View Full Version : A salute to Mr Mo
A fellow in the arts passed to toot in other places.
I salute his passing and honor him.
Aged 81 and a gentlemen of great wit, charm, charisma, intelligence & musicality.
He shall be missed & remembered with a smile and that twinkle in his eye.
For Mr. Mo
Chobbersjnr
17-Jun-06, 03:13
A fellow in the arts passed to toot in other places.
I salute his passing and honor him.
Aged 81 and a gentlemen of great wit, charm, charisma, intelligence & musicality.
He shall be missed & remembered with a smile and that twinkle in his eye.
For Mr. Mo
many's a fine moment was had with the aforementioned gentleman
he had a tremendous effect & influence on my being both musically & personally
he was without doubt one of the most individual & probably most intelligent people I have ever met & his humour was absolutely beyond compare
I've known the man all of my life & most join in honouring his name & memory
ladies, gentleman, boys & girls the man reffered to as Old Mo was none other than
Mr. Derek Mosdale
many's a fine moment was had with the aforementioned gentleman
he had a tremendous effect & influence on my being both musically & personally
he was without doubt one of the most individual & probably most intelligent people I have ever met & his humour was absolutely beyond compare
I've known the man all of my life & most join in honouring his name & memory
ladies, gentleman, boys & girls the man reffered to as Old Mo was none other than
Mr. Derek Mosdale
A close and dear friend for 42 years who almost became my father-in-law.
Good times and bad his ready wit was always there to make you laugh and he was always ready to play the music he lived for. A gentleman and a true scholar who taught me more than I can give words to.
I will truly miss him. The world has lost a little light with his passing.
Rest in peace Derek, I will never forget you.
I remember Derek and his family from my days in Thurso, and am very sad to hear that he has passed away. He was indeed an extremely bright and talented man, and I would like to extend my sincere sympathy to his friends and family.
The Pepsi Challenge
17-Jun-06, 16:01
Sorry, who he?
Chobbersjnr
17-Jun-06, 17:17
Sorry, who he?
saxaphonist & claranetist with "The Bleached Parrot" & "The House Of Jade"
had a big white beard & cracking personality
Mr. Mo christened the bands name from a soya simulation of a turkey dinner at one Christmas meal. The name felt RIGHT. . . . . . .
And so the 'Bleached Parrot' was born. A flexible musical unit that developed in Caithness and explored mainly in a jazz(ish) vein. It could also become VERY weird, fusion(ish), rock(ish) time - space/travel!!. Mostly recorded, that developed into an extensive cassette series, then CD's (as time/technology moved on!!).
Derek was there at the birth of all this weirdness. His humor gave the sessions a wonderful glow. Lots of laughs were had by one and all. Various guests paraded through this madness. Some exceptional, - some not. It didn't matter - WE had the Parrot. There were even a few (very few) public airings in the old Weigh Inn during a Jazz Club monthly meeting on a Thursday night. (My musical, public introduction to Caithness - In 1985).
This musical unit lasted a fair time. From about 1986 to a slow demise in 2001. Running it's course. The recordings that do exist capture some fabulous moments in MY musical journey. Never such ferocity or fury, never such beauty or inventiveness. A rare opportunity to get away with as much as the imagination could handle. This could be serious fun!!
Derek would swap from baritone saxophone to clarinet. This would give HUGE tonal qualities to many of the sessions. Of great note was the session with Lorna Humphries on flute (Long, long before Chobbers influence was felt - And I don't mean that in ANY negative way!!) The tonal soaring high of the clarinet complimented the soulful deep lows of the Baritone superbely. God, how it could HONK!!
So that was some of Derek Mosedale.
This is sad news indeed, aye I knew him well, a good man he was, very charasmatic and witty indeed and I am a better person for having known him.:~(
I started playing with Derek in 1973 when he embraced the hippier side of existance and the fusion of his trad style with my West Coast/Sanfrancisco/ blues style led to some very interesting music.
