Amanda's 60th Birthday

Birthday girl and your correspondent (both out of lock-down "slobbing around" clothes for a change):

Opening cards:

one from hubby (how well I know my wife):

and one with a special illustration by a very special two-year-old:

and presents:

some with home-made wrapping paper:

They fit!

Flowers arrived:

More flowers:

 

Throughout the day, tea and "Cecil the Caterpillar" cake kept us going:

until I was tasked with cracking open something a little stronger:

to go with the evening's steak and chips:

Not quite the 60th we had planned but, under the circumstances, I think the birthday girl had a happy day.

Barbican Hall - Brad Mehldau Trio

Off to London to see, arguably, the finest jazz piano trio in the world today - Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard. This would be our sixth time of seeing Mehldau, following London gigs in 2002, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2017.

Naturally, with Covid-19 on everyone's minds there was some discussion about the wisdom of travelling to London for a public event. The Barbican made it clear that the concert was going ahead, so we decided to go, but with one or two minor adjustments - such as avoiding the Tube, which seems like a perfect breeding and distribution ground for a virus.

Onto the 16.13, to find the train significantly quieter than usual. Arriving at St Pancras at 17.24 we found the station also strangely quiet and subdued - especially given that it was rush hour.

A cab to the Silk Street entrance and then straight up to the Members' Lounge. We are members primarily for the advantage of getting early access to tickets, but admittance to the usually quiet and secluded Lounge is a bonus.

Pre-concert dining - sliders (one each of "Meaty Beef Patty, Cheddar Cheese & Tomato Relish", "Fried Chicken & Red Pepper Slaw" & "Beef Patty, Jalapeno Relish & Guacamole", together with string fries:

Coats checked, we took our seats in our favourite part of the Hall:

A 2002 newspaper review from my files notes that Mehldau "often starts in a casually pre-occupied manner, as if sitting down to an unscheduled practice" - and so it was on many of tonight's numbers.  As I later commented to Amanda, he often starts off hesitantly, moves into a gentle and slow expression of the melody and then, 10-12 minutes later, you realise that the band are locked into a solid, samba-esque vamp, with Mehldau soloing constantly, and that you have become so mesmerised that you have no idea how they made the progression.  As always, Larry Grenadier on bass and Jeff Ballard on drums were such instinctive, empathetic side-men that, more often than not, it felt as if they were playing as a single entity rather than as three individuals.

All too soon, after 110 minutes of sublime music (including three encores) the band took their final farewells:

These reviews are well worth a look:

• Jazz Journal
• London Jazz News

We collected our coats from the cloakroom and headed out at speed, managing to flag a cab in Silk Street which got us back to St Pancras without delay.

Drinks and snacks purchased from Pret a Manger, we headed up to the concourse and settled down for what promised to be a long wait for our booked train at 00.15.  

Grateful thanks, then, to the barrier staff who, seeing us and a few other souls remaining seated as everyone else moved through the barrier for the 23.08, shouted to us to get on that service, rather than waiting for a further hour.  

As a result we arrived home at around 01.35 and were in bed 10 minutes later - a full hour earlier than anticipated.

King John - RSC Swan Theatre - Stratford-upon-Avon

Across to Stratford to see Shakespeare's least-performed play - King John:

A straightforward run, checked into the Premier Inn and then into town, to Edward Moon:

"Smile", the boss said, so I did:

"Salmon in Filo Pastry" for Amanda:

and for me, "Warm Mousseline of Chicken stuffed with Cave Matured Roquefort and Fresh Harvested Walnuts with a Sauce of Sorrel Hollandaise and Julienne of Russet Apples".  Not really - I had the House Burger:

Followed by "Strawberries & Cream Cheesecake" for me and "Profiteroles" for Amanda:

(On the day of our wedding I was asked if I was nervous about Amanda not showing up.  "Not really", I replied, "we're having profiteroles at the reception".)

Grateful thanks to nephew T, whose Christmas present of an Edward Moon voucher subsidised much of the evening's repast.

