Between listening to this week's AK programme and writing this I have attended the yearly Compline at my local church, for Ascension Day, with our very fine group the Nantwich Singers led by Tony Metcalfe. They sang mostly polyphony in the Tudor style made famous by Thomas Tallis and his contemporaries but there was also some medieval plainsong. I felt it was sublime and although there was nothing sublime in this week's AK show I will do my best to comment on what was on offer.

So far I have been distinctly underwhelmed by June Tabor's latest offering 'Apples'. I passed over it as a birthday present for my dad in favour of 'Roads Not Travelled' by Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham. However her session tonight was quite convincing. Elvis Costello's comment that one should not listen to music if one didn't appreciate June Tabor was well over the top. However there was some haunting beauty there and she spoke eloquently about the pieces on offer. It was moving to hear the story of Passchendaele told in terms of a half empty washing line and I can honestly say that there was something uplifting in each of the four pieces she played.

Of the rest of the programme of course Walter Ferguson put the broadest smile on my face. Best voice was Cheb Khaled and best guitar was Otis Taylor.

Your compline service sounds excellent indeed. As for AK, I felt it hung together well as a programme this week. I've heard a couple of those June Tabor tracks two or three times and they are growing on me. There seemed a nice downhome feel to most of the show, gospel, blues, old timey stuff. The only thing that grated was the obligatory six minutes of dub reggae, my personal blind spot.

Regarding smittims' comment, I suspect June Tabor puts more effort into researching and developing the material she sings rather than trying to develop her voice, which having become a presentable instrument for delivery of said material kind of takes care of itself.