With the coming of a very young and green DeeMac and the subsequent warping of his head, came the Parrot. I have played in more bands than I can recall over 44 years but none of them came close to the Parrot for sheer wierdness and musical freedom. Steve the trumpet player, Marty Sutherland on bass,Jim Labour, Phil Ward, Lorna Humphries, Ian the busker, Stu Conaghan are a few of the musos who passed through.
With titles like "May Your Stoools Forever float", "All God's Children Need Banjos", "Do Not Piddle On the Electric Fiddle" our music was never normal and was completely free and improvised. Sometimes it was sheer garbage but sometimes we flew. When Chobbers got big enough to hold the bass we went into the final stage.
I will never play in another band like the Parrot because Derek Mosedale was unique.
There are five CD's of Parrot music which we have never tried to market but if anyone is interested enough to want to hear them they can PM DeeMac and I am sure he will be willing to sell a few.
Great music is that which penetrates the ear with facility and leaves the memory with difficulty. Magical music never leaves the memory.
In memory of Derek Mosdale, a wonderful man.
To give an indication of Derek Mosedale's humor, I thought a good illustration is of the computer program that Derek developed to randomly generate poetry (as you would!!). In were fed strings of suitable text and the program generated poems!! Very strange and humorous poems indeed.
Some of the poems are featured in the Bleached Parrot recordings. This example is on the CD 'Hyperism' and read by Derek himself on 13th January 2000.
Bird Finger Song - by Derek Mosedale
Earths jumping tax inspector pauses, scanning the febrile moon,
Rifles his mind old lore exhumes, and finds no answer there,
Above, a flashing turnip deftly wheels, parries aggressive macaroon,
Whilst furtive, gargoyle evilly awaits, out with on hallowed tupperware.
Now strong, celestial milkman, celebrates successful sock repair,
Forgetting in his joy, the omen of the mystic puddings blood,
The furloin buckets plaint, the bus conductors dare,
And while the frugal unicorn, survives the flood.
Antediluvian knowledge, dearly bought, cheaply lost,
And could for such a modest sum be hired by the hour,
Seemed to our limpid pensive vicar, Robin Hood,
Quite a good swap for a redundant cauliflower.
Fawning euphonium, and hypnotic prune, chorus with luminous power,
Almost it seemed a plangent call to wake the dead,
Would flush out dormant fauna, from one leafy bower,
And even get a nod from uncle Fred.
Nothing stirs,
Are ears all stuffed with wax, all limbs made of lead,
Where leaps flamboyant scrofulous picaroon, had nimble turnip crashed,
Where hawks beelzebub, his wares of dread,
And what of Zeus, and his attendants Herald and baboon.
Chobbersjnr
18-Jun-06, 21:05
LMAO.........................with avengance............[lol] [lol]
This was done on a BBC1 computer!!!!!
theweemidget
18-Jun-06, 23:05
Wow! that guy must have been a huge influence and he did that with a BBC computer! fantastic. I bet Gleber the music sounded better them days with your blues sound. heard ya on caithness FM one night with some of your blues stuff it was absolutely fantastic! off point here but it had to be said. It's a shame caithness lost him btw phil ward was that the highschool art teacher?
This was done on a BBC1 computer!!!!!
A 'BBC micro' - all the rage twenty or so years ago!!
Chobbersjnr
19-Jun-06, 00:07
Wow! that guy must have been a huge influence and he did that with a BBC computer! fantastic. I bet Gleber the music sounded better them days with your blues sound. heard ya on caithness FM one night with some of your blues stuff it was absolutely fantastic! off point here but it had to be said. It's a shame caithness lost him btw phil ward was that the highschool art teacher?
you heard the blues stuff...................A-one buddy
& old Mo was a massive influence (on me anyhoo)
& yes that's the Mr. P Ward indeed & used to teach me classical guitar
The Pepsi Challenge
19-Jun-06, 01:50
"The Blues is Number One!" - Jon Spencer
theweemidget
19-Jun-06, 19:13
that's cool chobbers, phil taught me some guitar unfortunately i don't ave patience for scales no matter how hard i tried i couldn't do it. Phil was a cool guy I heard he was in Edinburgh that was the last i heard.
chobbers did you ever take a blues album out I can't remember if you did.
chobbers i also remember you playing blues at the ard rock a couple of years ago it was very enjoyable.
