Blue sunday

To say there’s a lot going on around here right now would be something of an understatement. As well as anticipating the publication of our brand new book (only a week to go if you’d like to order a copy with free worldwide shipping!) we are, in fact, in the middle of moving house (gulp), as well as beavering away with the preparatory work for a forthcoming club that is both more radically different and wider ranging than anything we’ve done previously. The new club is really very exciting, and I’ll be able to tell you all about it, and some of the knitting I’ve been doing in a couple of weeks time. I’ll be able to say more about the new house very soon too, which is a good thing, since I am utterly over the moon about it, and bursting to tell you.

In the meantime, if you are looking for something uplifting to accompany your knitting today, I have two great pieces of audio to share, as well as a Sunday playlist I’ve really enjoyed putting together.

I love Ramblings, – the radio 4 series in which Claire Balding celebrates everyday walking and walkers around Britain – but last week’s episode, featuring Huddersfield’s We in Front walkers, was probably the most joyous I’ve ever heard. Give it a listen – you won’t be disappointed.

Next up: jazz and dogs! Last week marked the centenary of the first performance of George Gershwin’s groundbreaking Rhapsody in Blue, which also happens to be BOB (the dog’s) all time favourite piece of music. You perhaps think I’m joking, but I’m actually not: the fact is that when BOB hears Rhapsody in Blue, he likes to find a squeaky ball and immediately play along. You still don’t believe me? Well, here is BOB accompanying an early gramophone recording of the Paul Whiteman orchestra, playing a section of one of the five iconic themes of Gershwin’s piece (the one that that David Schiff refers to as “train”). Squeaky ball alert!: don’t turn your volume up too high!

Please note how BOB’s accompaniment is not only satisfyingly rhythmic and contrapuntal – but indeed, almost tuneful! The crazy tempo is due to my overwinding of the gramophone – but BOB says not to apologise, because he likes it at that speed.

Anyway, the reason I’m mentioning Gershwin’s Rhapsody is because of Radio 3’s brilliant programme all about it and its background, impact, and long-lasting cultural significance as an “American” piece of music – with all of the questions that the idea of “American-ness” entails. It’s a fascinating listen, whether (like BOB) you are a huge fan of the Rhapsody or not.

Finally, in honour of Rhapsody in Blue, and all associations between colours and music generally, I thought I’d share my Blue Sunday playlist. Making themed playlists is something Tom and I often like to do, and we have several favourites whose themes range from chickens and nuts to trains and bees. We follow two rules when selecting playlist tracks:

1) To be included on a playlist, the track has to be a song or tune you genuinely enjoy, not one that simply addresses the theme (eg, I’m not a particular fan of Blue Suede Shoes, or Tangled up in Blue and for this reason, too Joni Mitchell’s Blue is excluded, as it’s my least favourite track on her wonderful album of the same name)

2) The playlist must have an overall sonic coherence (for this reason, New Order’s Blue Monday is excluded, because it doesn’t chime with the Blue Sunday vibe)

You can find my Blue Sunday playlist here or below.

1. Blue Mosque, Don Rendell / Ian Carr Quintet
2. Blue in Green, Bill Evans Trio
3. Pale Blue Eyes (The Velvet Underground)
4. Azul Serape (Cannonball Adderly Quintet)
5. Under a Blanket of Blue (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong)
6. Am I Blue? (Hoagy Carmichael and his Orchestra) 
7. For you Blue (The Beatles)
8. Misty Blue (Dorothy Moore)
9. Born to be Blue (Mel Tormé)
10. Fiesta in Blue (Lambert, Hendricks and Ross) 

Please share your own favourite “blue” tunes in the comments and enjoy your Sunday, blue or not.

Kate x