His Flute....

My Dad would have been 90 years old today.......but he passed away last August. When I went home to Edinburgh, to be with my family and to attend his funeral, my sister and I spent a lot of time down at his house, the home where we were brought up .... to attend to all his belongings. I was happy to be able to bring back his flute with me! This beautiful flute is quite old, according to the inscription it was made in 1901! I have had it in my mind to do a blip of it, and this day seems the most fitting.

Altho he 'worked' as a manager in a grocery store all his life, and at one point he and my mother owned their own store.....his real passion was playing in a big band. He mostly played the clarinet and the alto sax....but he also played the flute. For as long as I can remember, he went out Wednesday and Saturday nights to play in the band, I think it was called the Plaza back then, on Lothian Road. He would get all dressed up in his black suit and his tie and he always looked so good! I also have very strong memories of sitting on the floor, outside his bedroom door, listening to him practice. Those were magical moments.

He often entertained the family at parties, with his clarinet.....and his most favored piece to play was this! Especially at hogmanay...our house was always full till the wee hours of the morning...and at some point he'd disappear.....a few minutes later, he'd come parading in...always a grand entrance....clarinet in hand and his wee bowler hat on his head.....he was in his glory! We loved it, and he would play for awhile....taking request after request! What a guy! I can still see him clearly, eyes closed, tapping his foot in time with the music.....and when he wasn't playing the instrument himself, but just listening to a piece of good music - always jazz - he'd be in the same sort of blissed out state, and all he'd say is 'MAGIC!"

Cheerio Bert.....and 'it was great while it lasted'

And i almost forgot...it'ssub sunday ...so here is a new blipper from Finland that deserves your look see Echoes!