I’m pleased to announce that I now have a regular weekly slot on Hospital Radio Swindon. As expected I’ll be presenting a jazz and blues show focusing on album and concert reviews, gig listings and a smattering of great jazz and blues (and the occasional bit of fusion) from across the decades.

It’s great to be back behind the desk again after a long break since my time on URY. I look forward to getting back into the grove with presenting and hopefully moving onto bigger and better radio orientated things in the future.

Listening to last.fm this evening I was played a song that “I may like” on the grounds that it might be similar to music I already had in my library.

Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, asked for more,
I stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland

The wonderful voice, lyrics and deep heartfelt emotion in Song For Ireland very nearly brought tears to my eyes. This is one not to be missed.

I just put on Chris Botti’s slowing down the world album and heard this song which I haven’t listened to in ages. Never have truer words been sung.

In the wee small hours of the morning
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
You lie awake and think about that girl
But never ever think of counting sheep

Now when your lonely heart has learned his lesson
You’d be her’s if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That’s the time you miss her most of all

Now when your lonely heart has learned his lesson
You’d be hers if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That’s the time you miss her most
For as now you miss her most
That’s the time you miss her most of all

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip to Cumbria to stay with Jill Amey for a couple of days and then afterwards headed slightly further north for the Solway Festival where I stayed with Sarann and enjoyed the sights and sounds for the remainder of the bank holiday weekend.

When I went off to university I all but lost touch with my school French teacher and good friend Jill Amey, but fortune allowed us to get back in touch via e-mail and led to an invite to go and stay for a few days at her new home in Cumbria. We spent some time discussing what had been going on at my old school after I left and also caught up on everything we’d respectively been doing since I left A level French class. In addition I was given a grand tour of the local area and took in some fantastic sights. It was certainly not hard to see how you can move to the country for work and then fall in love with the surroundings.

Solfest was spectacularly good fun as always and catching up with Sarann and her family at the same time was great. To say we got a little wet would be an understatement but the atmosphere and music were excellent and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate in going again next year, especially seeing as the eclectic nature of my last.fm list is more than just a little enhanced by my visits to the event!

A full and more comprehensive description of my trip is best done in photos and these have already been uploaded to my gallery. I’ve tried my best to capture the Cumbrian scenery but the photos really don’t do it justice - you should definitely spend a few days in the area yourself.

After a short delay I have finally put my photos online from North Sea Jazz 2009. I have yet to add the titles and captions but I’m sure you’ll be able to capture the wonderful atmosphere of the festival and of the musical acts by the facial expressions alone.

My best shots of course came when I was closest to the stage but of those, my favourites would have to be of John Scofield (the thumbnail features him) as the emotion he showed on his face while playing guitar with his Piety Street band was incredible.

Click on the thumbnail above to view the whole gallery and feel free to post up comments on some of the photos if you feel so inclined.