HONOUR PROFICIENCY
Posted by Sid Smith on Dec 29, 2007 - This post is archived and may no longer be relevant

The quaintly British honours system has thrown up a couple of (vaguely) related awards to musicians who have some (albeit slight) relationship to the world of Crim - Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson and pianist Stan Tracey.

First up is Ian Anderson who receives the MBE for services to music. If you’re wondering what the connection is to Crim, well how about the fact that Tull and Crimso were on the classic Island label sampler from 1969, Nice Enough To Eat. Tull’s track “We Used To Know” and “Schizoid Man” shared the ahem, honours on that occasion. This tenuous pairing occurred again on the 1970 double album follow-up Bumpers (featuring “Cadence and Cascade” and Tull’s “Nothing To Say”).

An even fainter connection could be that Tull and Crimson both recorded in Morgan Studios:Tull laid down many of their albums and Crimson’s stint in the venue yielded an instrumental-only version of “Schizoid Man” (released on KCCC12).

Secondly and slightly closer to home, veteran jazz pianist, Stan Tracey, has been awarded a CBE for his services to music. Tracey, whose 1965 adaptation of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood is rightly considered a classic, joined forces with Keith Tippett in the 1970s to produce the stunning T’N’T album. Stan’s label is about to release a previously unissued concert, Live at the ICA 1977 featuring this fiery duo who are to be reunited on stage in London next month.(Thanks to Owen Keenan for the heads-up).

Of course the Crimson connection with Stan the man is via Keith Tippett (who contributed to KC and for whom RF produced several KT solo projects)and of course, Dylan Thomas whose seminal work spawned the title of KC’s seventh album (“It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black).

As a small non-Crim aside, Tracey’s album The Return of Captain Adventure is one of the best live jazz quartets you can get your lugs around. Featuring Jack Bruce sideman Art Themen on sax and ex-Nucleus drummer Bryan Spring, you can check out my take on it over on the blog.

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