Until such time as she launches a blog of her own, it falls to me to point you to the good Dr. LP’s review of the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music, now online at Jazz Times. I’m betting that it’s an excellent read, full of detailed observations, exacting criticism, well-turned phrases and personable asides. I can’t say so for sure, however, because I refuse to read it until I’ve filed my own review. It’s far too easy to unconsciously purloin some choice bit of prose from writers whose work you admire.

The photo, for what’s it’s worth, is one of mine… a brilliant burst of near-sundown radiance streaming over a towering wall near the makeshift Bâb Boujloud stage, just before a free concert by Azzedine Montasser and guests on June 6. While you probably can’t see it, there’s a sizeable flock of swallows gliding and swooping just above that wall — twilight apparently being the best time of the day for a bird to catch its fill of bugs.

And while it’s definitely not as impressive as a Fès Festival review, you can find my TONY preview of this Sunday’s New York City debut by Canterbury prog-rock legends Hatfield and the North here.

Playlist:

The Bad Plus – These Are the Vistas (Columbia)

Various Artists – Long Shadows (Rambler avant-garde megamix MP3: beautifully executed, highly recommended, and available for free download here.)

Rhonda Vincent – All American Bluegrass Girl (Rounder)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – The Magic Flute – Dorothea Röschmann, Erika Miklósa, Christoph Strehl, Hanno Müller-Brachmann, René Pape, Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Mahler Chamber Orchestra / Claudio Abbado (Deutsche Grammophon)

Philip Glass – The Voyage – Landestheater Linz, Bruckner Orchester Linz / Dennis Russell Davies (Orange Mountain Music, due for release August 8)

Deicide – The Stench of Redemption (Earache)

Phish – Live in Brooklyn, June 17, 2004 (JEMP/Rhino, due for release July 11)