A Proper Saturday

Saturday continued: met Patsy123 in town and picked up my pictures from the framers. Also took in a long-delayed canvas, now rolled up, to be restretched and framed for the Man with the Talent. Ran into the Man with the Talent and the three of us spent some time in the Bacchus drinking something unexpectedly pleasant from the Federation Brewery.

More importantly, however, I managed to get the two Proper Boxes I wanted! Proper Records produce some absolutely wonderful boxed sets of old jazz and blues. For a long time I've wanted to replace my old Duke Ellington vinyl and now I have, with Duke Ellington: Masterpieces 1926 - 1949.

Three or four years ago, I went to a party at CJ's with the then Mrs Zip. It was a themed party and to enter into the spirit of the thing I took along my Charlie Records compilation of Billie Holiday. One of the guys there (whom I'd never met before) asked me if he could borrow it to tape because his compilation didn't have "Strange Fruit" on it. I usually make a point of refusing on the grounds that such loans tend to become permanent, but Mrs Zip was making noises about my being mean at the time, so I relented. And where am I now? Without my Charlie Records compilation or Mrs Zip! Don't you just hate it when that happens? But Saturday saw everything turn out fine again. In addition to the Ellington, I got Billie Holiday: The Lady Sings. (which also has "Strange Fruit"). Woohoo.

Each box contains four CDs and a pretty informative 50-odd page booklet, and I got them at HMV under their "2 for £20" deal. Eight CDs for 20 quid - can't grumble at that.