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A poem in tribute to the English spirit in recognition of Sir Gareth Southgate's contribution to the cause - 60 long years without a World Cup win - was read out by Sir Ian Mcellen on the radio this week.  Our virtues of stiff upper lip, courtesy and good manners were recalled together with the ability to fight like lions. Unfortunately there is another characteristic that so often counters t...

Happy day - that Friday feeling and the weekend ahead ! Have a good one. Support the show

The reverse sentiment of yesterday's tune. Go for it --- My inconsistency of thought is sometimes quite alarming. Support the show

A bird in the hand - is worth two in the bush The proverb means it is better to hold onto something you already have than to risk it for the possibility of gaining something greater that may never materialize The saying "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" advises caution and prudence. It emphasizes that having a certain, smaller benefit is preferable to pursuing a larger, uncer...

Its going to be hot in the UK today - keep out the way stay- In the shade Support the show

A follow on from yesterdays tune - when you know you're going its so hard not to get ahead of yourself and - in your head anyway - be already gone.. Support the show

End of term and some long term colleagues say goodbye - time to call it a day. Their faces show it - mixed feelings when you finally make the decision. Support the show

America's celebration of 250 years is a significant milestone - how the tables have turned ... Congratulations have a great party. Support the show

The second of 2 choro's written for Tony and Lekan in about 2006. Tony was a great saxophonist and this was intended as a vehicle for him to improvise over. Support the show

Nearly 20 years since Lekan, Tony and I put together a group of pieces to play a short series of concerts and festivals. This piece was the opener - Choro Prelude. Support the show

There is still loads to change in the way the West regards anyone who is not from a background they recognise.  I've been following the World Cup and although it doesn't mirror society in anyway there are some parallels - the teams from Africa are closing the gap and their natural athleticism is setting them up beautifully - may be not this time - but soon. Support the show

We've just come out of one in the UK - goodness me do we complain about it. This tune came out of a heatwave in July 2023 Support the show

I wrote a tune called You about inclusiveness - being aware of other people regardless of who or what they are - I didn't know about the #MeToo movement . But it seems relevant to turn the tune in a re-mixed way to that title as it has a whole lot of significance. I used the tune earlier this month in a different form following another awful stabbing case - this time in Southampton. #MeToo is...

One for the day of rest. A colleague who strikes me as pretty uptight said " we all want an easy life" - well he doesn't seem to make it all that easy for himself - he's a complete workaholic. Take the day of rest...whenever it is. Support the show

Got Co-Pilot on this one - whether I like it or not: "Mercury rising" can refer to either a literal increase in temperature or atmospheric pressure, or in astrology, it indicates Mercury as the dominant planet in your birth chart, influencing communication and intellect. In everyday language, the phrase “mercury rising” is often used figuratively to indicate that the temperature is incre...

We all do it - but its not very pleasant. Teachers to pupils: Teachers to other teachers: parents to children: colleagues to colleagues. It achieves very little more than burning resentment. Support the show

Happy Birthday Sue - We don't get back to Bamburgh these days but this tune was written with Lindisfarne Avenue in mind - what a place and what a collection of memories .  Support the show

From almost exactly 1 year ago when the weather was ivery similar - the old marketing slogan slip slop slap . The UK and parts of Europe are heating up - 38 degrees C later in this week. The Slip Slop Slap campaign is an iconic Australian public health initiative promoting sun safety to prevent skin cancer. The Slip Slop Slap campaign was launched in 1981 by Cancer Council Victoria (then the Anti-...

Jam tomorrow (but never today) is an absurd dictum which first appeared in Lewis Carroll 's story Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There . It is based on a rule of Latin grammar in which the word iam is used only in the future or past tense but never in the present tense. It is now commonly used to signify a promise which will never be satisfied. Tha Labour Party in the UK which...

To start the week with a bit of good news - Rob and Marri have found their new home-  the smile villa - as it translates from Italian - so I'm told . A happy ever after tune. Support the show

The group at school are rehearsing Vltava - Smetena's symphonic poem about the great river in former Bohemia = I'll put it up a bit later on. This is just "The River" - flowing relentlessly on to the ocean. Support the show

It was mentioned that this "quick way" could become very drawn out as Iran - who are tactically slaughtering Mr Trump - play the long game  Support the show

The great panacea - in any relationship: love, friendship, work colleague, family  Support the show

Happy Birthday Rob - a top percussion job on this one - we originally performed at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival in....Ithink 2013. David Cameron * the British Prime Minister" of the time's great uniting call ??? He has a lot to answer for - unnecessary austerity following the banking crash in 2008/09, the Brexit referendum - why? - thats just for starters and some nice jobs for the boys....

Living dangerously these days - a game of Perudo is about as wild as it gets - stakes of 1p at a time Support the show