puppets with tin drums ‘immensely fun’ (the mule with no name)

tuesday night horsemouth was out listening to music played by amateurs (people who do it because they love it without even the alibi of remuneration, ok possibly they alibi it as ‘education’). all this was part of the spitalifields music festival 2017, it was even free (bless you people). ‘do you have a ticket? what’s your name?’ asked the woman on the door, ‘no I don’t have one.’ replied horsemouth, ‘what! you don’t have a name?’ chimed in her boss (they let the mule with no name in anyway)

Congrats to THAMES Big Band and Senior String Ensemble for the Electric Counterpoint show last night. With thanks to @SpitsMusic @rachleachmusic #partnerships #collaboration #music #performance pic.twitter.com/w42kW1J6r2

— THAMES Arts & Music (@thames_music) December 6, 2017

first up THAMES (tower hamlets arts and musical education service) senior string ensemble composed (as far as horsemouth could see) of children instead of seniors. richard meyer’s fantasia on a theme from thailand (debussyish and a bit pentatonic), three pieces by bartok, and finally momentum by richard meyer, which seemed to incorporate the tune we shall overcome (but modulating away on be-lieve). parents and carers applauded enthusiastically, siblings hid their faces and fiddled with their phones.

next up the string ensemble together with the THAMES big band - a piece ‘facilitated’ by composer rachel leach connecting bach’s counterpoint and reich’s electric counterpoint and minimalism (and connecting it with a concert on later that night hyperchromatic counterpoint by microtonal accordionist veli kujala). a flat sandwich the kids had called it (a flat as in tonality, sandwich as in structure). there were some nicely auto-conducted dynamic crescendo-diminuendo’s (in a reich-stylee) and a kind of charles mingus feel to it (horsemouth is really a bit limited as a music critic).

finally the THAMES big band on their own (as you would expect older, playing big band music from a variety of jazz composers). they  played stevie wonder’s I wish (a corker - honourable mention for the bassist and guitarist - although there must have been some changes pre-gig as horsemouth does not find their names in the concert notes), manha de carnaval (a horsemouth favourite from black orpheus), and shofuka (by michael league of snarky puppy) - the funk was had, solos were taken, back to the head and out...

thereafter horsemouth went off for a birthday celebration.

wednesday horsemouth attended a seminar on gentrification (his favourite topic) in sunny elephant and castle- the law will save us (apparently).