The Oxley-Meier Guitar Duo

What better way to get myself up and about again than by going to hear some live jazz! This was a lunchtime concert in the ancient and beautiful St. Giles Church which bizarrely was still exhibiting signs of Christmas - you can just see the tree behind Pete Oxley and the crib behind Nicholas Meier.

Their concert was part of the centennial Benjamin Britten celebrations which also might have seemed bizarre but that in addition to playing jazz from their newly released CD, they had composed their own tribute to Britten which was carefully chosen, cleverly composed and beautifully played.

Their new CD covers quite a repertoire so there was jazz played in flamenco style which was thrilling and envigorating, jazz played by Nicholas on a baglama, a long-necked Ottoman lute, which revealed a strong Turklish influence, and wonderful original compositions from each of them - for the best it's difficult to choose between Pete's The Butterfly Touch surprisingly delicate and fragile in performance and Nicholas' Breeze which you can hear performed by his trio here. The album also features three of my favourite jazz compositions: Milton Nascimento's Vera Cruz, Chick Corea's Spain and Pat Metheney's Travels. The album is called Travels to the West and comes highly recommended.

For a first trip back into the outside world it was great treat and well worth the Herculean effort to get myself there and back. And, more importantly, it's got me blipping again!

I have back blipped some earlier January shots and hope to catch up with your journals soon.