I decided it was time for some Xmas music - specifically Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. I had forgotten how magnificent it is. The arranger is Arif Mardin who also produced Norah Jones breakthrough album - less creditably he discovered the Bee Gee falsetto. Alice Coltrane and Duanne Allman are in the band. Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp points ahead to Smile, another of my absolute favourites. I sent Gilbert 3 a minute piece which uses Lou Rhodes background vocals. One of the reviews of CATBOS points out how much K Bush follows the path found by Laura N. In fact you can almost hear KB singing at the piano if you put your mind to it.

Someone sent Paul W a seasonal vid of the Northern Lights and the music was provided by Unto Ashes. I was initially surprised to discover that they are a New York band. Then I found a vid of them doing the Blue Oyster Cult classic, Don t Fear the Reaper, and it all began to fall into place.