The Ivy Wu Gallery This new, permanent gallery features a superb collection of artworks from China. Japan and Korea. with costumes. ceramics. furniture and prints. many of which are on show for the first time. Shibata Zeshin Until Wed 1 Oct. In the Ivy Wu Gallery. a collection of rare Japanese lacquerware by one of its greatest exponents. Shibata Zeshin. This display consists of over 70 of his finest works from the collection of Nasser D. Khalili.
Precious Cargo: Scots And The China Trade Sat 9 Aug—4 Jan 98. An exhibition looking at three centuries of trade with China. told through a rich collection of objects including porcelain, silk. calico. carpets and furniture.
Colours Of Africa Until 25 Jan 98. A collection of vividly coloured African textiles and dress. Part of Scotland/Africa 97.
WRITERS' MUSEUM
Lady Stair‘s Close. 529-190l. Mon—Sat l()am—6pm. A treasure-house of items relating to three of Scotland‘s most famous writers: Robert Louis Stevenson. Roben Burns and Sir Walter Scott.
Arthur Conan Doyle - The Edinburgh Connection Until Sat 27 Sep. An exhibition looking at the life and work of the creator of Sherlock Holmes. the world‘s greatest fictional detective.
lectures &
events
Venetian Women At Their Toilet Fri 8 Aug. 12.45pm. National Gallery Of Scotland. Colin Bailey talks about Paris Bordon‘s painting.
Richter And The Avant-Garde Sat 9 Aug. 2pm. Fruitmarkct Gallery. David Macrae explores the significance of technical reproduction for modern art since the Avant-Garde movements of the 20s and relates Richter‘s work to the concept of avant-gardist photography and film. See Fruitmarket Gallery.
Dummies On Tour Sat 9 Aug. noon—3pm. Main car park. Edinburgh College Of An. A one-day large-scale installation by Octopus which comprises a lorry which has shed a sculpted avalanche of fibre-glass rocks onto an unfortunate crowd of passers-
by.
Gabrielle Keiller, Collector Mon tl Aug. l2.~15pm. Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art. Richard Calvocoressi gives a talk on Gabrielle Keiller. who bequeathed her entire collection of Surrealist an to the Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art. See gallery listing.
Kyrgyzstan: Central Asia Mon I 1 Aug. 2—5pm. The British Council. Video showings to accompany the exhibition Kyrgyzstan In FUCHS. See gallery listings.
A Tale Of Two Portrait Galleries Tue 12 Aug. l2.45pm. Royal Scottish Academy. A talk by James Holloway. James Murray Wed l3 Aug. l2.45pm. Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Jeanne Cannizzo talks about Allan Ramsay‘s painting.
Rivalry In Bridge Design — Good Or Bad? Wed l3 Aug. 5.3(l-7pm. Royal Fine Art Commission For Scotland. The first in a series of four discussions on issues of bridge design. See gallery listing.
Robert Harbison Wed l3 Aug. 7pm. £l .50 (ill ). Fruitmarket Gallery. Author of 'I'liirlt't'n Ways, 'I'ht'nrt'lit‘ul Int't'sligulimis In Al't'liilt't'lure will be talking about architectural theory and practice.
The Portrait Of A Lady Thu 14 Aug. l2.~15pm. Royal Scottish Academy. Julia Rayer Rolfe talks about this famous painting. See gallery listing.
FESTIVAL CLUBS
fluff and ready
BOB JONES may be 48 years old but he's still one of the UK's most respected 015. Words: Jim Byers
At 48 years old. Bob Jones is more than qualified to talk about dance music. Since he started his love affair with vinyl at the age of thirteen and played his first gig in I967. he has consistently championed most forms of quality ‘black‘ dance music — whether it he jazz. soul. rap. disco or garage. His reputation as a musical purist is legendary.
s hous‘ m isie has ' I A L. l . feeling. Bob Jones become increasingly
commercial. Jones‘s role as a black music DJ is as vital today as it ever was. His influence is felt through his club DJing. including residencies at London's Blue Note and Leeds's Hard Times; his worldwide guest work (he recently played in Estonia) — and a weekly Kiss FM Sunday night show The .S'urgery. Jones also runs his own Black On Black (8.0.8) label and is a producer and remixer.
As he prepares to guest at Edinburgh’s Honeycomb. he stresses why black music is so important to him.
‘lt‘s the roots of most of what we're hearing today.‘ he says. ‘lt all comes from black music. that‘s just a historical fact. Black music is just a feeling I get. I can‘t explain it. it's like an individual thing. it's just a gut feeling.‘ .
That feeling is what distinguishes a Bob Jones set from your average Jeremy llealy set. For ‘feeling‘
Bob Jones brings 30 ye
’Black music is just a feeling I get, I can't explain it, it's like an individual thing, it's just a gut
Club nights 0 venues
read ‘soul‘ and ‘funk’ — two things which cheesy commercial house tends to lack.
‘A good record makes me happy.’ he explains. ‘Without sounding bloody crass or hippyish — it just does. Plus. I like the challenge of making people dance to things that they might not know. That’s not being egotistical. it’s just a fact.‘
As for the age aspect. Jones is rightly satisfied with his achievements. ‘Some of my friends have said: “Why do you want to shout about the fact that you‘ve been DJing for 30 years?" and I say: “Why not? I‘m proud of it.”
‘l‘m not being big-headed. I’m just proud of the fact that it’s been that long. Justin Robertson did an interview just after Labour got in when he was asked who he would have in his government if he was elected. He said Bob Jones as Minister of Education. So I must be doing something right after 30 years. you know what I mean?‘
What can you expect from Jones when he guests at Groove Theory? ‘I like all forms of music but I love garage because it just hits the spot. A good vocal just hits the spot. It‘s what 1 call “nu soul dance".
‘I can‘t see any difference between what I’m playing now and what was happening on Philadelphia in the 70s. I like a really good vocal. It’s got to be very inspirational. it‘s got to be ruff and raw and almost unfinished — I can’t stand records that are too polished. I like ruff and ready beats and vocals.
‘People hook me because of the length of time I‘ve been doing this. knowing that when I get there. I‘ll present them with maybe an across the board selection of black music from the last 30 years.’
There. now you know. Listen and learn.
Bob Jones guests at Groove Theory, The Honeycomb, Sat 9 Aug. The Grand Central Coilectwe (maturing Veba) will also appear.
8 14 Aug 199] THE USTttl?