Guitar Emporium

There are lots of things to hope for - the first signs of Spring in the UK is a big one after the dark mornings and evenings. Flowers starting to bloom - the end of winter is in sight,... Support the show

This tunes is about the grandchild ( I know - yet again) . I cannot believe how uplifting it is to see and spend some time with a  completely innocent, happy child . Each time is just a privilege.. It was the same with our own children - but you're just busy and can't sit back and look at it. Being a Grandparent just gives you that bit of space. Support the show

I've seen it more times than I care to admit. I'm not being particularly moralistic about it - it just leaves a nasty taste watching it going on.  I'm none too comfortable with people who think they can collect from other peoples desire to cut a deal - or indeed those who pay up to gain favour. Support the show

The third movement . I've put up the other two previously.  A musician friend of mine once said to me that guitar ensembles amused him as they sounded like incidental music for old childrens TV programmes like Trumpton on the BBC.  I didn't take  offence.  Support the show

Is anyone who owes someone else anything at all ever free ?  Support the show

Mark Knopflers guitar playing came on the big stage in about 1978- with Dire straits of course.  His film music is tremendous - this is from the film Cal - Irish Love - for Valentines Day. Support the show

Tone colour is the element I'm playing around with in this piece. Also the fact that the acoustic guitar often has problems holding its own with a drum kit and a good strong bass sound particularly if you don't amplify the guitar.  Timbre is probably a better description for the piece if perhaps a bit self conscious. Anyway, this was put together during a quiet afternoon at school - it w...

I was working in Swindon recently and hit the Magic Roundabout - a central roundabout with various other roundabouts linked into it. A nightmare - I went around it a few times before I worked out where I was trying to go to.  The children's TV programme from the 1960'6 /70's came to mind  Support the show

I'm not sure if this piece has been up before - but this is a new recording of Msenga by the late West African guitarist Jean Bosco. I first heard it on Timothy Walkers recording - Timothy Walker – Classical Folk Guitar From England, Ireland, Spain, Cameroon, Congo, Japan, Russia and South America It's still out there - I first heard it ib the late 1970's . I finally got around to t...

A vert well known piano riff - usually played a bit faster. This is about offspring - how they develop and how you must at some point step back and let them get on with it. Support the show

A Friday tune - hopefully a little more upbeat than some of the rather morose stuff I've been dishing up recently . High Spirits - but always with the qualification - Same Obstacles  Support the show

My understanding of the word was that it was a form of swimming -apparently it now refers to making it up as you go along - a rappers term?. Anyway the difficulty in dealing with this is that on so many occasions it is impossible to telll when someone is free styling or in fact telling you the gospel truth. Support the show

This ia an exceptionally middle of the road tune. As ever - its about indecision and a general inability to make a decision. However, I have made a decision , which I very quickly reversed - It was either kick the can down the road OR Strike while the iron was hot - I did neither ... Support the show

Essentially a chord work out from a piece I composed in about 2000 - called the 4th Floor. Villa Lobos and Django Reinhardt are the principal influences . The chord sequence in the second repitition is what holds the piece together. Support the show

A Track by Emancipator is the starting point for this minimalist type tune based off a marimba riff. There are 2 simple themes that keep coming back as the tune moves along. The title is referencing Alzheimers - which goes close to every family at some time or other. Support the show

I have an uncanny ability to make a decision - mull over things once again - and then realise it was the wrong decision and made only because I felt under pressure to go a certain way - time and time again... there we go... Support the show

I'm indebted to the wonderfully named Cornelius Bruinsma for the chord sequence. I was teaching  the piece "Pourquoi ? " to a young pupil and just thought it had a gentle lazy feel . The very rough translation of the title and nonsense lyrics are questionable - but they kind of ring true to me - brought up with Protestant work ethic. Know your place / keep your nose to the grindston...

A legal term but it has caused much soul searching in a recent cases in the UK. I'm not using it in this case - this song is perhaps more about distracted responsibility and diminished understanding of stuff.... ? Support the show

Two bits in this piece - I was playing around with inversions of chords ( changing the order of the notes ) and many versions of how to progress was the point of the lyric. Support the show

A descending bass line - used by so may to convey particular moods. This is intended to ( once again ) convey the idea of hanging in there whatever the odds . Support the show

I used to love hearing Larry Adlers subtle harmonica playing when young - and also how many artists use it to great effect. This is none of that - Huffin and Puffin Support the show

Finally managed to put together a more optimistic tune - Blue Monday. It is allegedly the day in the year when people feel down ( 15th January ) - there s a bit of a lag on the podcast-... It is apparently a load of marketing nonsense to get people to buy holidays , things to cheer them themselves up etc... etc..  So I"ll offer up up something cheerful in an attempt to counter the mood .  Sup...

If I knew then what I know now - the old Faces song  expresses this sentiment perfectly. Support the show

This is about leaving someone where they're comfortable. You see so many trying to move from where they're comfortable to where they think they will comfortable and falling short or even worse finding it isn't something they even wanted in the first place.  Support the show

There are some lovely people out there. Driving up to London for a job I had a flat tyre and stopped at a remote service station. I had the tools but didn't have enough leverage to get the wheel nuts released. A young chap offered his help and his wheel brace - much appreciated. Thank you.  Support the show