Lady P (quote) "And as for Taliesn's opinion of music in London, I'm quite shocked. We have a wealth of music in an abundance of styles ( even if you disregard that terrible "trash" called rock ) everything from folk to all sorts of 'contemporary' to classical "

My word but you've over-reacted while completely disregarding what I actually wrote in plain black & white. (quote)

"One will find no more enthusiastic advocate of the UK's contribution to innovative hybrids of music than me ; with special due repsect for the vast amount of virtuosity of musicianship of the highest calibre that grew hand-in-glove out of the blending of their more pervasive training in Classical ( Euro-orchestral, etc.) music incorporating a dozen centuries of "folk" tunes alloyed with their "dicsovery" of , and devotion to, Classical American Blues and/or Jazz.......... "

Apparently you shock too easy because this very deliberately worded preface is enthusiastic praise by *anyone's* interpretation. Sorry if I popped yer cork by also mentioning London's lead in contributing to the world it's wave of degenerate Punk and New Wave trash ,but that public record is clear enough. I mention that as reason enough to voice my lament over the continuing downward trend in lack of craftsmanship in music that has finally degenerated into Rap/Thrash/& now Techno ( the techno group "Future Sounds of London" springs to mind ).

Lady P (quote) And to say that amongst all this there is no chance of extraordinary talent to emerge is indeed "excruciatingly biased".

Might I reinforce that ,already laid out in my original post , is ,thus , my looking to the "culture market" that is London for some reports of rays of hope that the rich musical culture of the UK *is* producing : (quote) "virtuoso performers/musicians/song writers for the 21st century? "

Lady P. If I didn't believe the UK's rich culture , as filtered the likes of London, would be a robust source I would *not* have sent out this call to the UK members here. Heck I'm *counting* on it. Your reaction is off the map. I'd apologize for ruffling yer feathers , Lady P, but your shock was more the result of a misreading, than actual content , of my post. T'was never the intent ,M'lady

Still looking forward to a response with happy news of some actual *names* of a new generation of ""virtuoso performers/musicians/song writers for the 21st century? " emergent in London's collective cultural ear.