Chobbersjnr
19-Jun-06, 19:37
that's cool chobbers, phil taught me some guitar unfortunately i don't ave patience for scales no matter how hard i tried i couldn't do it. Phil was a cool guy I heard he was in Edinburgh that was the last i heard.
chobbers did you ever take a blues album out I can't remember if you did.
chobbers i also remember you playing blues at the ard rock a couple of years ago it was very enjoyable.
ard rock...................& I thought I got away from that one unscathed[lol]
an album called Sworded Tails was my 1st release (soon to be in good vibrations!!!!) was vaguely bluesy & I've got a work in progress that is blues
theweemidget
19-Jun-06, 20:39
that ard rock wasn't that greatly supervised i thought the recent ard rock was better.
chobbers i remember speaking to ya about a blues album saying you should do one.
I was really impressed with your playing that night soloing and singing at the sametime and also it reminded me of the old records. You daren coghill and jamie swanson if i mind right were fantastic sorry if i forgot the name of the other one.
keep me posted on your blues release
sarah mosedale
21-Jun-06, 13:02
Yes, Derek's entry to the poetry scene caused a fair few puzzled looks if I remember right... we should also not overlook his contribution to the world of fine art. He was very pleased when, as 'Jackson Pillac', he submitted a work of art to an exhibition at the museum which was accepted... not only that but a photo exists of the queen mother standing in front of it... she was doubtless most uplifted by her encounter with our old side table, spray painted and blobbed on...
Wanted to let folks on the list know that Derek's funeral will be on Monday 26 June, 3pm at Rochdale Crematorium. We also intend to hold a celebration of Derek's life in Thurso in due course.
Anyway, it was wonderful to see that Derek already had a memorial here... thanks
[QUOTE=Deemac]To give an indication of Derek Mosedale's humor, I thought a good illustration is of the computer program that Derek developed to randomly generate poetry (as you would!!). In were fed strings of suitable text and the program generated poems!! Very strange and humorous poems indeed.
Do you have any of Derek's Japanese poetry? If you have, how about posting some?[evil]
Not heard of this aspect of Derek's multi-talented portfolio!!
:eek: Please enlighten me.
Not heard of this aspect of Derek's multi-talented portfolio!!
:eek: Please enlighten me.
Poems called "haku's" I believe and I seem to remember reading some.
No, never knew of this interesting aspect.
Possibly if a celebration event is organised - these could/should be featured!!
Derek, I know would approve.
Can we get hold of/see this image of the art piece with the Queen Mother?
sarah mosedale
30-Jun-06, 12:19
The queen mum/Pillac photo was in the Caithness Courier if I remember right (could have been the Groat) so it might be available through their archives. I imagine they must be archiving electronically by now so a search might be possible... regarding the haikus (I think this is the spelling) yes dad got very into these. They are short poems that have to have exactly seventeen (I think) syllables and usually have three lines. A quick search of my premises does not reveal any of dad's but my sister has most of his paperwork and we plan to go throguh it all fairly soon, if any come to light I will definitely share them.
I agree they should be featured at the forthcoming do if at all possible.
I have found a poem of dad's that was featured in Poetry Now Scotland 1991 Vol 1. The cover blurb says almost a thousand poems were submitted and one hundered and eleven were chosen for the book. Not at all sure if dad would want this offering publicised but since it has already been published here we go:
TAN CHIEN WU
One day, riding on a train, I passed through nowhere,
There was nothing - everywhere.
