When I got home I did some website work redesigning the pages for self & Dan and Just Be Real cd incorproating the new Bandcamp widget and making a new banner for us. Was just the kind of nerdy activity I was up for.
In evening went back to Phoenix Square with G to see Coco Avant Chanel - cinema was a bit cold, and so was the film. Pleasant enough, and the music was good. Director didn't make me care enough tho - it all seemed a bit 2 dimensional. Also had similar problem I had with Amelie - ie I didn't find Audrey Tautou's face as fascinating as the director wanted me to. And the fact the director really wanted me to, got tiresome - tho not as tiresome as in Amelie. Still a nice evening at the movies and nice to christen the new arts centre..
Tired today - specially all on the right side - a usual sign of tiredness for me - neck and tendons tend to flare up. Gonna take it easy til tonight which is a jazz duo gig in Bourne, Lincs - 2.5 hours driving, 1 hour hanging around for 2 hours playing .
- Mood:
blank - Music:Nemtin/Scriabin - Mysterium
some calls perk up your ego. I rang back a lady about a gig last night.
CC - Hi - Chris Conway here, you wanted a piano player at your wedding reception?
Lady - what - THE Chris Conway!
CC - er....yes Lady - wow - what an honour!
CC - err... um...
I wouldnta handled real fame very well....
- Mood:
chipper - Music:Quadelectronic 17
Tues night - had a great gig with Dan Britton in Oxfordshire - run my a muzo chum Gren Bartley in a little cafe in a village of Middleton Cheney. Dan & I hadn;t done a duo gig for a while - nice folks - nice dinner - we got paid and sold 6 CDs :-)
Weds - did some accounts and made some demos for my jazz agent. I have a new agents page now :-)
In the evening had a duo jazz gig at Cactus Cafe - looks like te boss wants to thin out the msic there to once a month...
Thurs - Mr Scriabin came into my life again the last coupla days - strange business - I get urge to spin some and it;s like he's back in the room and then I get all pro-active and do stuff - even dull stuff - but I get to it with energy and I get cool ideas. He hasn't been by for a while so it was nice to sense him again. I sense after being a bit becalmed these last few weeks that a punctuation mark is about to come and the next chapter/sentence/whatever will begin soon. Did some promotional work too writing press release for my Dec 10th gig. A nice paying gig came on the phone for early Jan too which is nice as it;s usually quiet then.
Finished my short story book - Futures Past by James White - pretty good - early stories from the 50s mainly. Look forward to reading more recent stuff by him as the later stories in the book were the best. Next short story book is Future City ed Roger Elwood.
- Mood: chipper
- Music:Matt Venuti & The Venusians - Dance of the Helix
Saturday
Had a posh piano gig - so posh I;d gone out and bought a black suit and bow tie as it was a black tie do. This is the forst time in 20 years I have gone black tie. Hard to find the place in he Loughboough Univ complex - the satnav postcode took me to a housing estate..., plus there was a complete downpour and traffic jams out of Leicester. Got there OK int he end. It was for a Cathlic College 50th year celebration. Nice folks. Had to play quite a while tho - ended up playing maybe 4 hours - fingers were a bit sore next day.
All my songs albums are hearable in full on widgets (and downloadable - £5) on my songs page - Talking Fish Live is now a free download - enjoy. So...the Bandcampisation of my Cds is coming along...
Sunday - had nice moning reading whilst having coffee & croissant while listenign to Stockhausen's Stimmung - very chilling. Have a Domestic Violence charity songs benefit slot tonight might sing my new song.
- Mood:
mellow - Music:Stockausen - Stimmung
Wednesday - did some more accounts in the day - in the evening played a jazz duo at Moomba for their 10th anniversary celebration - an Australian themed restaurant, - owned by Cactus Cafe where I;ve been playing for 18 years - went well - they might put us into the Moomba more often and the Cactus less.
- Mood: blank
- Music:Steve Kuhn - Remembering Tomorrow
After 2 quietish weeks gigwise - the start of 7 gigs in 9 days today. Back with Govannen again after quite a break for us - in Stamford for a ruby wedding anniversary - n ice do - folks had seen us several times. Didn't thinkwe were gonna get folks dancing - but we did. I;m A Believer never fails. We sold a Sniff the Pony CD.
Sunday
Went to Peterborough - had nice dinner and chat with
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
bardling , then on to Peterborough Folk Festival at Goodbard Yard where I have played before. It was quietish by the time I got on at 10pmish but it was mellow and a nice crowd - i sold 1 CD (Alien Salad Abduction)Monday
Tired today - mostly did online chores, shopping etc, Uploaded another album to Bandcamp - Rather gratifyingly someone has been actually buying downloads via Bandcamp - 6 albums worth - The Rain Garden ones. Only $5 a time but its all good.
Finished writing a song on the Sunday - my first in maybe a year. Others on their way.
- Mood: sleepy
I also recorded a fun song about a local political issue...
- Mood: blank
- Music:Terje Rypdal - Skywards
I finished the Raising Kayn episode 11 and sent it down the line just in time before heading out to a jazz duo gig at Dos Hermanos. Gigs have been getting thin of late and this was the 1st in 5 days so felt good. There were chums in the audiece too with the Oadby crew & Dinah & her bro. Nice mellow vibe in the room.
Today I have bits and pieces - more fixes for France the Harpers recording plus I pick up my live solo songs set recording to go thru to see if it can be used in a prospective live album.
