I went to see James Morrison (the Australian jazz musician, not the singer) at Birmingham's Symphony Hall with the Black Dyke Band on Sunday. It was a really good gig. So good, in fact, that my brother actually played his post horn. That doesn't happen often outside his own back kitchen. Now this particular James Morrison announced to the audience that he was going to play a duet. When pressed by Nick Childs for more information he declared that he was going to play a diet on his own. He'd already done his party piece and played the trumpet in one hand and the trombone in the other so what manner of duet was he proposing. Well his rendition of Basin Street Blues. Quite fitting given the proximity of Symphony Hall to Gas Street Basin, I thought, but I didn't say anything because I'm quite shy and I don't like to draw attention to myself. Anyway back to the duet. Morrison played the trumpet with his right hand and the piano with his left. Not alternating between them like he does with the trumpet and trombone but he actually played them both at the same time. Pretty impressive stuff eh?Impressive yeah, but he didn't play the post horn.
Whilst I was in Birmingham I took the opportunity to obtain some of Mont Blanc's latest special edition ink. Its the Meisterstuck Diamond blue ink. I quite like it. I guess some of you are going to be inundated with it for the short term until I find something else to excite me. Que sera, sera.
Yesterday we went to Coventry. Before you ask I wasn't sent there I went of my own accord. We have wanted to see the cathedral there for some time and so we finally made it. It's impressive stuff. That tapestry is just immense. Giles Brandreth was there too doing some filming for, we think, the One Show. He didn't ask for my autograph though. So I didn't ask for his. But if you're interested he said his three grand-children are fine. Sorry I don;t have any pictures. I'll go back another time and get some for you.
