Playful Puns and Spellbound Stories

Great news!  My grant application to Arts Council England was successful and I've been offered funding for my new project "Spellbound Stories".

Spellbound Stories is a set of songs I've written that are inspired by some of my favourite novels. Novels used as inspiration include "Vanity Fair" (William Makepeace Thackeray), "The Colour Purple" (Alice Walker), Veronika Decides to Die (Paolo Coelho) and "White Teeth" (Zadie Smith). 

I'm really looking forward to working with my great band - Nick Ramm (piano) Oli Hayhurst/Ben Hazleton (bass) and Eddie Hick (drums).  Our premiere performance will be at The Forge in London on 22 May 2014.  I've almost finished all the songs now - just a few bits and pieces to finish. I've aso been working on setting up a tour for later in the year and already have several dates confirmed.  Exciting!

While I was waiting to hear my fate I busied myself by searching out some excellent puns.  Here are a few of my favourites.  

• No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.
• Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
• Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'
• A vulture carrying two dead raccoons boards an airplane. The stewardess looks at him and says,  'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'
• Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

 This also made me chuckle.

Two Firsts - BBC London Radio and Jazzahead Music Conference

Having lived in London all my life and being a proud Londoner I was very pleased to be invited on to the Robert Elms show a couple of weeks ago!  I've listened to the show many times and it's one of the best and most varied shows on the airwaves both in terms of the music he plays and the topics he covers.  I'm honoured to have been featured.  Listen to me singing my new song Surrender with Kate Williams on piano below:

Then I was off to my very first music conference.  What an exhausting weekend!  I helped man the Jazz Services UK Jazz stand for both days (10am-8pm)  and never realised how tiring just talking to people for 2 full days could be.  In the evenings we listened to showcases including those by the wonderful British bands that were taking part - Sara Colman, Kit Downes Trio, Just East, Lighthouse Trio and Dennis Rollins.  I also got the chance to do some international networking and while I'm not really keen on "networking" as such, I realise it's an important part of a DIY musician's life.  When I got back to the UK I had totally lost my voice!  I couldn't speak a word, never mind sing.  The voice is slowly coming back now but it's just as well that I don't have any gigs in the next couple of week...

May is going to be all about songwriting for me.  I've slacked off since my spurt around Christmas and must get back on the songwriting wagon again.  Even if it means a bout of self-imposed purdah!