The Aardvark Blog

Death of Mary Campbell, CD Review and R3 Schizophrenia, Wes Montgomery and Milt Jackson, fantastic academic library purchase
20/02/2016

It was with great sadness that I opened my email this morning to news of the death of Mary Campbell, a very supportive customer and a staunch member of H.Art and other local art groups and circles. Mary's funeral will take place at 1pm on Monday the 29th of February at Leintwardine Church, and I am sure that many of those who knew her will wish to attend. I have many memories of Mary in the shop, and I particularly remember her kind words when I told her of Edward's death nearly two years ago.

Before I read this sad news I was in a terrific mood driving in, as there was yet another excellent episode of Radio 3's CD Review. First off they played a new version of Dumbarton Oaks by Stravinsky for two 'period' pianos. In my ignorance I had not realised that we had reached a point where the authentic instrument movement now applied to 20th century as well as baroque and romantic music. There followed a wonderful new Berlin Ensemble recording on Harmonia Mundi of Handel's Water Music. Who would have thought that even this overly familiar piece could be rendered bright and new. It was with some sadness that I reached the bookshop and had to turn off before they played a new Satie recording. Can anybody explain to me how a radio station capable of such wonders as CD Review of the composer of the week, can also be responsible for the terrible mish mash that is 'Essential Classics'. Only a severe form of institutional schizophrenia can provide an adequate explanation.

Last night my sister came to help us with the shop over the weekend, whilst  we go to help Tony Good a long-time friend of Aardvark and our esteemed coffee supplier, celebrate a significant birthday ( no it is not 21) in some style. Over supper I played a Milt Jackson record - Wes meets Bags - that I haven't played for a couple of years. What wonderful musicians they both were. One thinks of Montgomery as more of a Blues player, but he was also a very accomplished jazz sidesman. Milt Jackson was simply incomparable and showed what a wonderful instrument the vibes can be in the right hands. Last November we had a wonderful vibes player play with the Trevor Davies Trio, and I very much hope we can get the same line-up again.

Finally on Thursday we bought a very high quality academic's library, specialising in middle English and early english texts. Numerous volumes from the Early English Text Society, and much more. The books have already started to go out in the shop and I will try and get the complete library out by this time next week. A real treat for scholars and others interested in the period from Chaucer to Shakespeare.