Graphic Journey Blog

Collective creativity

There are few things in life that I envy. But seeing and hearing a group of high calibre musicians playing together always hits the spot. There is something magical about the relationship between a collection of instruments, in the hands of musicians of wildly differing ages, joining together to create magic for a moment in time. I find it very emotional and always wished that I was amongst them to experience that sense of oneness.

I am a great fan of the BBC Four series Transatlantic Session, now unbelievably in its sixteenth year. Its musical directors are Aly Bain, the great folk fiddle player and the multi talented dobro king Jerry Douglas. They bring together a group of Celtic connected musicians from Ireland, Britain and America...

Jerry and Aly

They all stay in an old farmhouse, deep in the highlands of Scotland, and weave their magical musical connections. At its best it is sublime. What I love about it is their overriding manifesto rule for all taking part, ‘Leave your ego at the door’, and they seem to do just that. It comes through and is an utter pleasure.
 
Sadly we designers cannot experience the same close creative collaboration in the moment or indeed our friends the illustrators. Theatrical ensemble actors get very close to it. But musicians have the lion's share of this special closeness. Here are two links to Transatlantic Sessions that I particularly like.  Give them a whirl. The first is the delightful singer Eddi Reader singing Aye Waukin-O, with Paul Brady on backing vocals.

The second features Liam O’Maonlai, the one time lead singer in Irish band Hothouse Flowers – for whom I designed an album cover and spent a slightly bizarre afternoon with Liam in the Portland Turkish baths followed by and evening at the opera. But more of that another time.

But here he is singing the self penned  beautiful heartfelt ballad Worry Not. His backing singers are Martha Wainwright Emily Smith and Mairead Mhadnaigh.

Click here for Eddi and here for Liam .

 

 

Gerry Rafferty 1947 – 2011

Sad news that another creative soul has left this planet. Gerry Rafferty had a delft touch with melody and lyric and will be sadly missed.

John (Patrick) Byrne, a fellow Scot and friend was responsible for most of Rafferty’s album covers…

Here is one of my favorite tracks of Rafferty's, The Right Moment . It seems fitting.

Henryk Górecki 1934 – 2010

The Polish composer Henryk Górecki, whose soulfully sensitive Symphony of Sorrowful Songs elevated him to international fame has died in Katowice, aged 76.

If you don't know it you are in for a treat.

 

The Blue Nile

A trio made in heaven. The Blue Nile

In 1984, on the recommendation of a friend, I bought a CD by an unknown band. It was the first recording on the Linn label – a state-of-the-art audio equipment company who were experimenting with a foray into recording world. The album in question was A Walk Across The Rooftops by Scottish band The Blue Nile and was two years in the making. It was a revelation to me and I played it over and over again. 26 years on and I am still enjoying it.

This was a group that had clearly laboured over their work and along with Linn’s sonic engineers managed to take the recording to another level. In the quarter of a century since the release of that first album, The Blue Nile have only produced three further albums. For me each one has been a perfect realisation of this highly individual band’s musical philosophy and has always been well worth the wait. They seem to posses absolute integrity and creative sophistication in their output and have not been tempted by trappings or the stranglehold of the precarious pop jungle and its vacuous celebrity.

What distinguishes The Blue Nile is the stunning vocal dexterity and sincerity of lead singer/writer Paul Buchannan...

His voice has incredible range, pitch perfect, even in the vagaries of live performance. A soulful and heartbreakingly tender delivery with beautifully crafted lyrics and tightly knit musical ensemble working in total sympathy. Why this band has never made it on the world stage I will never know. But the selfish part of me is rather pleased. They do have a dedicated following of clandestine fans from within the music and creative industries. They are our best-kept secret. In their 26-year history, musical genres have come and gone but their work has transcended time and style and is unique like a classic piece of design.

In an age of instant gratification it is wonderful that The Blue Nile has stayed faithful to its beliefs. The work is of an exemplary standard with a distinct personality. For those of you that might be tempted by what I’ve had to say, bear in mind they are not instant candy, but an acquired taste. But the reward is well worth the effort. iTunes has an introductory compilation album on iTune Essentials. You can also view this little YouTube film here, made some years ago.

Passed their sell by date?

I have often written about the voice on this blog – awareness of, its use and effectiveness. Well, over the passed week the whole issue of singers in the, shall we say, Autumn/Winter of their years came up in the media. 

The octogenarian crooner Andy Williams was in town recently to plug his book and album. He performed live on the Jonathan Ross show. It was all rather tragic really – a weak quavering voice, straining to hit the high notes a million miles away from the dashingly assured, sweated clad entertainer of the 1970’s and 80’s. And this week saw the release of a Christmas album from no less than Bob Dylan...

The reviews have differed wildly but what is certain is the quality of Dylan’s voice. It is shot to pieces, sounding more like Tom Waits with an inflamed throat - and that’s being generous.

