Various Artists
The Sprigs of Time
Honest Jons    

Surely fans of Blur and Gorillaz will not be the first in line to pick up this album of forgotten or never-known gems unearthed from the archive of EMI Records, and released on the Honest Jon’s record label. Although this label has become associated with Damon Albarn, it is a partnership of three in which two equally essential members are Mark Ainsley and Alan Scholefield, the proprietors of Honest Jon’s record shop on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, West London, which happens to be close to Damon’s home.  It was Mark who spent many hours researching the archives of EMI Records, sifting through 78s, many of which were badly filed, unlabelled and sometimes unplayed since the first session at which they were recorded.

With no concern for chronology or geography, Mark has sequenced his discoveries more or less according to their power to surprise or amuse him, so the best thing is just to let the thing play until you want to hear something again. My ears were caught by Fairuz (from Lebanon), Jonuzi Me Shoket (Albania) and a track that turns out to feature the young Ruben Gonzalez as vocalist (who knew the Cuban pianist was once a singer?).

There’s a theory  argues that each time there’s a change in the format for conveying music, 80% of the previously available music is abandoned, never to be heard again. Much gratitude to Honest Jon’s for unearthing this entertaining collection.