I was listening to a Radio 3 review of the jazz year where the commentators spoke very highly of Henry Threadgill. There are several of his albums on Spotify. HT is a composer from Chicago who plays saxes and flute. His groups often have non-standard instrumentation - conventional drums and two tubas and two guitars for example. There is a flute 4tet as well. Radio 3 suggested that TG's innovation in jazz format were finally beginning to dispel the longstanding influence of Miles' 2nd 5tet. There was an invitation to a Roots and Blues gig at a pub in the Luton area - high up near the Chilterns scarp edge. I dont think I am going to make this unfortunately.

I have also been invited to a front-room gig with Lisbee Stainton in Boughton on the Water early in February - this may just be feasible.I have found another remix competition from DJ Shadow with the vocal by Little Dragon. I have started working with the vocal and the drum track. Tim Hodgkinson is playing at Cafe Oto on Monday evening - a gig I would like to get to. There is a Wire salon there too a week today. I have applied for a couple of seminars at the end of the month. There was an e-m this morning from the Vortex in Dalston. Tomorrow night Troyka and Metamorphic are playing - this is rather tempting. I would particularly like to hear Metamorphic.

I saw that Schubert's 5tet D956 was on R3 but I wasn t able to listen. I found a completely free download and also downloaded the piano reduction. It is incredibly highly rated and even on a first skim I can see why.