Music Director | Composer | Improvisor
You know when you’re not quite sure what’s going to happen and it turns out to be so much better than you could have imagined? I knew the music was going to be fab, but the food was also scrumptious, there was an attentive and fun audience and the best bits were the box pieces we all contributed! I was definitely in my happy place and great to drive there and back with Geoff Bartholomew – plus we put one of our improvisations into the pre-recorded section.
I am really excited to be supporting Maggie Nichols, who has been a massive inspiration for me on so many levels. I get to play with the fab Geoff Bartholomew and also to hear Maggie and Dan.
If you can make it down to Barrow we’d be really pleased to see you there! We’ll be playing trumpet and “accessories”, piano/flute/whistle and slates.
TICKETS HERE
I found that I was actually rather excited to go down to Abbey Road studios to record a live track with Bryony’s band for a Children In Need vinyl release next year. She had written a great new song called Garden Of Green which we just – played! I also got to play Julia Lennon’s piano (John’s Mum) and other pianos in the really large studio. My main take away was being able to customise my headphone foldback levels! Not what we are used to in my area of Cumbria!
Had a wonderful, unexpected visit from the amazing Beccy Owen (who is going to do a gig at BlueJam on December 7th! YEAH!) last week. She said that she has put together 600 songs that she does with her choirs and Canta! (which I wrote to lyrics by Pilar Marchori) is in the top favourite 6!
This has given me a big buzz and a push to collate more of my songs for free community use.
At the moment you can find many of them on the Vocal Union website which you can explore here.
I’m so chuffed that my painting has been chosen for the cover this year – the colours really work I think. I’m enjoying showing people round the exhibition and big thanks to Penny Grennan, Julie Hoggarth and Gail Bashall for helping me with the hanging schematic. We had a lovely Family Party on Saturday 9th Sep – lots of drawing and also because it was SO hot, spraying with the garden hose – both adults and children! The exhibition will stay up for the forseeable future as I am adding portraits daily.
A real buzz for the first gig of my new band, BONES, to be my first live gig since the pandemic.
Geoff Bartholomew – trumpet
Jilly Jarman – church organ
Best reason to write a song! For my new beautiful grand-daughter – welcome!