War Concert
NOTES ON RECORDINGS OF THE “WAR AND EXILE” CONCERT
On Sunday 26 October 2008 Sounds Like took part in a concert given in Old St Pancras Church, in London. The evening, entitled “War and Exile”, was organised by the Constitution Poets, a group based in the Kings Cross and Camden Town areas of London. It was planned to coincide with the approach of Remembrance Sunday. It set out to present comment, reflection and remembrance on the themes of war and exile, expressed through words and music.
Sounds Like is a group of readers, singers, writers and musicians which was formed by Edward Lee to give performances and create recordings of both published and original work. The technical aim is to explore as wide a range of links within the world of sound, but centrally of words and music.
THE CONSTITUTION POETS (now renamed the St Pancras Poets) have the aim of presenting and discussing their own work in workshops, to collaborate with other poets, musicians and visual artists to create events such as this evening, and to stimulate and encourage the writing of poetry in the Kings Cross area and more widely in Camden.
The members who took part on this occasion were Angela Inglis, Rob Inglis, Miranda Martin, Deborah Lavin and Roger Robinson. (Not all are heard in these extracts from the concert).
This CD presents some of the items performed by Sounds Like. The members who performed on this occasion are:
James Gordon (composer, singer, reader)
James campaigned with CND in the1980s and is a convinced pacifist. As well as teaching, he has worked in the voluntary sector, mostly for racial equality, as well as for local government. He is also a singer/songwriter and has used his own songs both in his teaching and his campaigns. He lives in South-East London.
Edward Lee (director, reader, guitarist)
Ed(ward) started in his musical career in jazz, and first read English but later obtained a Music degree at Oxford. He spent many years in teaching and contributed significantly to the literature on music education. He has always been interested in composition and in linking words and music, which led to his formation of Sounds Like.
Frances Lee (reader, singer)
Frances teaches at the University of Westminster (originally French and now English for Foreign Students). This awakened an interest in reading poems aloud to present them to her students, which in turn brought her into Sounds Like. She decided a few years ago to realise a long-standing ambition to sing, and is currently a member of the City Lit A Cappella Choir.
Jan North (singer, reader)
Jan lives in Camden Town. She has been an active trade unionist for most of her working life. Originally trained in Drama, she developed an interest in singing, and enjoys performing all sorts of music from choral to folk, jazz and more recently a cappella.
Technical information: For the electric guitar items Edward Lee used a Yamaha Pacifica guitar, with a Polytone Brute amplifier, and effects from a Boss ME-50 unit.
The original recording was made by Cathy Aitchison to whom we extend grateful thanks for permission to use this material. This CD was mastered by Edward Lee
For COPYRIGHT DETAILS and permission to use this material other than private use see elsewhere on this site.
The items from the concert are:
| 1: | “Memories of World War II” | 8.09 |
| Cocooned | poem written and read by Angela Inglis | |
| Thought to Seventy-Three | poem by Roger Robinson, read by James Gordon, music by Edward Lee, song We’ll Meet Again sung by Jan North | |
| "Remembrance Day" is available as a free download on sibeliusmusic.com | ||
| 2: | “Suez – I was there” | 5.49 |
| War and Remembrance | poem by Roger Robinson, music and performance by Edward Lee | |
| "I Remember in Dreams" is available as a free download on sibeliusmusic.com | ||
| 3: | “Iraq – Take 2” | 4.16 |
| The Siege of Falluja | poem by Deborah Lavin, read by Jan North and Edward Lee | |
| Iraq in St Pancras | poem by Deborah Lavin, read by Frances Lee, Jan North and James Gordon | |
| 4: | “individuals need not just be victims” | 2.00 |
| In Xiapuri | poem and reading by Angela Inglis, music by Edward Lee, singers Jan North and Frances Lee | |
| 5: | “in our thoughts and lives every day” | 1.40 |
| The Polite Vulture | poem by Deborah Lavin, read by James Gordon with lines read by Jan North Edward Lee, Frances Lee and Rob Inglis | |
| 6: | “we invite you to join us” | 2.02 |
| Epitaph | poem by Edward Thomas, read by Frances Lee | |
| Where Have All the Flowers Gone | all performers and the audience led by Jan North | |
All linking announcements by Roger Robinson.
recording by Cathy Aitchison
this CD mastered by Edward Lee
The Featured Constitution Poets:
Angela Inglis
Angela has always loved reading and writing poetry. She taught English in a local comprehensive school where she frequently ran poetry events and encouraged students to publish their own poetry. She has had a number of poems published and recently included four of her poems in her photographic book Railway Lands, Catching St Pancras and King’s Cross.
Rob Inglis
After journalism in Australia, Rob worked his way to England on a cargo ship. He shifted scenery and his play “The Hands” was produced on BBC and Canadian TV. His theatre performances included The Beadle in the first West End run of “Oliver”, and Faustus, Falstaff and Claudius/Ghost for RSC, National and Cygnet companies. He has presented his solo adaptations internationally, including “The Canterbury Tales” and “The Lord of the Rings”. In 2003 he founded Musical Flying Squad, for whom he writes and directs productions based on local history, most recently “Canal the Musical”.
Deborah Lavin
Deborah has lived in the parish of Old St Pancras Church for the last ten years. As well as poems or "vignettes" Deborah is also a writer of darkly-humoured and very politically "off message" plays, (though all of them have had more of an airing in Berlin and Tokyo than here in her native London). Deborah can often be seen wandering the streets hereabouts with her border collie dog, Jack. She is also the most doting of grandmas.
Miranda Martin
A long term resident of Somers Town and member of the Bella 2 group. She wrote The Sole Survivor. She claims to have no other credits, which we doubt.
Roger Robinson
A Camden Councillor who spends too much time on council work and now is seeking new pastures as a poet of the people. Co-founder of the Bella 2 and later Constitution Poets Groups.
For further information contact: roger.robinson@camden.gov.uk