So I listen to Kurt Elling`s latest album (2016), “Upward Spiral”, a collaboration with the quartet of saxophonist Branford Marsalis. And the fourth track there stops me in my footsteps. “Practical Arrangement,” a painfully slow, painfully needed, almost spoken monologue of a man who proposes to a woman to marry him, to live with him, even if both know that she does not love him. It`s a practical arrangement. Gee, love songs are not what they used to be. With a roof over your head. A hot house where we can go back. You wouldn`t have to cook for me, you wouldn`t have to learn. I`m not suggesting we find an earthly paradise forever. I have no intention of deceiving you, you are too clever. But if we reach an agreement, a practical agreement.

And you`ll learn to love me when you have time. My son prepared a Branford Marsalis/Kurt Elling concert for me last Friday at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. If he didn`t know exactly what was in store for him, BS knows him mainly because of his fantastic contributions to the album Nothing like the Sun. And yes, I like Sting! But what happened is almost exactly what you describe here. Most importantly, a song blew my mind – at the time, I didn`t know it was a practical arrangement, or that it was written by Sting – and I spent part of my Saturday researching what it was. That`s how I stumbled on your site, and it cost me almost the rest of my weekend. I can`t say I`ve still read all your articles, but it was a huge experience and often a trip down the memory trail to read your very well written and informative reviews. Not to mention listening to the music and watching the video on which you recorded links. Thank you very much. And a request. You`re saying somewhere that you missed most of the 70s of music and probably the hardest stuff of rock. But as you appreciate emotions and skill, you give a very unlikely volume a try.

Led Zeppelin and since I love you since the 3rd album. A song I can`t hear without my eyes getting wet. Beautiful guitars and vocals, discreet, but extremely effective drums and magnificent organ and arrangement, with a construction and a highlight quite unthinkable for boys in their twenties then. We look forward to your comments! Thank you, Jan. I can`t think of a better way to be discovered. What do you think of Sting`s version? And BTW, I had friendly words about Kurt`s announcement.