Well, now that the Footballers have come home and Andy Murray's bowed out, our next sporting challenge - arguably the greatest of them all - is the Tour De France.
This year we have the British Team Sky led by Bradley Wiggins. Wiggins - fourth last year - looks to be our best chance for years (I know they said that about England and Andy) so let's get behind him.
We've also got Mark Cavendish - the fastest man on the planet last year who already has 10 stage wins under his belt - he could be wearing the green.
Eight British riders in total.
Forget the World Cup - the Greatest Show on Earth is about to unfold.
What has this to do with jazz I hear you ask?
Nothing except Le Tour is, in sporting terms, like an extended composition by Ellington or John Warren - varied terrain with the Sound of Surprise. It's an arrangement by Gil Evans travelling through pastoral countryside and rugged mountains - Sketches of Spain. It's Bird flying, it's Lee Morgan dying, it's Sinatra singing I Guess I'll Have to Change my Plan, it's Bessie 's Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out, it's Gonsalves at Newport, it's jazz on wheels - oh so many wheels.
Like Jazz, Le Tour is emotional But Beautiful.
The above photo shows Derek Fleck, myself (wearing Le Maillot Jaune) and Brian Chester in training some years back.
Lance.
Hi Lance
ReplyDeleteBe honest, the photo clearly shows the trio before or after a ''training session'' - ie. a few pints in the Porthole!
Russell
They don't look legless to me.
ReplyDelete