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DUKE ELLINGTON & RAY BROWN - This One’s for Blanton (1972) / ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE: AN INQUIRY INTO VALUES - ROBERT M. PIRSIG (1974) / LUXMAN L-80V AMPLIFIER - JAPAN (1978) / FUNERAL IN BERLIN - GUY HAMILTON (1966)
THE RECORD
DUKE ELLINGTON & RAY BROWN - This One’s for Blanton (1972)
Dedicated to Jimmy Blanton, the brilliant double bassist who died at just 23, this album pays tribute to the musician who transformed the role of the double bass in jazz during his time with Duke Ellington's orchestra in the early 1940s.
Nearly three decades later, Ray Brown, whose own calling was largely inspired by Blanton, joins Ellington to honour the man who helped shape his career. A meeting of generations, capturing the very essence of jazz.
Ellington originals, standards and extended improvisations: the final four tracks give the two musicians nearly twenty minutes to explore, through exchanges that shift effortlessly between playful and delicate.
LISTEN TO THE ALBUM
THE BOOK
ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE: AN INQUIRY INTO VALUES - ROBERT M. PIRSIG (1974)
Some books change the way we look at objects. Published in 1974, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance follows a motorcycle journey across America. Beyond the roads, landscapes and mechanics lies a deeper exploration of quality, craftsmanship and the meaning we give to what we do.
Maintaining a motorcycle, understanding how it works, looking beyond appearances: simple acts that gradually reshape our relationship with the world.
A book that reminds us that quality goes far beyond what meets the eye. It lies equally in design, attention to detail and the satisfaction of understanding how things work.
THE OBJECT
LUXMAN L-80V AMPLIFIER - JAPAN (1978)
Even switched off, it commands attention. Its brushed aluminium faceplate, Brazilian rosewood cabinet and champagne-coloured controls recall an era when every detail contributed to an object's character.
A small orange indicator at its centre reminds us that, nearly fifty years on, it still has plenty to offer.
A solid-state amplifier with a warmth reminiscent of classic tube equipment, without the maintenance. A personal favourite whose appeal lies as much in its sound as in its design and imperfections.
Designed in Japan in the late 1970s, it belongs to a generation of equipment built to last, to be passed down and to keep playing. A certain vision of hi-fi, where the object matters as much as the pleasure of listening.
THE FILM
FUNERAL IN BERLIN - GUY HAMILTON (1966)
Berlin is divided in two. Michael Caine plays Harry Palmer, a British intelligence officer with thick-rimmed glasses and a world-weary gaze. A spy worlds apart from the glamour of 007.
Directed by Guy Hamilton, Funeral in Berlin combines intricate plots, impeccably tailored suits and modernist interiors. Palmer observes, analyses and gets the job done, cigarette in hand.
Espionage against the grain, where understatement is a style of its own.