The bright, morning sun was black. Beghind lay no track
And ahead stretched the bleak invisible plain.
Blackness - all the stars are dead - the moon is in ashes.
The silence - crashes!
No trees ever grow, no streams ever flow
And the corpses of dreams lie silent.
Living - dying by the hour - the years are flying,
Siddhartha sighing.
The futre has gone - the past not begun
And the end still seeks the beginning.
Nothing.
Everywhere.
Derek Mosedale
Just to say also that dad's (humanist) funeral was a real celebration of his life and also featured himself playing with House of Jade as well as Bechet, Dolphy, Grateful Dead. Mozart and Moby Grape - we felt Bleached Parrot might be too much for Rochdale Crematorium to cope with :cool: We also hope that some sort of reincarnation of House of Jade might be possible at a Thurso celebration of dad.
sarah mosedale
30-Jun-06, 13:08
Just checked the definiiton, yes 17 syllables, usually but not always arranged in three lines of 5-7-5 sylables. What Derek liked about haikus was that they were so 'democratic' i.e. anyone could join in so long as they could count syllables. Here's one I just penned:
Derek gone? Not so
all his atoms exist and
his spirit floats free
Sarah
The poem which you quoted exists on a Bleached Parrot recording called the German Sessions, with Derek reciting it. If you want a copy, let me know.
Gleber/Sarah
Some detail corrections.
The poem you refer to is in fact on the Bleached Parrot recording called 'Chateau plastique' recorded in 1986 by Gleber himself (at Greenlands) and features Franz Stibal on tenor saxaphone (the German).The track is called 'Noah and the protozoa' and was in fact recited by Gleber himself!! I have played this to the great Caithness public quite a few times on Caithness FM (though strangely I got no response!! - can't think why)
Sarah,
Also thanks very much for your card. I am very pleased to know Derek did not suffer and that some his favourite music was played at his funeral. I have many fond memories of your dad and am still trying to absorb some of the more 'out there(!!)' musical experiences he shared with me. A great honour. I will try and track down the image of the Queen mother with Derek's art.
Wow, writing this, listening to the track in question.
Gleber's JX3P experiments are CLASSIC. A great joy to behold after all this time. Good days, indeed.
Some great sax work also (from Derek and Franz), juxtaposed with the almost 'cruel' simmons electrics.
The poem sounds great recited by Gleber in his moody, dark tones. Given the technology of the day (no Protools here - me lads!!) the production is 'far-out-there.' Pure experiment. (and I love the falsetto vocals Gleber . . . . NOT to be missed!!)
Spiky SDS9 kick's firing off like a fire cracker to the sax hiss of the next track. (Fishing in the wind).
Deemac
Wow, writing this, listening to the track in question.
Gleber's JX3P experiments are CLASSIC. A great joy to behold after all this time. Good days, indeed.
Some great sax work also (from Derek and Franz), juxtaposed with the almost 'cruel' simmons electrics.
The poem sounds great recited by Gleber in his moody, dark tones. Given the technology of the day (no Protools here - me lads!!) the production is 'far-out-there.' Pure experiment. (and I love the falsetto vocals Gleber . . . . NOT to be missed!!)
Spiky SDS9 kick's firing off like a fire cracker to the sax hiss of the next track. (Fishing in the wind).
.
Deemac
Ah, these were the halcyon days,never to be repeated .
Chobbersjnr
09-Jul-06, 19:42
While reading through the foregoing thoughts on the sad demise of Derek Mosedale,I was struck , firstly,by their number,but secondly,by the omissions of appreciation of many facets of an extremely complex character.I too lived in and around Thurso in the mid 1970's and knew Derek and his families well.His immense intellectual and musical talents,his sometimes oh-so-deadpan wit,I think,sometimes concealed a remarkable degree of compassion and forbearance for his fellow-beings,which often translated into thoughtful,supportive,non-judgemental assistance of all kinds – whether providing an ear, a shoulder or a bed for those in need around him – I certainly benefited from this,in a particularly turbulent period of my life.Forbearance was a keystone in his own personal life too – he shouldered burdens that would have crushed lesser men.We played together many times,in formative [for me at any rate] jam sessions and in a vaguely country-rock based band that was just a little bit too experimental for its own commercial good,and we made some righteous music! Derek,it was a pleasure and a privilege to call you friend. Stan Wolarz.
