Friday Photo #12

I have no idea how my parents persuaded me to sit on this little horse, let alone ride it, so timid was I at three years of age. I appear to be having fun nevertheless. The year is 1963. The venue? Possibly London Zoo, but that's just a guess. How cool is the lady guiding the horse though? I like to imagine her nipping off to meet friends at the 2i's in Soho after work, for an evening of fab tunes and frothy coffee.

Here's a really fab tune, albeit from the early 1970s rather than the early 1960s. The LP 'Dedicated to You, But You Weren't Listening' by The Keith Tippett Group was originally issued on the legendary Vertigo swirl label in 1971. A copy in decent condition will now set you back an eyewatering sum, should you be lucky enough to find one. Even reissues from 2012 are changing hands for £50 plus, so I'll have to stick with the CD for now.

The Keith Tippett Group - Black Horse

Monday Long Song

Pianist Keith Tippett, who died last week at the age of 72, has been a hugely respected pillar of  British jazz, jazz-rock and prog since the early 1970s. Robert Fripp hired him to play on three early King Crimson albums 'In the Wake of Poseidon', 'Lizard' and 'Islands' and also produced two of Tippett's own long players, 'Blueprint' in 1972 and 'Ovary Lodge' the following year. The contemplative 'Song' opens proceedings on 'Blueprint'.

Keith Tippett - Song