Arrivederci Roma, Hola Odessa!

November was a busy month filled with new people, places and experiences.  :-)

I had a really amazing time with 6 gigs in Italy, then numerous gigs over the EFG London Jazz Festival including a live performance from the Barbican for BBC Radio 3's Jazz Record Requests and a great family-friendly performance at Cadogan Hall.  I also returned to one of my favourite places (Oxford), at the Summertown Wine Cafe.

And it won't be long until I'm off to foreign climes again as I've been invited as a guest artist for New Year's Eve celebrations at an amazing new venue in Odessa!  I've checked the weather and it doesn't seem too cold at the moment but I'm keeping everything crossed that there'll be no snow.

We played 2 nights at Gregory's Jazz Club - the oldest jazz clubs in Rome

Downstairs at Gregory's there is a tiny bar where regulars have special name plaques.  I asked about Vittorio and if I remember correctly, he is a sailor from Sicily who visits Rome and Gregory's often and keeps his place at the bar reserved.  Love this idea!

The Italian Quartet!  Max (bass), Rudy (drums) and Daniele (piano)

I spent some time in Genoa and was amazed at how wonderful the climate is - there are PALM TREES!

Love Pisa!  Here I am in front of a gorgeous Keith Haring mural.

With the Family Jazz All Stars (Tony Kofi -sax, Kate Williams - piano, Oli Hayhurst - bass, Cosimo Keita - drums) just before we stepped on stage at Cadogan Hall

On stage at Cadogan Hall.  A stunning venue!

Finally, Trevor Hoggett did a really nice interview with me about Spellbound Stories and it's out now in December's Jazz Journal magazine.

And my name is on the front cover - second name up from the bottom in red - woo hoo!

Finally, (really this time), here's a seasonal joke for you:

Q:  What do you call a bunch of chess players bragging about their games in a hotel lobby?
A:  Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer.

Hot Hot Hot!

We have been very lucky with the weather this summer in London but it still didn't prepare me for the heatwave in Tuscany.  I think one of the days the temperature hit 39 degrees celsius.  It was like being in a sauna... and I loved it!

I had a wonderful time performing with excellent local musicians playing in five different beautiful venues.  Daniele Gorgone (piano), Nino Pellegrini (bass) and Marco Simoncini (drums).

The Italian Quartet!  Enjoying a meal before our first gig in La Spezia.

The view whilst sipping an aperitif before the gig at Villa Trossi in Livorno.

The stage of our third gig on the bank of the Arno in Pisa.

The view from the stage at Argini & Margini in Pisa - magical

The Tennis Club in the park by the beach in Castiglioncello
was the setting for our 4th performance

The soundcheck before the final gig in the beautiful Villa Conti in Fauglia

Yesss!  I finally made it to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

And I just could resist doing a tiny bit of shopping.
This beautiful Italian handbag is so unique with interchangeable colours,
handles and accessories.  Bellissima!

Hope it won't be too long before I'm back in Bella Italia, but before then I will be at Boisdale in Canary Wharf this Saturday doing my Nina Simone & the Divas of Jazz show.  Hope to see some of you there! 

Book Tickets for Nina Simone & The Divas of Jazz here

Derby, Tuscany and Countdown to the Launch of the SS (Spellbound Stories) Album

Castello Pasquini

Great news - I've been booked for some tour dates in Tuscany, Italy.  Love Italy and all things Italian so I'm really looking forward to it!  I'll be working with some great musicians, the Daniele Gorgone Trio. 

23 July - La Spezia
24 July - Livorno
25 July - Pisa
26 July - Rosignano Marittimo (at a festival taking place at the beautiful Castello Pasquini pictured above)

Closer to home, I had a lovely time at my first performance in Derby.  We performed a family-friendly show of Spellbound Stories organised by excellent musician/promoter Corey Mwamba who is doing such great things for jazz, especially in Derby.  It had been a while (since October last year) that we'd played the songs and I'm so excited that we'll be performing them again very soon for the launch at Pizza Express Jazz Club on 18 June.  Tickets are available here:

http://www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk/jazzBook.aspx?showId=b94d9d1a-7cdc-481a-914f-03df585d347b&showDateId=8280

More good news - the PledgeMusic target was achieved!  Thanks so much to everyone who pledged.  I appreciate it a lot.  You can still pre-order the album and other exclusives up until the release date of 22 June.  And remember, 10 per cent goes to Amnesty International.  Just click the link below:

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/spellboundstories

I was very happy to learn that Forbidden Fruit (the track inspired by Alice Walker's "The Color Purple") was played on BBC Radio 3's Jazz Line Up by Julian Joseph at the beginning of this month.  And there was a mention about the album release in the June edition of UK magazine Jazzwise.  Exciting to have received the first bit of press and some radio play for the album!