But it can sometimes work. Joni Mitchell, a contemporary of Dylan, had the voice of an angel – clear, pure and pitch perfect. A life of singing, heavy smoking and the natural ageing process has given her voice a patina of experience, which has taken it to another place.  It is very beautiful, as can be heard on the album, Travelogue released in 2002 with wonderful orchestrations by Vince Mendoza

But sometimes I wish the coterie of people surrounding our singing legends would say, ‘I think it’s time to hang up the career’, leaving their legacy of quality intact for us all to cherish.  

Hear for yourself. 

Andy here

Bob was here but  unfortunately YouTube has removed the link, so listen on itunes or Spotify

And listen to Tom Waits singing Silent Night here

Joni here

A family affair 2

Long-term readers of this blog might remember the short film that my sons made about global warming. Well, l thought that you might like to see this latest offering from the pair. ‘The Day I Died’ is the music video for a new single from rising star Just Jack. It was shot in a single day in North and East London – the house interior used in the opening scenes is my friend’s, Tim and Debbie who have also featured on this blog (he is the painter who lives part of the time in Italy).

Anyway back to this little film.  Apparently Elton John is a big fan of Just Jack and was instrumental in getting actor James Nesbitt to star in film. Even Jack himself has a small part playing one of the paramedics towards the close. It is a rather morbid scenario for the bubbly world of pop but perhaps that is its point of difference and will make this track a hit.

 

For any techies out there the film was shot on super 16mm using an Arriflex 416. Enjoy

John Martyn 1949 - 2009

Very sad news to hear of the death of the great John Martyn, 

the maverick singer songwriter whose electrified acoustic 

guitar, often passed through a Heath Robinson styled 

amplification system of his own invention, created some

extraordinary sounds.  One piece that I listen to very often

is, 'Small Hours'. Written by Martyn while looking out a

cross a watery landscape, viewed from a train window. 

This eight minute, mostly instrumental composition and

performed solo, is hauntingly beautiful and you can listen

 to it here.

On the turntable

Well, not quite. More downloaded into my itunes. But somehow it doesn’t sound quite so romantic. Anyway I have been slightly obsessed with these three albums…

Thanks to Verity Sharp - the delectably knowledgeable presenter of BBC Radio 3’s very excellent Late Junction - I was introduce to Thomas Feiner ...

– who coincidentally is a graphic designer - one time vocalist with Swedish collective Anywhen.  Back in 2001 they released The Opiates, their third and final album. Few copies were made available and so it disappeared without trace. Until now. David Sylvian (yes, that one) unearthed and rereleased it with additional reworking with vocalist Feiner. What we have is a wonderfully brooding collection of songs. Melancholic at their extremes with rich vocals from Feiner, who at time sounds like a fusion of Scott Walker, Tom Waits and Nick Cave. But what did it for me was the sensual string arrangements provide by the Warsaw Radio Symphony Orchestra, achieving at times an epic cinematic landscape. It is a truly remarkable work. Check it out for yourself re the link to Thomas above, in particular listen to the sublime Betty Caine. 

I have long been a fan of Craig Armstrong, and indeed the arrangements on The Opiates above are akin to Armstrong’s own work, which is probably why I liked it so much. But Memory Takes My Hand is Armstrong’s most mature yet and is his début classical work. Recorded with the BBC Symphony Orchestra it was premiered last year on Radio Three. It included Immer, a violin concerto that Armstrong wrote for Coli Gould. A stunningly sensitive piece that resonates with the work of Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki. Lay in a Alexander position, close your eyes and slip away into another world.

My third favorite is the beautifully enigmatic duo Susanna Karolina Wallumrød... 

And Morten Qvenild. They formed Susanna & The Magical Orchestra back in 2002. This highly original indie group have two albums Melody Mountain and List of Lights and Bouys. If you are a fan of Björk or Sigur Rós then I think you’ll like this little duo. They play around with range of interesting and unconventional instruments and sounds. There is a terrific cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart. But check out the track Stay, truly magical.

 

 

Mike Dempsey: Graphic Design on the Radio

So far I haven't mention music on this blog, this is for the simple reason that I would tend go on about it a little too much, because, well frankly, it is vital to my everyday life. Back in the summer, I was invited on to Resonance 104.4FM  Radio's programme, Graphic Design on the Radio presented by Adrian Shaughnessy. So if you are interested just click below...

Mike's Radio Programme

You will get a feel for the kind of MUSIC I like - and learn a little about me and my life. 

'HELP ME IF YOU CAN...'

 

Hello dear readers.  Sorry for this rude interuption to the nomal events of this blog. 

But are any of you vinyl devotees?

I need to get hold of the following 12" vinyl albums in very good condition for a photographic session. Here's what I need... 

Specials/Specials double album

Screamadelica/Primal Scream

Power, Lies and Corruption /Joy Division

Let it Bleed/Rolling Stones

Parklife/Blur

Aladdin Sane/David Bowie

London Calling/ The Clash

Dark Side of The Moon/Pink Floyd

Absolution/Muse

Ciggarette/Led Zeppelin

Tubular Bells/Mike Oldfield 

To hire or purchase, whatever. So if you, or anyone you know, has any of the above please contact me via email.