In 1948 William Unsoeld caught his first breathtaking glimpse of majestic, snow-capped Nanda Devi, rising more than 25,000 feet in northern India's Himalayan range. "I had a dream about Nanda Devi," he later recalled. "I dreamed of having a daughter to name after the peak." 

Twenty-eight years later Unsoeld, 50, returned to the mountain with an Indo-American expedition. Among the climbers assembled at the base camp was his 22-year-old daughter, Nanda Devi Unsoeld.

Two months later, just 1,500 feet below the summit, Unsoeld sent down a message it read: REGRET REPORT DEATH ON SEPTEMBER EIGHT OF NANDA DEVI AT CAMP IV...BODY COMMITTED TO THE MOUNTAIN.

As Unsoeld prepared to rejoin his family in the U.S., her mother said: "Nanda Devi died fulfilling her dream. There are worse ways of dying."


Nanda Devi

Neath The Stars

http://shop.rachelflowersmusic.com/releases

This is my cover of Teen Town by Weather Report composed by Jaco Pastorius, from the album Heavy Weather. I didn't use any click track. The drums were all played live, starting with the basic rhythm track, then I added the drum hits. I later made the two drum tracks separately in mono, so I could control the reverb for the drum hits. The synth sounds were a combination of the Nord piano 2 88 and Yamaha m06. The Rhodes piano was done on the Korg SV 88, and I played real fretless bass. For the doubling unison spots, I recorded them separately without hearing the other bass track, so it would make it easier to concentrate on the pitches. I sang the soprano saxophone parts also through a Lewitt MTP540 microphone. The conga drums were done on the Yamaha m06. ~ Rachel Flowers

Teen Town - Weather Report (cover)

Dave Evans
Reissue ‘The Words In Between’
Out on 6th July 2018
LP/CD/DL
Pre-order link: https://daveevans.bandcamp.com/album/the-words-in-between

The story goes that Ian A. Anderson and Gef Lucena were walking the streets of Clifton, trying to come up with a name for their new record label. At the time (the early 70s) Greenwich Village was naturally the mecca destination for any musician worth his 12-string, so the pair had taken to referring to their slice of Bristol as 'Clifton Village' (long before this was taken up by estate agents across the land, albeit in a very different fashion). And so The Village Thing was born; home to a great many extraordinary talents, not least of all Dave Evans, and his magnificent debut 'The Words In Between'.

Like many albums of the era - and inclination - "Words" was recorded straight to tape in someone's home (in this instance, Ian Anderson's). Nothing unusual there – the DIY aspect of making records at this time was something of a necessity, rather than an aesthetic – but one has only to look a little further to realise that the sounds Dave Evans relayed to a shiny new Revox were unique. Not just the songs, but the guitar on which he played; every aspect of his sound was of his own design. No small feat during a time when most of his peers had to beg borrow or steal an instrument, just to fulfill their Saturday night slot at the Troubadour.

Evans has rightfully earned cult status amongst anyone with an ear for the fingerpicking style of guitar. Even the most cursory glance at his 'Old Grey Whistle Test' session is enough to leave one spellbound – Lou Reed (in the audience at the time) was said to have been completely mesmerised by Evans' phenominal – yet seemingly effortless – touch. As far as comparisons go, Evans could easily sit alongside the likes of Robbie Basho or John Fahey in terms of technical ability, but the rarity of his talent lies in his gift for melody, which is relayed both instrumentally, and via his sweet Welsh lilt. In a world where it seems as though every guitar LP of the 60s and 70s has been scrutinised within an inch of its life, 'The Words In Between' might just be that rare thing: a wonderfully arcane gem.

"The Words in Between' feels clear and effortless. It's a recording of just guitar and voice, and really does guide us to the spaces in-between, where we find solace, a calm warmth. Dave’s consoling voice comes through in his words, and his exquisite guitar playing guides us along on this lovely journey. I'm so happy that this album will be put back into the world -- for new ears to love, and for the old, worn out copies to be replaced.” Steve Gunn, 2018

"After Bert, John, Ralph and Wizz, where to next? Look further than this companionable compendium of small wonders. One of the last great undiscovered folk guitar albums of its era." Pete Paphides, 2018

Dave Evans - The Words in Between

The Game

The Music From Bagpuss – Original Soundtrack
Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner
Out November 2018 on Earth Recordings

