Finally able to get together with some local Shropshire musicians, having some great jam sessions and will soon be able to meet some of the performance requests – yeah!
Finally back on stage
I’m getting ready, getting excited and getting rehearsed! With any luck my jazz/blues concert in Budleigh Salterton with the Pat Brandon Quartet on Sunday 31 October will go ahead following the cancellation of the previous two dates. We’re ready to rock so come and join us.
The UK/International Song Writing Competition
2020 saw the competition introduce a new section – best cover song. We entered 5 songs, all of which gained the top 5* mark and 3 songs gained a semi-final place. We were surprised and delighted to get that far especially as there were 9000 entries from 84 countries. Yea, we are happy people. The songs are
Paper Planes
You’ll Never Be The Sun
Satin Doll
Thank you to the brilliant songwriters who enabled us to cover these music treasures.
Difficult times
No doubt every musician feels pretty much as I do – missing the wonderful companionship of those you usually work with, longing to share the same space again, and experience the precious moments of making music together.
Some will be experiencing tremendous financial hardship, as will the sound and lighting crews, and roadies, that performers rely on so much.
I expect it will be a very long time before we are able to perform publicly again but the health and well-being of everyone has to be the first priority.
Blessings and love
At the hop 26 October – Si Cranstoun’s band
Paul and Debbie of ‘Get In The Swing’ organised a fabulous evening of music and dance in Risby Village Hall last night. Paul’s brilliant choice of swing and rock n roll music initially helped the 200+ people find their dancing feet and there were some amazing shows of Lindy Hop, Jive, Balboa etc.
Then Si Cranstoun’s band took to the stage and gave two brilliant sets of music which encouraged even more styles of dance and some great ‘strolling’. Seven members of the band in all came over as an exceptionally well-balanced ‘orchestra’ and the sound was brilliantly managed. The musicianship is superb, Si’s vocals are amazing (as is his own song-writing) and his fun-filled personality makes him an ideal front-man for this ‘top of the range’ and hugely popular band.
I’ve performed many times in the village hall in Risby which is absolutely huge and sometimes the acoustics were very difficult to manage. This has been addressed with some clever renovation, and is now a perfect venue for that big event with big sounding bands and people who just love to dance.
St Ives Jazz/Blues Festival
We had a great evening at Scotsdales on 18 July and now we begin rehearsing for the St Ives Jazz/Blues Festival on Sunday 22 September 2-4pm in the beautiful quayside setting of the Dolphin Hotel.
Devon and Scotsdales, Cambridge
It was so good to be back in Budleigh Salterton and perform the jazz festival with Pat Brandon and our Sizzling Jazz and Blues Band. Many thanks to Lydgate Hotel, beautifully positioned in Postbridge on Dartmoor, for looking after me so well and then Syon House In East Budleigh.
So, the annual Cambridge concert at Scotsdales has come around again and will be played on Thursday 18 July. I’ve got the usual fabulous ‘Turquoise’ musicians – the rhythm section with Gerry Pruseiwicz, Phil Prechner, Chris Smith, Ed O’Connell and JohnTrowsdale is joined by Geoff Duckworth on saxophone and Chris Smith on blues harmonica. The delightful vocalist Cathy Matthews will be guesting with us.
Budleigh Salterton Jazz/Blues Festival
Really looking forward to going back to Budleigh at the end of June to perform with Pat Brandon, Peter Canter, Jim Newton and Marcus Rudnick in Knowle. It will be great to see everyone again.
Budleigh Salterton Gala Week Jazz/Blues Concert
I’m delighted to be back in Budleigh Salterton to play a jazz concert in the Public Hall for the Gala Week. Staying in the lovely Long Range Hotel, a beautifully peaceful place with glorious views.
I always visit Hair Vision when I’m here to get some fabulous colour and the sun always seems to shine.
So, ready to deliver the goods tomorrow with the brilliant line-up of Pat Brandon, Marius Rudnick, Pete Canter and Jim Newton.
A fully restored concertina
Roger Thomas in Hampshire has done a fabulous restoration on my grandfather’s Wheatstone McCann duet concertina. My grandfather, Tomas White (Rushden, Northamptonshire), was a fine player but I haven’t heard it played since I was 6 years old so more news coming soon as to when it will be played in public and bought back to life again. 
