

I couldn't resist posting this nice photo

Prince of Wales, Wimbledon

I'm playing Hidden Away at the Prince of Wales on 2 Hartfield Road on Tuesday 31st August. Should be lovely, I haven't been to the Wimbledon Hidden Away before. Really looking forward to this gig.

Googling myself

I guess I do google myself a bit, to see if there's any new reviews that come up for 'Doodlebug Alley' mostly. And I do laugh at strange combinations of my names. This one tells a story ...

Muogammar Nature Reserve Discovery Season
I will be on a train that arrives at Cowan Station at 9:36am, the next train ... “ friend from the netherlands is over, will see if i come ”. Jude Manik ...

Adventures in the Australian bush are going on as I google, stuck in front of my computer. It's time to get out and have some real life adventures myself.

Emma Hurok - Russian chanteuse

Emma Hurok is Eddie's grandma and she is a wonderful singer. I'm just listening to the opening of an interview of hers which Eddie has sent to me ... she's got a lovely speaking voice too. As Eddie says, her delivery is sardonic and humorous. I would have really liked to meet her. For her music and more information visit her reverbnation page.

http://www.reverbnation.com/emmahurok

Eddie has put up some lovely pictures. There's an amazing picture of Emma as a young girl holding a basket in a photographer's studio. Shades of Little Red Riding Hood.






















I asked Eddie about his grandma and he said that she was very matter of fact. My grandma was too, she was Scottish. Emma used to wear dark blue sunglasses inside like the early directors of film. There's a story about this that's familiar to silent film historians. Let me use Eddie's words to tell it as I love the way he puts it:

"Hollywood directors used them and wore them so often in the days of B&W film.. because the blue would remove the colors and give them a perspective of what the scene would look like in B&W ... well the stars and showbiz people didnt understand this.. and thought it was the new "IN" Fad to wear Blue sunglasses.. so celebrities began wearing Blue Sunglasses all over the place.. unaware they were initially used for a purpose they were in the dark ... so to speak ... about."

There's lots more interesting pictures on the reverbnation page.

Natalie Merchant - Leave Your Sleep (2010)

Listening to NM's new album ... not sure what I think of it yet. It's a long one. Twenty-six tracks, I'm only four in. A celebration of writers and writing. I liked the track 'Vain and Careless' which Fiona Talkington played on Late Junction. It's a setting of a Robert Graves piece. I'm a big fan of Graves however unsettling he may be at times ...