Friday 24 September 2010

My Lake District Tour, I Found An Old Letter

Hello,

Back from Cumbria last week, weather traditional for those parts - wind and rain - but some sunny intervals! Here's the "virtual tour" as it were:-

Ullswater, they are rebuilding the pier at Pooley bridge; so the boats go from Glenridding at the moment. On the way there we spotted the Alpacas in the fields of the Alpaca Centre.
http://www.ullswater.co.uk/
http://www.thealpacacentre.co.uk/

Keswick , Breakfast @ Brysons - English Grill (NB: Tiffanys may be OK, but I doubt they serve Cumberland Sausage with brown sauce there) Toasted plumbread is great! Came away with Rum Butter and Simnel Cake.
http://www.brysonsofkeswick.co.uk/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
http://www.keswick.org/

Carlisle. A visit to see the medieval glass windows in the Cathedral. The Castle is also worth a look.
http://www.carlislecathedral.org.uk/

Penrith/ Rheged Centre. Saw Secrets of the Pyramids on the Giant 3D screen (similar to iMax in London). http://www.rheged.com/

Whitehaven, visiting family. Must get to Muncaster Castle and Ravenglass railway again. Next time maybe. http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/webcams/whitehaven_beacon1_webcam.shtml

Of course the muse of poems & lyrics went along with me; here's two I wrote this week:-

I Found An Old Letter


I found an old letter that I had from you before


Praising love as a healer


Found inside someone


When they accept another through their door.



And though some lines had faded it continued


This is what the letter said


You are such a lovely person


I’ll keep this thought for you, even if apart or dead.


I look out of my window, love and kisses were at the end.


When you left my world was hurled


From the warmth of certainties we knew


I’m reminded watching the news alone,


We could sure use some healing in our world.



Everything We Said


Was everything I said, a lie?


And all the things we did


Just practicing goodbye?


Truth held in a moment.


Lost in days,


Following love’s fall.


Happiness brief,


Sunshine through some clouds,


Is that all?




Was all you loved, some little play?


And all our nights, just ticking by,


Till then another day?


Feelings felt once


Deep, not easily undone.


Do you recall,


Believing too,


Or am I the solitary one?


Till next time, keep safe!

NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , 2010  All rights reserved.

  

Friday 10 September 2010

Lingering through... / Cumbria new home of the Blues? / Jimmy Haggard MP3 tracks review

Hi , just looking forward to another visit to Cumberland (now Cumbria) to visit family, seek the Lakes etc. This one is a reflective piece. Like most you have pictures taken @ past times, and the thought of a upcoming journey blended in to produce the following...
 
Lingering Through My Latter Days. (extract)


I’m gazing at a picture


Of a younger woman


Who still cares, still loves me.


Each morning the mirror


Reflects the older man


Facing changes, but love’s eyes see.


Love still lingers, love’s eyes see,


In the days and through the nights.


Going soon to see the roots country,


Visit folks and see the sites.

Love still lingers, love’s eyes see,


In the days and through the nights.


Remembering how it was, will be,


Humming tunes and songs with brights...


...Lingering through my latter days,



Couldn’t find better than you


Lingering through my latter days,


Simply alongside of you.

Simply alongside of you.

NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems, Cryptic Furnace Press 2010   All rights reserved.


Cumbria - new home of the Blues? Seems Cumbria/the English Lake District is fast becoming a hot bed of the Blues! What with the Maryport Blues Festival recently completed and being broadcast on the Paul Jones show BBC R2, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wrpd , http://www.maryportblues.co.uk/ and the Carlisle one coming in November http://www.carlislebluesfestival.com/ there's a real genuine interest and growing vibe in the region.

As an aside I wonder if it's due to the landscape? Denmark, Norway, Scandinavian countries also have a passion for Blues too!
  
Jimmy Haggard MP3 tracks review. Recently I came to know Jimmy Haggards work via the Blues Power Group (LinkedIn) so I took the time to do a quick review of Jimmy's MP3 tracks. There's never less than a high standard of workmanship, most of it the usual straight ahead blues - and nothing wrong there folks!


For me the tracks to note and watch are where Jimmy's influences, roots and playing click into a blend that takes the Blues beyond the norms & conventions.

This is the full review, Jimmy has a condensed version on his website http://www.jimmyhaggard.com/music.htm where you can listen to the tracks mentioned.


Mojo Hand.
I can only describe this as relaxed with a Bayou "Swamp" vibe.
We kick off this one with a killer riff at 0:06 - I wanted to hear it again but it didn't come up! (You really are a "Bad Boy" Jimmy) Also some really nice wah echo guitarwork at 1:20, 1:50 to note. Maybe the live version should set this right - not enough of the guitar stuff!
Jimmy's vocals at 0:10 reminded me of Lucinda Williams a little in the delivery.

Blue Sky.
Fairly straight ahead lyrics but these act as a nice foil to some sparky lead playing; if you like some crunchy cookies with your cream here it is!
I don't know who the bass player is, from a pic on Jimmy's website I assume he's also doubling on bass for this track. Overall there's a nice old Gibson EBO sound here - think Jack Bruce of Cream tone. Some good bass riffs avoiding cliches too. Builds nicely to the end.

It's Not Personal.
Picture a good slice of Dr. John on vocals, Phil Manzanera on guitar, more than a touch of funky reggae rhythm influence and we get.. this track.

Overall Jimmy's work shines best when he's minded to surprise you by taking the blues a little further. Not just "two toes in the mud", but wading out into the river.

You can hear more of his tracks on the Music page of his website, also sending a brief message via the Contact page to Jimmy for more details re gigs etc. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Jimmy is also part of the North Carolina Songwriters Co-op   http://www.ncsongwriters.org/fr_home.cfm

Reviewed by:  Louis J. Casson aka "Lowdown Louis" Blues lyrics and Poet 
Review date: August 24, 2010
NB: All contents © Louis J. Casson , Purple Squirrel Poems, Cryptic Furnace Press 2010 All rights reserved.