Welcome to 2013. I’m starting the year with a big show tomorrow night at Hideaway in Streatham where we’ll be launching two, yes TWO albums on one night.
First up will be the official launch of Frankie Lewis‘ new album The Jazz Cookbook. This will be the first time the album is available and the first time we’ve performed the songs live all together. We recorded the record last year with a great lineup. It was produced by Janette Mason and Lea DeLaria with all arrangements by Janette.
The second half of the show will be music from Peter Borthwick‘s new record This Moment. This was also recorded last year around the same time. There are some fantastic arrangements and some really great tunes with a retro fifties vibe.
The band will feature Mark Fletcher on drums, Janette Mason on piano and a horn section including Alan Barnes, Paul Jayasinha and Oren Marshall. It’s going to be such a great night. You should all be there really…
If you can’t make this Thursday, I will be at Hideaway this Sunday too with Kai Hoffman‘s jump jive band Kai’s Cats and again next Thursday for our monthly Voice showcase. I’ll also be at The Pheasantry with Peter Borthwick on Saturday 19th January if you fancy coming along. Hopefully see you at a show soon. There’s plenty to choose from this month!
And if you haven’t heard the new trio record Foreground Music Vol. I yet, here’s a little player so you can stream it. The album is available at Bandcamp. We got our first radio play a couple of days ago so hopefully word is starting to spread!
Turned out the world didn’t end and we’re all still here and probably should have done the Christmas shopping earlier.
Following on from the previous post, I can report that the Duke Special gig at Shepherds Bush Empire was really rather excellent. We had some superb guests including Michele Stodart, Boo Hewerdine and Beth Rowley. It was so good to be playing on stage with all the regulars again after such a long time.
A few videos have already surfaced on YouTube from the show. Here’s the Duke and Michele performing John Prine’s In Spite of Ourselves. Loved this performance…
And here’s an old favourite, I Let You Down, featuring Chip, Ben and me at the start of the show. The Undertaker did indeed make an appearance. Frankly, I needed little excuse to don the tailcoat and top hat once again…
That’s all for now. Hope to see you all at a gig sometime in the new year. Have a lovely Christmas. I shall leave you for now with the latest offering Foreground Music, Vol. I from me, Jez and Mike. Do pop over to the Bandcamp page and grab yourself a copy (my solo records are all available on the same link). We’re all so proud of the record and we’ll be looking to do some more recording and live shows in the new year; watch this space! Until next time… See y’all in 2013 🙂 x
Thought I’d drop a quick post to let you all know about two great shows we’ve got coming up the Hideaway in Streatham this week.
On Thursday we have our monthly showcase gig Voice. We have six vocalists performing this month including Helen Theophanous, Mark Jennett, Halima Ihonde, Melissa Cantzlaar, Lorna Marshall and Arorah, plus our very special guest for the evening Anthony Strong. The band features myself, Janette Mason on piano and Frank Tontoh on drums. promises to be a hoot.
Then on Saturday we have our bi-monthly Diva show where we feature four excellent vocalists and a wide variety of music. This time we have Martin France on drums and Paul Booth on sax in the house band. The featured vocalists are Juliet Roberts, David McAlmont, Nina Ferro and Sarah Ellen Hughes. Many of you have probably seen me play with Nina before in her band so you all know how awesome she is. We were lucky enough to have her guest at Lea DeLaria’s Wall To Wall show at Pizza Express Dean Street last Tuesday which was one of the best shows there yet. And I am so excited to be playing with David McAlmont. I’ve been a massive fan of his since the first McAlmont & Butler album came out in the nineties and have wanted to play with him forever. I really hope he does Yes.
So there you go. You should come to both shows. Just bring tents and camp out in the Hideaway carpark Thursday to Saturday. Actually don’t do that. I shouldn’t think the Hideaway would thank me for that suggestion. Or Streatham Council for that matter.
Just come to the shows. See you there x
ps. Here’s a video from the last show I did with Nina Ferro at Hideaway. This is Lesson Learned..
