Glasto rocks (some of the time)

I tend to avoid music festivals in the UK, largely on the grounds of potentially poor weather. But this year Glastonbury has enjoyed sunshine and heat and conditions have been perfect. Of course, the other reason for avoiding festivals such as Glasto is the quality of the music. There are few new bands and singers that I have any time for. But having said that, there have been quite a few artists at Glastonbury who have been of interest - mostly, it has to be said, of the older generation, although I did quite enjoy Raye, who seems to have at least a part of the talent of Amy Winehouse. Of those acts on the first two nights it was good to see reggae band Third World and I thought Rick Astley put on a good show, all things considered. However the most interesting line up was on the final day, Sunday. There was Yusuf (Cat Stevens) - pictured below - who, although never a favourite of mine, was a good songwriter, as 'Wild World' and 'First Cut Is The Deepest' testify. After disappearing from the music business for so long it was good to see him again, and in good form. Even better was the appearance of Blondie. Of course by Blondie I mean Debbie Harry. I remember seeing her at King George's Hall, Blackburn, in February 1978 (one of my spine tingling moments) and she was absolutely gorgeous. I was surrounded by young punks who were pogoing and spitting and I suddenly felt rather old at the age of 31. But Blondie, and Debbie Harry, were great. She is now 77, and even older than me (by a few months), but still looks pretty good, with thigh boots, blonde hair and trendy shades. Her set included many favourites such as 'Atomic', 'Hanging On The Telephone', Rapture'and 'The Tide Is High'. I bought all of Blondie's albums back in the day, and the songs still sound good today.

Another act that I enjoyed was Jamaican reggae artist Barrington Levy, who was excellent on songs such as 'Too Experienced','What Kind Of World' and 'Living Dangerously'.

High point of Glastonbury for me was the appearance of Candi Staton. a singer who I have admired and seen quite a few times over the years. Candi is now 83 but still has a great voice. Her set included some early tracks such as 'I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than A Young Man's Fool', recorded at Muscle Shoals in 1968, 'Stand By Your Man' from 1970, 'In The Ghetto' from 1972 and 'Nights On Broadway' from 1976, along with more disco orientated tracks such as 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Young Hearts Run Free'. She was emotional speaking about her cancer - she is now cancer-free, she said - before leading into her huge hit 'You Got The Love'. A great set and very touching at times.

Biggest event at this year's Glastonbury was the first ever appearance at the festival of Elton John and, apparently, his last ever touring show in the UK. There was much fanfare about this and it was claimed that Elton would do a completely different set from his usual one with several special guests. Dressed in a shiny gold suit, he began with 'Pinball Wizard', to much acclaim, and continued with 'The Bitch Is Back'. Although not a great fan, I have to say that he seemed well up for it and it was hard to ignore his professionalism and drive. 'Benny and the Jets' followed along with 'Daniel' and 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' - reminders of his many hits. 'i Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues' came next, then 'Philadelphia Freedom' and 'Are You Ready For Love' (with Jacob Lusk of the Gabriels). The set meandered a bit in the middle before getting back on track with 'Your Song', 'Candle In the Wind' and 'Tiny Dancer', a duet with Brandon Flowers of The Killers. 'Crocodile Rock' was included as darkness fell over Worthy Farm, then came 'Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting' with an explosion of ticker tape, and 'I'm Still Standing', 'Cold Heart', 'Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me' and, inevitably 'Rocket Man'.

Elton with Rina Sayawama on 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'.

Fingerpoppin' Soul reaches 30

I must congratulate Amsterdam's soul superstars Harry Van Vliet and Hans Diepstraten on reaching the 30th anniversary of their first Fingerpoppin' Soul radio show. Their weekly broadcast has racked up 1545 shows so far and hopefully it will continue for many years to come. How they manage to maintain the high quality week after week is quite amazing. I was fortunate enough to take part in a show back in 2014 and it's clear that their enthusiasm and knowldge about soul music is second to none. They presented me with a pack of picture sleeve soul 45s - a generous gesture which they have done on many occasions over the years, including at shows that they have been to and at the Porretta Soul Festival, which Harry and Hans sometimes attend. Not sure if I will see them there next month but I hope so. Harry contacted me the other day to share a photo of him with Gladys Knight, who visited Amsterdam as part of her farewell tour which also saw her play at Hampton Court Palace on Tuesday. As ever, Harry presented her with a record pack and the photo above commemorates the moment. In a Facebook post today they showed two paintings presented to them by a local artist named Annelies Bannenberg, one of which, I was intrigued to see, was based on a photo I took of Harry and Hans with their bicycles in 2014. Here's the photo and the painting.

Here are a couple of photos taken with Harry and Hans when I visited. Congratulations to them both!

Astrud and Cynthia RIP

There have a few significant music deaths in the last few days. The most recent is that of Astrud Gilberto, aged 83. She leaves behind an indelible mark on the world of music. With her velvety voice and captivating style, Gilberto became an iconic figure in the bossa nova genre, enchanting audiences with her timeless classics and paving the way for a new era of Brazilian music. Born on March 29, 1940, in Salvador, Brazil, Astrud Gilberto rose to international fame with her mesmerizing rendition of "The Girl from Ipanema." Recorded in 1964 alongside her then-husband João Gilberto and composer Antônio Carlos Jobim, she became a global sensation, introducing the world to the seductive rhythms and smooth melodies of bossa nova. Gilberto's ethereal vocals and her ability to effortlessly convey emotion through her music became her trademark. Her talent extended far beyond "The Girl from Ipanema," as she continued to release a string of critically acclaimed albums, such as "The Astrud Gilberto Album" and "Beach Samba," captivating audiences with her soothing voice and intimate interpretations. Throughout her career, Astrud Gilberto collaborated with many renowned musicians of her time, including Stan Getz, Walter Wanderley, and Quincy Jones.

Another death is that of Cynthia Weil (82) who, together with her husband Barry Mann, wrote numerous hit songs. Weil began her career in the 1960s and gained prominence in the famous Brill Building, where she met Barry Mann, and they began collaborating on music together. The duo became one of the most successful songwriting partnerships in the industry. Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann wrote numerous chart-topping hits during the 1960s and 1970s, including "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (The Righteous Brothers), "On Broadway" (The Drifters) and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" (The Animals). Other early classics included 'Bless You' by Tony Orlando, 'Where Have You Been' by Arthur Alexander, 'He's Sure the Boy I Love' by the Crystals, and 'Kicks' by Paul Revere and the Raiders. Weil and Mann's songwriting prowess was recognized with several accolades. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, and they received the Johnny Mercer Award, a prestigious honour for outstanding achievements in the field of songwriting. In addition to her work with Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil has collaborated with other songwriters and artists throughout her career. She co-wrote the song "Here You Come Again" performed by Dolly Parton, which became a major hit in 1977. She also worked with composer James Horner on the soundtrack for the film "An American Tail," co-writing the Academy Award-nominated song "Somewhere Out There." NB: These were part written by ChatGPT. Cheating or just common sense?