Out into the drizzle and a quick walk to the RSC Swan Theatre.  The auditorium was not yet open, so we waited on the landing, where the streetlight filtering through the stained glass windows caught my eye:

We were amongst the first in:

Obligatory selfie:

So, what of the play?  Not for the first time I found myself torn between admiration for a thoroughly professional and engaging production, with some genuinely innovative moments, and a dawning realisation that I'm even more of a traditionalist than I thought I was when it comes to Shakespeare.  Having seen this 1960s-set production, with food-fights and boxing-matches standing in for battles, a female King John (male pronouns retained in the text but dresses in the costume changes) and a (male) Cardinal played by a female with the brassy confidence of Coronation Street's Elsie Tanner at her most formidable, I confess that I later longed to see a 'traditional' version to compare it with.

Most of the good, and not so good, points about this production are covered in the following reviews:

·        British Theatre Guide

·        Broadway World

·        Bum On a Seat

·        Elementary Whatson

·        Moss Cottage

·        My Theatre Mates

·        Peter Viney

·        Plays to See

·        Reviews Gate

·        Roshan Doug

·        Stage Review

·        Stratford Observer

·        The Bardathon

·        The Birmingham Press

·        The Guardian

·        The Leamington Spa Courier

·        The Real Chris Sparkle

·        The Reviews Hub

·        The Standard

·        The Stratford Herald

·        Weekend Notes

·        What's On Stage

For anyone wishing to make their own mind up, the play is being live streamed to cinemas around the country on 29th March 2020.

Feeling like a change, in the morning we had breakfast at The Vintner:

The view across the street to the Oxfam bookshop, which Amanda rarely fails to check out:

Your correspondent in pensive mood:

A "Full English" for me, and "Scambled Eggs on Toast" for Amanda:

Well satisfied, and with expectations of returning in future, we wandered out and around town.  To Waterstones, where a couple more books made their way onto my "Want " list, and then down to the river, where the recent rainfall had resulted in one of the highest levels we had seen there:

Though these chaps just take it in their stride (or paddle):

A quick drink in Costa, and then an uneventful run home, with no sign of the gale-force winds that had been forecast the day before.

Marc Copland Trio - Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho

Off to London to see the Marc Copland Trio at the Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho.

American Copland started his musical life as a saxophonist, but then spent ten years retraining as a pianist.  I have around a dozen of his recordings but have never seen him live.

A straightforward run down on the 15.38 and then a walk to Judd books where, rarely, we came away empty handed.  

More walking and then a short cab ride, and we reached Soho around 30 minutes before the club doors were due to open at 18.30.  A wander around the streets, including through Soho Square, from where we could see Centre Point:

Eventually retracing our steps, we arrived at the venue:

Through the restaurant, down the spiral staircase at the rear and a short wait with others in the tiny vestibule area before the maitre d' started assigning tables.  Having indicated our preference when we made the booking we got one of my favourites - right in front of the drums:

but with a good view of the bass:

and piano:

Happy bunnies:

Chillin':

After food (La Reine Pizza on a classic base, Pollo Pesto, chocolate fondant and cheesecake) and a while spent observing our fellow diners, we were ready for the band to take to the stage.

Marc Copland:

Bassist Drew Gress:

Depping for the indisposed Joey Baron, drummer Jonas Burgwinkel from the Pablo Held Trio:

Two sets of fantastic jazz, with most tunes coming from Copland's latest recording, "And I Love Her", which features the Beatles tune of the same name. 

Jazz blogger Sebastian Scotney and British saxophonist Julian Siegel were both in attendance, and during the interval were helping to sell Marc's new CD.  I had taken my own copy with me and Marc and Drew were kind enough to sign it as a memento of the evening.

The band took their bows:

and then returned for a single encore, before which Marc reminded us that the venue had instructed them to close at 22.30, and that by encouraging them to play on we were putting them in danger from the large ceiling-mounted scythe that was likely to descend at any moment and literally cut him off:

I'm not sure Drew believed him:

The final bow:

Out into Soho, a quick walk in light drizzle to Oxford Street and a cab back to St Pancras where, it being mid-week, everything seemed much quieter and more deserted than when we go down on a Friday night:

Home at around 02.40 and to bed about 5 minutes later.

The next day, Sebastian Scotney's web site contained a review.  The photos contained in that review were taken by Polish photographer Monika Jakubowska, and more photos of the gig can be found here.  

Careful examination of a number of these reveal your correspondent and his partner in crime.  For those who need assistance in locating them, I offer these clues: