Author
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Laurence Mitchell
Writer and photographer based in Norwich, UK-
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Category Archives: music
Shirley Collins and the fall of Eden
In 1969 an album was released entitled Anthems in Eden. Its creators were sisters Shirley and Dolly Collins, folk musicians who hailed from Sussex in southern England. Released on the newly created Harvest label, and much lauded by the likes … Continue reading
Posted in Folklore, music
Tagged Anthems in Eden, Ballad of Shirley Collins, Dolly Collins, Eden, folk music, Shirley Collins, Sussex
7 Comments
Space is the Place – Shakespeare and Sun Ra
Still reeling from the solar onslaught of the Sun Ra Arkestra the previous night we travelled yesterday to Great Yarmouth to see The Tempest at the town’s Hippodrome Theatre. The Sun Ra Arkestra fronted by nonagenarian alto-sax maestro Marshall Allen … Continue reading
Posted in Literature, music, Norfolk, Uncategorized
Tagged Great Yarmouth, Hippodrome, Norfolk and Norwich festival, Norwich, psychogeography, Shakespeare, Sun Ra Arkestra, The Tempest
5 Comments
Lunar Sun (Ra)
This post comes not from Elveden or points east but from Arden, as in Tanworth-in-Arden; from the lush green countryside between Redditch and Solihull in northwest Warwickshire, that rolling bucolic Eden that lies just south of the diesel-rank treadmill that … Continue reading
Posted in Folklore, music
Tagged festivals, Lunar, Midlands, music, Nick Drake, Sun Ra Arkestra, Tanworth
9 Comments
Rain
Lying in bed this morning with the curtains still drawn it was obvious enough that it was raining outside, the thrum of workday traffic softened to a watery swash. Soon the hum became augmented by the unmistakeable sound of running water on the street … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, music, Travel
Tagged bridges, Cherrapunjee, India, living root bridges, Meghalaya, monsoon, rain
5 Comments
Tomsk Waits
In contrast to the northwest Scotland of previous posts, the central Siberian city of Tomsk is indisputably East of Elveden – both figuratively and geographically. It is, after all, almost one quarter of the way around the world heading east from where … Continue reading
Posted in History, Literature, music, Travel
Tagged architecture, food, railways, Russia, Siberia, Tomsk, Trans-Siberian
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Homeward to Mingulay
Heel y’ho boys, let her go, boys Bring her head round now all together Heel y’ho boys, let her go boys Sailing homeward to Mingulay! What care we tho’ white the Minch is What care we for wind and weather? … Continue reading
Posted in History, music, Travel
Tagged birds, communities, Hirta, islands, Mingulay, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, St Kilda
2 Comments
Dancing about Architecture
St Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich, May 19 Yesterday’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme included a short feature on the 73 year-old American jazz bassist Charlie Haden. In the interview Haden discussed his musical history and how he had started out singing with his family in … Continue reading
Azerbaijan – Azerbaijazz
Eurovison Song Contest 2011. This year it is Azerbaijan’s turn to take the honours at the annual whine and cheese fest. As this year’s winners become next year’s hosts, May 2012 will no doubt see Baku, the Azerbaijan capital, shimmering with a million sequins … Continue reading
Posted in music, Travel
Tagged Azerbaijan, Baku, Caspian Sea, Caucasus, jazz, statues
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Norwich Wolves
Norwich Wolves. Not a Premier League football fixture (that should happen next season now that it looks less likely that Wolverhampton Wanderers will be relegated) but this year’s opening of the annual Norwich and Norfolk Festival. As with most years, some dramatic street theatre has been … Continue reading
Posted in music, Norfolk
Tagged festival, Norfolk, Norfolk and Norwich festival, Norwich, street theatre
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