Last night, at Smida Jazz Festival.
Final leg of my outbound journey, on a sleeper train from Vienna to Cluj Napoca. My compartment is quite comfortable, although they seem to be having trouble with the electricity as the lights won’t stay on… 🚂
Grüß Gott!
Another advantage of train 🚂 travel - 2 hours to make a connection means time for dinner, not hanging around in airport queues and running to a gate.
Short hop complete, now it’s an ICE train from Koblenz to Vienna 🚂
Today’s adventure: a 24hr journey from Germany to Romania by train, including my first sleeper train 🚂 . I’m trying to cut down on flights wherever possible.
In case you were wondering, it is raining in Manchester…
At The Sage, Gateshead ready for tonight’s Prom with Yazz Ahmed
Soundchecking at the Barbican for tonight’s concert with Yazz Ahmed, Emel, and Rabih Abou-Khalil.
Christmas sound track today provided by Till Brönner
Such a great feeling to be playing with people again today, and a joy to be at Abbey Road.
A little Wyld family effort from early on in the UK’s first lockdown: Homeward. Words by Nona Wyld, music by me. Performed by:
I’ve also just discovered that a gig we recorded earlier in the year is now being shown, as part of the Women of the World festival: watch now!
It’s Bandcamp Friday 😃 I’ve just bought Woolly Mammoth by Dave Manington. Also, When We Were Live by Yazz Ahmed, the live album we recorded on tour in 2018, is available again for this weekend only, so grab it while you can. Listening to it I’m transported to a happier time…
I’m a guest on the National Youth Jazz Livestream tonight, alongside the amazing composer and trombonist Alex Paxton. 18:00 UTC
It’s Bandcamp Friday! Imprint has two new tracks out today. The first is frames For his dreams, the title of which comes from a beautiful Lem Sissay poem, which is written on the outside of the University of Huddersfield’s Creative Arts Building.
The stanza that inspired us:
Let there be peace So storms can go out to sea to be Angry and return to me calm, So the broken can rise up and dance in the hospitals. Let the aged Ethiopian man in the grey block of flats Peer through his window and see Addis before him, So his thrilled outstretched arms become frames For his dreams.
We originally recorded this for Hector Plimmer’s show on Worldwide FM, Soothing Sounds.
Secondly, we’re very excited to release The Sea Witch.
The Sea Witch struggles in an ocean of plastic.
Cecilia was the creative force behind this second one in particular, and she also provided the beautiful artwork for both tracks. (I can’t wait to get my hands on some Imprint merch with her designs on!)
As always on Bandcamp Fridays, around 93% of your purchase goes direct to artists, so your support is gratefully received!
Not only have we got some new Imprint music ready for release this ‘Bandcamp Friday’, I’ve also got a giftcard ready to spend courtesy of a Christmas present. Looking forward to picking up some new music.
A lesser-spotted gig. Look forward to hearing how this one turned out when it streams later in the year.
Jazz to be dropped from A Level Syllabus, meaning they now also have no black composers to study at all. Seems like a big backwards step.
Today I went to unfollow someone on Twitter, whose Tweets appear on my timeline on a daily basis. I discovered I’m not following them at all. Twitter suggests them to me every single day even though I don’t interact 🤷🏻♂️
Currently, there’s no provision for touring musicians in the UK government’s withdrawal agreement. This probably means visas & work permits required, a level of paperwork and cost that would shut down all but the biggest tours.
If you want to help, please sign this petition.
My music is also available on Bandcamp - Scarborough Fair and Subterranea. The Music page of my site showcases the many albums I’ve been lucky enough to record on, and they’re almost all on Bandcamp. Can you tell I love Bandcamp?
It’s Bandcamp day again! Inspiring to sit and watch the purchases roll in on their home page. People still buy (and value) music! If you’re looking for recommendations then try Mary Halvorson’s Artlessly Falling, or Golden Age of Steam.
🎵 London Jazz Festival livestream tonight at 8pm GMT with Yazz Ahmed. We’ll be playing at Kings Place; you’ll be in your living room, or kitchen, or bath*, or garden, it’s up to you.
*Bath and electronics combination not actually recommended. Please watch safely.
I take great pleasure in showing my more advanced drum pupils this compilation of Vinnie Colaiuta fills from the opening of the Late Show with Joan Rivers. It gets more and more face-melting as the shows go by…
The London Jazz Festival continues online. I recorded a set with Sam Eagles’ band Spirit, which is streaming tonight from 6pm GMT. Free to tune in!