At the age of 96, by anyone’s standard, Tony Bennett had a good innings.
I had the pleasure of attending a Tony Bennett concert at Portsmouth Guildhall. This would have been in the early seventies. Well over forty years ago, when I was in my twenties.
Obviously, I don’t remember a whole lot about the show. I do remember that he only had a small band supporting him. That they opened for him and that I really liked the stuff they did. I also know how when Tony came on stage, he owned the stage, the auditorium, and the audience.
He was the consummate professional showman with a superb voice and his own style.
He will be missed, but he has left behind a huge legacy of recordings. Dip in, give them a listen.
Nothing beats the aroma, taste, warmth and belly filling attributes of a good Cornish Pasty.
Not just any pasty will do. Not for me are those supermarket, factory produced pasties. Typically, they disappoint with their flaky pastry case filled with some kind of tasteless slop.
A true pasty has to be made with shortcrust pastry with a chunky “handle” around the perimeter. The filling should comprise chunky, not minced meat and potato, swede, onion. Other veggies are acceptable. The filling should fill the cavity, “floor to ceiling.” So often, the factory versions are just full of air.
Probably the reason the pasty is dear to my heart is that my mum used to regularly make them. The circle of pastry was dinner plate sized, filling added, then folded. So our dinner would be a pasty that filled half the plate, then additional veggies and gravy.
Also, we holidayed for many years in Cornwall. Highlights of those holidays had to be walking around Mevagissey with a freshly baked Cornish Pasty. Usually followed by clotted cream ice cream, but that’s the subject of a whole new post.
I’ve been retired now for eight years. So work is perhaps not the right word. Perhaps the question is really, “What do I listen to while doing my chores ?”
I stream this station, up to eight hours a day, sometimes more. They are the soundtrack to my life. The primary reason for my choice is the eclectic mix of music played, followed closely by the distinct lack of babble.
Music is the priority, no inane chatter from self-indulgent DJs. Below is a snapshot of the music that has been playing while I type this post.
In their own words …
RP is a blend of many styles and genres of music, carefully selected and mixed by two real human beings. You’ll hear modern and classic rock, world music, electronica, even a bit of classical and jazz. What you won’t hear are random computer-generated playlists or mind-numbing commercials.
Our specialty is taking a diverse assortment of songs and making them flow together in a way that makes sense harmonically, rhythmically, and lyrically — an art that, to us, is the very essence of radio. We hope that you’ll enjoy RP so much that you’ll want to share it with your friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, Facebook buddies, Twitter followers, etc.
Bill and Rebecca Goldsmith
Notably absent from the RP airwaves are the typical pop chart fodder. There is a distinct lack of breathy blondes, boy bands and rappers. What you will find is rock, prog rock, folk, jazz, classical, reggae, and pretty much every other genre. A veritable musical stew whose ingredients have been intelligently curated.
I have never been bored by the music they share. Sometimes, a track will be aired that I don’t particularly like, but just like with life, I grin and bear it. There is always the next track to look forward to.
Every so often, RP plays that classic track, work/chores stop, and I ….
WrAnTz 