The Hot Spot � an astonishing enterprise � directed by Dennis Hopper starring Don Johnson. The music is by Jack Nitzsche and he gets John Lee Hooker to do a fair amount of the incidental music � and then Miles agrees to blow some on the soundtrack . I think this happens around 1988. It was on TV last night and I missed the magnificent introduction. Here�s a review of the of the soundtrack off Amazon

�Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker and Taj Mahal together on the same album: Wow!... well not quite. The problem is that this eclectic combination was put together specifically to play a Jack Nitzchse composed movie score. As soundtracks go it's good - lot's of drifting, atmospheric playing that's ideally suited to building cinematic moods - but, out of context, a great deal of it sounds like what, of course, it is: the music without the movie.

On track after track John Lee Hooker puts in a tour-de-force of deep blues "groans" (so good that they're regularly sampled), Miles Davis inserts trumpet stabs to die for and Taj Mahal (supported by Tim Drummond, Earl Palmer & Roy Rogers) provides superbly earthy backings. But... after 13 often quite similar, low-key offerings it gets (dare I say it) a bit boring. So, why buy it? Well... it's an intriguing one-off mix of brilliant artists, it's great background music and, it contains three real gems: "Gloria's Story" (featuring some beautiful solos from Miles Davis) and the virtually identical "Bank Robbery" & "End Credits" where the group let rip with some wonderfully burning jazz-blues to provide an insight into what treats could have been on offer in a less constrained situation. A lost opportunity but worth the money all the same.�

Make up your own mind my hearing the mp3s up on www.amazon.co.uk - on the page for The Hot Spot.

I posted an interview with Richard Feachem � Executive Director of the Global Funds against AIDS Malaria and TB on www.kwase-kwaza.org. My eyes was especially caught by his observation that AIDS in India is 15 years behind AIDS in Africa � but no one is trying to alter the path. I checked the same point out with Chris at Christmas � he is professor of Indian anthropology at the LSE and knows a thing or two about the sub-continent. He is also very skeptical � in general � not a person who gives credence to much that isn�t well founded. The implications of this are astonishing � the fact that India will follow Africa unless something is done pretty soon. As I reflect on this its hard to avoid the idea that there is some kind of duty to do what you can to avoid the catastrophe. The excuse �oh I can�t do much� doesn�t really hold up as a reason for not trying.

I spent some time thinking through why the track markers are misplaced on the Ssfifths CD � I think I have got there. Its because the software builds up the TOC file parameters as the file is initially assembled. If you change the WAV lengths subsequently then it doesn�t adjust. Anyway I need to rebuild the file to see whether that�s true.

Pete Crowther phoned � it was good to hear from him. We talked about what motivates people to perform at work. � he made some good points which I need to raise with Laurence.