Out with the Old - In with the New!

Happy New Year!

2011 was quite a busy year for me.  Highlights included:

• My first UK tour (from Cornwall to Northumberland) with new Celebrating the Divas project with my band in February was a great success with several sold-out dates and quite a few radio and newspaper interviews
• In March I performed at a charity event attended by Prince Charles
• In March I also gave a speech (sharing the stage with MPs and the actress Maggie Steed!) for the Lost Arts initiative - extremely scary but a very worthwhile event
• Four sell-out dates in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia were the highlights in April
• Two licensing deals for music from my album Licorice Kiss - the first for Spain/Portugal and the second for Singapore/China
• Four festival appearances for a Greek Islands tour with Dimitri Vassilakis Qt in July and August made for a blissfully sunny and beautiful summer
• Five wonderful gigs with Kate Williams at village halls in the rural north of the UK also saw some beautiful hot weather at the end of September
• My debut performance at an historic venue in Moscow in October
• Two gigs at the London Jazz Festival with a new European Journey project with Jonny Phillips
• My debut performance in Hong Kong and a return to Moscow in November
• Finally December saw me return to Greece with two gigs in Athens over Christmas where I also managed to finish 8 new songs!

Plans for 2012 include:

• A return to Russia for 3 performances in February
• Another rural tour with pianist Kate Williams in March
• A new duo project with pianist Kit Downes
• Recording one (or maybe even two!) albums

Phew!  After all that I think I deserve a quiet, relaxed January... and that's exactly what I have planned.

Here's hoping 2012 brings us all lots of love, luck, laughter and lolly!

Lost Arts, Rural Touring and New Shoes!

Lost Arts

I felt very pleased to be asked to take part by giving a short speech at the Lost Arts launch event on 15th June on behalf of the Musicians' Union.  I have to say I was probably more nervous that I have EVER been in my life.  It's funny - I don't normally feel that nervous before a gig but I was scared absolutely witless!  Those pesky little butterflies that normally start fluttering around my tummy just before I take the stage for a very important gig decided to do their impression of a raging tornado.  When I realised that my speech was going to be slotted between those of the Shadow Culture Secretary and actor Maggie Steed, the butterflies threatened to cause internal combustion!  But I DID IT!  It was polished and it certainly wasn't effortless but I'm really pround of myself for achieving something that was so difficult for me.  Read all about this incredibly important initiative on the Lost Arts website.

Maggie and Me (You can actually see the relief on under the patina of perspiration on my face!)

Rural Touring

I've just received booking confirmations for my first rural tour!  Yay!  Many years ago I did a Radio 3 interview with Claire Martin after releasing my first album.  Unfortunately, the interview never saw the light of day as I was bumped for something or somebody more newswothy (sob!) but I remember when asked what my plans were that I said I'd love to do a tour of village halls and other rural venues.  It actually took me eight years to discover the National Rural Touring Forum and I applied last year to be included on their lists.  It's a long process but I'm so pleased that I'll finally be performing once again in the Northumberland area.  I loved visiting the area for the first time earlier this year with my Celebrating the Divas tour and can't wait to go back! :-)

New Shoes!

And on a totally frivolous note...  I've been buying rather a lot of shoes lately.  Oops!  My new favourites are these Melissa for Vivienne Westwood shoes.  They're made from eco-friendly mono materials that can be easily disassembled and recycled, as well as being completely cruelty-free with no animal products.  Production is 100% efficient, with 100%-of-materials-used and no excess waste.  Unsold shoes are just melted down and remade!  But most of all they're just absolutely gorgeous.

AND they're called Ultragirl.  I feel like a superhero when I'm wearing them!