Chobbersjnr
09-Jul-06, 19:55
called "Memories Of Moledase"
http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=4211 (http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=4211)
it's the 1st performance of the tune taken from the recent Duck Baker gig
enjoy folks or I'll set Deemac on y'all
Thanks Chobbersjnr, I enjoyed listening to that charming, upbeat number! :)
Is it really called Memories of Moldase, and not Memories of Mosedale?
Thanks Chobbers for enlightening me with the knowledge to upload Derek himself transported back to the year 2000 reciting his aforementioned poetry (with a little audio manipulation!!) I hope you all enjoy.
http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=4212
I have more of this if anyones interested.
Chobbersjnr
09-Jul-06, 20:43
Thanks Chobbersjnr, I enjoyed listening to that charming, upbeat number! :)
Is it really called Memories of Moldase, and not Memories of Mosedale?
an anogram of Mosedale is Moledase
Chobbersjnr
09-Jul-06, 20:48
Thanks Chobbers for enlightening me with the knowledge to upload Derek himself transported back to the year 2000 reciting his aforementioned poetry (with a little audio manipulation!!) I hope you all enjoy.
http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=4212
I have more of this if anyones interested.
mwahahaha LOL lmao
yes aye Deemac that's funky poetry
an anogram of Mosedale is Moledase
I realised right away that it was an anagram. I was just wondering if it was intentional or not, lol! Apparently it was! :cool:
I realised right away that it was an anagram. I was just wondering if it was intentional or not, lol! Apparently it was! :cool:
At the time Derek was named Moledase, the same person named me Lustrehand.;)
At the time Derek was named Moledase, the same person named me Lustrehand.;)
Good one, lol! A clever anagram of your surname, and very appropriate too! :D The dictionary defines "lustre" as "a quality that outshines the usual". Your superb guitarmanship outshines the usual, in my opinion, Gleber2. And Chobbersjnr certainly deserves the title of Lustrehand jnr!
Chobbersjnr
10-Jul-06, 17:25
Good one, lol! A clever anagram of your surname, and very appropriate too! :D The dictionary defines "lustre" as "a quality that outshines the usual". Your superb guitarmanship outshines the usual, in my opinion, Gleber2. And Chobbersjnr certainly deserves the title of Lustrehand jnr!
aww gee tanx:Razz
Hi there. Sorry to drag this thread out from the dusty archives, but as a member of D's (second) family, I thought I'd drop in a note to say how nice it is to hear you lot speaking so highly of the auld fella.
It's his birthday tomorrow (Wednesday 20th), so might be a good time to drag out the Parrot CDs (if you dare). That's what I'll be doing anyway -glutton for punishment ;)
Cheers
Hi there. Sorry to drag this thread out from the dusty archives, but as a member of D's (second) family, I thought I'd drop in a note to say how nice it is to hear you lot speaking so highly of the auld fella.
It's his birthday tomorrow (Wednesday 20th), so might be a good time to drag out the Parrot CDs (if you dare). That's what I'll be doing anyway -glutton for punishment ;)
Cheers
A punishment which never fails to amaze me even though I played on each one. Thanks for the reminder. Saw your faither last week!!!:D
A punishment which never fails to amaze me even though I played on each one. Thanks for the reminder. Saw your faither last week!!!:D
No problem - it was the date that prompted me to start trawling through these archives to start with. That, and the pile of work on my desk needing avoided, obviously. ;)
And how was the other aforementioned auld fella getting on?
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