Ben Finlay
LightNews LightNews
banner
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Ben Finlay
@benfinlay74.bsky.social
260 followers 270 following 380 posts
MA Cultural History, BA (hons) History. Former history and politics lecturer at University of Chichester.
Historian, writer, reader, musician, talker, blues and jazz obsessive.
https://bsky.app/profile/lionunicorn.bsky.social
Posts Replies Media Videos
benfinlay74.bsky.social
The great Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango was born on this day in 1933. Here's 'New Bell' from 1972's 'O Boso'. 'Hard pulsation' indeed.
#musicsky #makossa #jazzsky #afrobeat #afrofunk
New-Bell (Hard Pulsation)
YouTube video by Manu Dibango - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:07 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Great version of Kenny Burrell's 'Asphalt Canyon Blues' from 'Togethering', the album he made with Grover Washington Jr. in 1984.
#jazzsky #musicsky
Asphalt Canyon Blues
YouTube video by Kenny Burrell - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Reposted by Ben Finlay
lionunicorn.bsky.social
"He knew, of course. He had always known..."
John le Carré died five years ago today.
thelionandunicorn.com/2019/07/06/r...
Rear-view review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
DAN ATKINSON revisits ‘the most brilliant spy novel of our time’.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:36 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Remembering Mister Magic, Grover Washington Jr. born OTD 1943 in Buffalo, New York. While he achieved massive commercial success with 'Winelight' (1980), his 70s records on Kudu are wonderful.
#jazzsky #musicsky #soul #r&b #saxophone
December 12, 2025 at 7:18 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Remembering one of the greatest ever drummers, Tony Williams, born OTD 1945 in Chicago and gone far too soon. From revolutionising the role of the rhythm section with Miles, pioneering jazz rock, returning to Blue Note in the 80s, to guesting with PIL, he was incredible.
#jazzsky #musicsky #drums
December 12, 2025 at 6:55 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
#nowplaying Thursday afternoon jam session, one of my favourite guitarists, Tiny Grimes (with Coleman Hawkins), 'Blues Groove', 1958.
#jazzsky #blues #swing #musicsky #vinylcommunity
December 11, 2025 at 2:29 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Released OTD in 1970, the third album by King Crimson, 'Lizard'...
#musicsky #progrock #vinylcommunity
December 11, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Reposted by Ben Finlay
neilmatheson66.bsky.social
#BOTD 1926. Remembering blues singer, songwriter Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. (d.1984) #Skyblues
December 11, 2025 at 7:29 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Muddy Waters in his basement wearing a Santa hat with a Guild and a Fender amp, 1969
#blues #musicsky #christmas
December 11, 2025 at 7:09 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
#nowplaying 'Echoes of a Friend', McCoy Tyner's solo piano tribute to John Coltrane, recorded in Tokyo in November 1972. Sublime.
#jazzsky #musicsky #tokyo #coltrane #vinylcommunity
December 11, 2025 at 6:26 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
"The piano is like an orchestra - I'm very fortunate that I chose it as my instrument..."
And so are we. Remembering the master, McCoy Tyner, born OTD 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
#musicsky #jazzsky #piano
December 11, 2025 at 6:12 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Coming soon on @lionunicorn.bsky.social, my top ten British Yuletide albums and playlist...
#musicsky #folk #prog #classical #traditional #topten #vintlcommunity #yuletide
December 10, 2025 at 5:04 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
#nowplaying Classic Coltrane, 'Giant Steps'
#musicsky #jazzsky
December 9, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Ben Finlay
davidleheny.bsky.social
Jazz OTD: Two of the all-time great jazz recordings have December 9 origins. First, on December 9, 1964, the John Coltrane recorded "A Love Supreme" in a single session. With McCoy Tyner (p), Jimmy Garrison (b), and Elvin Jones (d). #jazzsky
A Love Supreme, Pt. I – Acknowledgement
YouTube video by John Coltrane - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:09 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Released OTD in 1966, the debut album by Cream, 'Fresh Cream'. Read about my top ten British Blues albums of the 1960s here:
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/07/18/b...
@lionunicorn.bsky.social #musicsky #blues
December 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
"I'm creative; I'm not re-creative."
Remembering Donald Byrd, born OTD 1932 in Detroit, Michigan.
#jazzsky #musicsky
December 9, 2025 at 5:15 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
"As a boy I was listening to Sonny Boy Williamson's records and I would close my eyes and I could visualize myself playing the harp."
Remembering Junior Wells, born OTD 1934 in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Southside Blues Jam (1970) is one of the greatest blues albums...
#musicsky #blues
December 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
'Completely Well' by BB King was released OTD in 1969. Produced by Bill Szymczyk, the record moved towards a more contemporary rock sound, and is also notable for the inclusion of "The Thrill Is Gone", which became a hit single and earned him a Grammy Award in 1970...
#musicsky #jazzsky #bbking
December 5, 2025 at 9:58 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
"That's kinda what happened to me: I listened to jazz, country, R&B, rock 'n' roll. And when I sat down to write a song, I had all these influences comin' through."
Remembering the great J.J. Cale, born OTD 1938 in Oklahoma City.
#musicsky #jjcale #OTD
December 5, 2025 at 7:34 AM
Reposted by Ben Finlay
lionunicorn.bsky.social
"If you’ve never missed a moment you can never return to, you simply haven’t lived."
@finlay24.bsky.social on nostalgia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Melting Pot
YouTube video by Booker T. & the M.G.’s - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Now available to watch on Talking Pictures Encore, 'The Stone Tape' by Nigel Kneale, first broadcast on BBC 2 on Christmas Day 1972. Reassuringly still dark and terrifying in the manner only horror and supernatural drama tv from the early 70s could be.
www.tptvencore.co.uk/product/tpmo...
Encore
www.tptvencore.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
"I guess I sound more reflective because I try to develop a solo compositionally."
Remembering the great Jim Hall, born OTD 1930 in Buffalo, New York.
#jazzsky #musicsky #guitar #jazzguitar #OTD
December 4, 2025 at 9:45 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
Farewell Steve Cropper, the King of Memphis soul guitar; his playing and production defined the sound of Stax Records, and the music he made with Booker T and the MGs, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Sam and Dave, Albert King and many others will live on forever.
#musicsky #memphis #stax
December 4, 2025 at 6:11 AM
benfinlay74.bsky.social
'Islands', the fourth album by King Crimson was released OTD in 1971. It's also in my top ten personal favourite prog albums - read about it here:
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/08/13/t...
#musicsky #progrock #kingcrimson
Top 10: Prog rock
Fancy time-signatures, album-length songs and mystical lyrics – BEN FINLAY takes us through the best of prog rock.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:13 AM