‘Shop Window’ Edition LP with lithograph prints / ‘Book back’ CD with 24 page book - liner notes from Stewart Lee, Daniel Postgate, Andy Votel and Sarah Martin

Bagpuss, dear Bagpuss 
Old fat furry cat-puss 
Wake up and look at this thing that I bring 
Wake up, be bright 
Be golden and light 
Bagpuss, Oh hear what I sing 
 
12th of February, 1974, and for an audience of small children at 1:45pm, a life irrevocably coloured by the wayward wonderings of one saggy cloth cat. Some 44 years later and Earth Recordings opens the door to Bagpuss & Co. once again, revealing for the first time the original music in all its newly-mastered splendour.  

The 32 tracks that make up the main body of the compositions are – like all good folk music – a patchwork of traditional pieces, half-remembered tunes and pure improvisation. It's testament to Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner's musicianship that the recordings work so well, not only within the context of the television episodes, but as an album in its own right. Of the recording, Oliver Postgate (in his exquisite autobiography 'Seeing Things') says: "Between them Sandra and John could play every sort of instrument from a mountain dulcimer to an Irish fiddle. They knew and could sing every tune in the world and didn't bother with written music, except as a last resort. They were exactly suited to Gabriel the Toad and Madeleine the Rag Doll and in those roles were happy to play whatever music and sing whatever songs would be needed."  

Those songs manifested themselves as reworkings of familiar tunes ('I Saw A Ship'; 'Row Your Boat'; 'Bucket's Burning'), takes on traditional ballads ('Brian O'Lynn'; 'The Frog Princess'; 'Weaving Song'; 'The Old Woman Tossed Up in a Basket') and delicious flights of fancy ('The Bony King of Nowhere'; 'Turtle Calypso'; 'Uncle Feedle'). The counterpart to Madeleine and Gabriel's more polished ditties are the interludes from the mice; a raggle-taggle chorus that accompanies the creatures' efforts of help (with the mice once famously going on strike when they were not permitted sang as they worked). Again, Postgate muses: "Once I had worked out a few episodes I would make a very rough list of the bits where I though music would be appropriate. I would send it to [Sandra and John] to think about. Then we would borrow a fairly silent room in a remote house and, taking the various articles that we intended to celebrate with us, would spend a happy day with a tape recorder, thinking up and recording whatever songs and tunes came to mind." 

The outtakes provide an intimate – and often very humourous – insight into the trio's work ethic, if it can be called such a thing. (By all accounts they sound as though they're having a very jolly time indeed.) Highlights include alternative opening words and end music, as well as Postgate sound-checking in character as Bagpuss. This never-before heard audio provides a real treat for fans (and indeed those new to the Smallfilms stable) – affirmation again to the enduring quality of these special recordings, and the beloved programme that inspired them.  
 
"An accidental classic of the folk-roots underground that we never dared hope we’d hear with such clarity." 

-Stewart Lee 
 
Released on limited edition 'Shop Window' sleeve LP, complete with five interchangeable lithograph prints, as well as 24 page Bookback CD. Contains new liner notes by Stewart Lee, Daniel Postgate, Andy Votel and Sarah Martin (Belle & Sebastian). 
 
And so their work was done.

Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner - The Princess Suite (The Music From Bagpuss)

Clip from Rene Lavice's recent Radio 1 show where he featured 'Betrayal' from my new EP on Innerground. Released 16th Nov 2018

Collette Warren, Quadrant & Iris - Betrayal (BBC Radio 1 Premiere)

I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry

I made this hommage to Lindsay Cooper in February 2019 using and digitally manipulating one of her compositions, "Court Entry" , released by ReR Megacorp records on "Lindsay Cooper: Rarities vol.1 and 2"; anyway Lindsay played all the "real instruments" (piano, alto, soprano and sopranino saxophones). Her voice is taken from an interview with Alessandro Achilli and Paolo chang made in Karlsruhe after an "Oh Moscow" concert on September 8th, 1989. Thanks to Alessandro and Paolo for letting me use a small part of this interview.

"We're All In It Together" dedicated to LIndsay Cooper

This track is from the album International Departures and is available for purchase on CD Baby here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sahkespeareandthebible

Into the Night

Songs are true stories, dreams and visions...

Nanda Devi

Andy Gibbons