In every collection there are records that get played all the time, many of them for years, decades even. Then there are those that, while no less treasured, somehow fall by the wayside to lie in wait, ripe for rediscovery. In the first of an occasional series designed to chronicle a few nuggets as they resurface Read More…
Month: January 2017
The Cactus Blossoms 17:01:2017
Poole Rhythm & Roots, Victoria School, Branksome A chilly night in a school hall just off the main drag between Bournemouth and Poole – probably not the stuff of dreams for the first night of their first European tour, but if The Cactus Blossoms are as warmly received every night they’ll be itching to come Read More…
Ruth Dresman
With work sold across Europe and the United States, shown in national museums and seen in major public art commissions such as Salisbury District Hospital – glass artist Ruth Dresman has earned a fine international reputation. Now she’s bringing her distinctive designs to Walford Mill for a solo exhibition as the Wimborne crafts centre Read More…
Graham Stansfield: From Coronation to Consort
Graham Stansfield has had his share of ups and downs with music, but even in the grip of on-going chemotherapy treatment, it’s the one thing outside his family that keeps him going and as the composer sits in the upstairs lounge of his home overlooking the distant Purbeck hills, he’s glad to count his blessings. Read More…
The Wicca man
Widely regarded as the father of modern witchcraft and the founder of Wicca, now one of the world’s fastest growing religions, with his shock of wiry white hair, barbiche beard, exotic tattoos, tanned complexion and ardent naturism, Gerald Gardner was an easy fit for the role. But to the young Ian Stevenson, he was simply Read More…
The pluck of the draw
Despite spectacular views from his elevated studio across Lyme Regis, the beauty of the real world provides precious little inspiration for the weekly cartoons Ian Dicks draws in short order for the Financial Times. Every Friday he’s given little more than two hours to draw a cartoon that illustrates a comment piece on some aspect Read More…
S Cowell – Music Hall’s first star
He was the highest-paid singing star of his day with songs known the world over; he performed for Queen Victoria and is credited with creating a new era in popular entertainment, yet when Sam Cowell died in Blandford Forum at the age of 45, he was broken and penniless. The first star of Music Hall, Read More…
The charities’ charity: Dorset Community Foundation
Not many teenagers dream of becoming an armourer – at least not in the historic sense of actually making weapons and armour – but then Jacob Bond never wanted to be like other teens. Although academically bright, a year ago he gave up sixth form at Poole Grammar School and turned his back on computer Read More…