Sermon at Christ Church New Malden Title for Jesus Son of God

Click here for a link to the sermon I gave on Sunday 23 February.

Hope you like it.

20 albums in 20 days The Enchanted Garden by the John Renbourne Group

I've been nominated by a friend to post 20 album covers in 20 days, to Facebook, of records that have had a big impact on my life. No explanations or commentary expected. However, I thought this blog might be a place to record a comment or two. I got distracted for almost a week by OFSTED and a sermon I had to write and then deliver. Anyway, I'm not keeping to the 20 days deadline here.

When I was at Hatfield Polytechnique I made friends with Keith Badham. He lived on my corridor in Halls. He set up a folk club at the Polytechnique and he played and introduced me to some folk music. One night he played me this record. I totally fell in love with it the first time I heard it. The album also contains some French early music court dances. I've enjoyed early music really from this point on.
I saw John Renbourne in concert twice. A fantastic sound.

Click here for a link to one of my favourite tracks. Jacqui McShea's voice, the whole group just play together beautifully.

20 albums in 20 days The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd

I've been nominated by Stephen Winfield to post 20 album covers in 20 days to facebook of albums that have had an impact on me. No explanation or commentary is expected. However I thought this blog might be a suitable place to make a comment or two. 

I first heard this album in 1974. At least a year after its release. A friend and me went to a local record shop. It was called Discoveries in Wealstone High Street. The front of the shop on the pavement were rows of boxes selling second hand LP's. The front of the shop itself was a Green Grosers. My mother used to shop there every week for potatoes and onions and stuff.
In the back room was a record shop. I'd bought Aladdin Sane and Ziggy Stardust there. My friend told the guy behind the counter to play The Dark Side of the Moon. 
I remember hearing the heart beat, then the watch and clock ticking. I remember the voice. That was all I needed to hear. I bought it.  

20 albums in 20 days - Pieces of Africa Kronos Quartet

I've been nominated by Stephen Winfield to post 20 albums in 20 days to facebook. No explanations or commentaries are expected. However i thought my blog might be a suitable place to post a comment or two. Here's album cover number 3. 

Stephen Winfield bought me my first Knonos Quartet album. It was Steve Riech's album Different Trains. That was a long time ago. We went to see Kronos live once at The Royal Festival Hall. The first half of the evening they played material from a variety of their albums. Including a track from Pieces of Africa. They played Escalay by Hamza El Din. After they played it. Hamza El Din stood up from the audience and received fantastic applause from the rest of the audience. The second half of the set that evening included a colaboration with the Rumanian Gypsey  group, Taraf de Haidoulks. But that's another story. 

Click here for a link to a youtube video of Escalay.

20 albums in 20 days - The Boatman's Call Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

I was nominated by a friend to post 20 album covers that have had an impact on my life to Facebook. They're to be posted over 20 days. No explanations are expected. Just the album covers. However, perhaps my blog might be the place to write a comment or two. Here's the second album cover.

Typical. I set myself a challenge and fail to meet it on day 2. 

I was flicking through a friend's CD collection years ago and came across this album. I didn't play it but the cover - photo, title and artist struck me. Years later I was in a car park listening to David Walliam's Desert Island Discs. Katy, Iona and Arran were in a pet shop buying a hamster. Into my Arms - the first track of the album - was his first choice. I was so completely blown away by the opening line. I knew I just had to buy it.
Who could resist the line, "I don't believe in an interventionist God." And then that haunting refrain, "Into my arms, Oh lord, Into my arms." Just incredible.

Click here for a youtube video of the track.

20 albums in 20 days - Aladdin Sane David Bowie

I was nominated by a friend to post 20 album covers that have had an impact on my life to Facebook. They're to be posted over 20 days. No explanations are expected. Just the album covers. However, perhaps my blog might be the place to write a comment or two. Here's the first album.

This was the first album I ever bought. A birthday present from my dad in June 1973. I'd bought the single Starman in 1972. I bought it after that performance on Top of the Pops on the 6 July 1972. In September I bought John I'm Only Dancing, not realising it was by the same artist. Then in April 1973, there was a programme on Radio 1 that featured a new album by David Bowie. It was Aladdin Sane. I recorded the programme.
My birthday was coming up and I asked my Dad if he'd buy me Aladdin Sane for my birthday. I think it cost £2.30. He gave me the money to buy the album. I bought the album and loved it from the start. I remember one day probably a Sunday my dad came in and listened to a bit of the album with me. After listening for a while he left the room saying something like. I expect that's the last record you buy that sounds like that.  
Buying Aladdin Sane confirmed that I was a David Bowie fan. It was through this album that I discovered a love for lyrics. The lyrics mesmerized me. Soon after I started writing poetry. I still am.

Leah Fritz - Obituary by Michael Bartholomew-Biggs

Leah Fritz - Obituary

by Michael Bartholomew-Biggs

Click here to read this article in The Guardian

Leah Fritz, who was born in New York, moved to London with her husband, the artist Howard Fritz, when she retired. She took up poetry and became a well-known figure at venues all over the capital


My friend Leah Fritz, who has died aged 88, was an American writer known for her support of the civil rights, peace and feminist movements. In her two books, Thinking Like a Woman (1975) and Dreamers & Dealers (1980), she appraised the women’s movement and celebrated the work of the leading activists Andrea Dworkin and Susan Brownmiller.

When Leah retired with her husband, the artist Howard Fritz, to live in Britain in 1985, she moved her focus on to writing poetry. She soon became a well-known figure at poetry venues all over London, particularly at the Torriano Meeting House in Kentish Town, where she was still a regular visitor until a few months before her death.

Born in New York to Harry Hurwit, an architect, and his wife, Esther (nee Bloom), a building manager, Leah went to Hunter College high school in New York and then to Syracuse and Columbia universities, although she chose not to complete her studies at either institution.

An assortment of administrative jobs followed, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where she met Howard. Subsequently she began to write for publications such as Screw magazine, when it was a publication of “free love”, and the Village Voice. She continued her journalism while bringing up two children and, later, writing books.

Over the years Leah and Howard had always loved visiting London, and when they reached retirement age they decided to move there in order to focus solely on their art. Leah published five poetry collections in Britain, including From Cookie to Witch is an Old Story (1987), Whatever Sends the Music Into Time (2012) – whose cover featured an elegant and enigmatic painting by Howard – and Gone (2019), which included moving elegies about Howard, who died in 2018.

Her poetry often made skilful use of classical forms, but she also knew when and how to slip into free verse when required. Her writing was always frank and she tackled her themes head-on. She was also a sharp-eyed and forthright reviewer for several magazines. One of her poems was showcased in the Guardian’s Poem of the Week column in 2011.

Leah had a dry sense of humour and fondness for debate, and will be remembered as a loyal friend.

She is survived by her two daughters, Monica and Amy, and two grandsons, Leon and Luca.

Poetry reading at the cornerHouse Surbiton

Bernadine Evaristo - Girl, Woman, Other

So I'm busy reading Bernadine Evaristo's Booker Prize winning novel, Girl, Woman, Other in preparation for the Penguin Live and National Theatre In Conversation event with Evaristo.

Click here for a link to the Bernadine Evaristo in Conversation page on the National Theatre website.