- Mood: calm
- Music:Palle Mikkelborg - The Garden is a Woman
Thursday was a different kind of day - Bad night sleep - needed a sleeping pill in th end - Hoewever got quite proactive - sorted out the guy who recorded my solo slot at The Musician - I wrote music for a new song at the piano yesterday which felt good - largely influenced by Jimmy Webb and his Ten Easy Pieces album. Bought home-ish stuff from Homebase, looked at a few new cars in showrooms for the hell of it - (my car is fine but nearly 10 years old so I;m looking long term), loaded more songs albums into Bandcamp, I bought publicist Ariel Hyatt's ebook Music Success in Nine Weeks - some good tips for music e-marketing in a web 2.0 world. In evening did some website work.
Friday - bad headache day - really stopped me doing anything much worthwhile - considered amputation - could not focus on music or my lists - did some website work, uploaded another songs album to Bandcamp. In evening we dropped in on friends Tom & Beth.
Later I chilled watching 42nd Street (1933 Ruby Keeler) - good film - good script - not convinced by Keeler tho. Good to see Bebe Daniels, Dick Powell & Ginger Rodgers & Una Merkel tho. And Busby Berkeley, as mad a genius as ever.
- Mood: blank
Sunday
Lunchtime jazz duo gig with Andy the Sax at Clipston in deepest Northamptonshire went nicely enough - new venue - pleasant management, nice people to play to - not many were in our room so we did an exclusive concert mostly to one table - tho other diners in the other room could hear us. Landlord was a genuine jazz fan (and a sax player) which was refreshing - promising venue.
Kind of ate up the day really - what with picking up Andy each way was 1 hour - so I was up at 10, we played 1-3ish, packed up, had some lunch, got home 5.30pm - needed nap as had bad nicht sleep - then it was nighttime.
Monday
Worked on e-newsletter, and other webstuff. Finished artwork and remastering of Just Be Real and ammended artwork for Songs For Dreamers. Started uploading song albums to Bandcamp in evening.
Tuesday
Got quite a bit done today - Worked on (and finished I think) the music score for Episode 10 of Raising Kayn - schedule is all a bit tight at the moment - it;s due out on Friday. Wrapped up the artwork and masters for Just Be Real & Songs for Dreamers to order another 100 of each from Mediashack.
I at last received from Norway the limited edition live dvd box by Pagans Mind - "Live Equation" - good mad headbanging prog metal fun. Like a sad fan I now also have their autographs and a PM plectrum - swoon...
Got an odd emergency gig for tomorrow afternoon - Lord Mayor's Charity fashion show at John Lewis - the pre and after pianoman went down with swine flu. Agreed to do it - get there at 2 - wrapped up at 5. Then JL want my kit for PAT safety testing beforehand - like 9am. I said I would do my best... heck I am a musician. The get-in will be interesting too - subterranean car parks etc. Let no good deed go unpunished.
In evening kept up the oddly smooth efficiency of the day and bookd our hotel for xmas in Brum whilst uploading another song album to Bandcamp.com.
- Mood:
accomplished - Music:Palle Mikkelborg - The Garden is a Woman
Monday - worked on Raising Kayn episode music score
Tues - Quadelectronic 17 - we had 9 players - cello, sax, theremin, hurdygurdy, 2 laptops, tenor sax, electronics, drums - I took a synth down for the first time - as well as the theremin/fx and stuff. Good quality sound - a lot of different textures.
Weds - by day spme website work, by night a Cactus Cafe duo jazz gig - unfortunately I appear to have strained a wrist tendon which goes ping whenever I do the wrong thing with it.
Thurs - I put 4 songs from Fridays Musician gig up on youtube and made aplaylist for live songs - they are Carousel, Proud of You, Bobby Caseys and Homecoming - to be had here http://www.youtube.com/user/unclechristo#g/c/C
Had a moment of internet global fame this week when someone from Vietnam put one of my solo piano tunes up on youtube - I discovered it by having found someone in Egypt had favourited it :-)
Friday - updated website newspage and alslo did some mastering and editing of Quadelectronic recordings over the year to choose my annual selection of favourite improvs I was involved in. Some great stuff there. Also got unexpected royalty cheque for some old Re-Orient albums - nice. Also got royalty from new age label too - higher than usual. Good timing as gigs have got quieter this month.
Raising Kayn episode 9 is out http://www.raisingkayn.com
Sat - up to Sheffield to see Gs folks - nice meal and chillin - found a new watch for £6 and some old movie DVDs in a 2ndhand shop. Got to get up in the morning to gig at lunchtime with Andy the sax. Downloaded some fave Bollywood tunes onto my ipod from Jab We Met, Delhi 6 and Love Aaj Kal.
- Mood: sleepy
- Music:Dooriyan - by Pritam from Love Aaj Kal
Had tired weekend after the high of Fridays gig.
Saturday went into town and edited & uploaded videos from Fri gig.
Sunday had a 30 min Oxjam songs slot today at The Quarter. Quite a hubbuby crowd so my set had more than the usual hubbub breaker tricks eg kalimba, twin flutes etc, Sang "Who Pays The Price" for 1st time in years which I got into. Saw guitarist Chris Harper & Bluestave play, and chatted, albeit briefly, to chums.
Tired so came home to Chinese Takeaway & Voyager and bought song Dooriyan from Love Aaj Kal on my iPod.
Set - Finally, Lifespell, Bobby Caseys, Alien Salad Abduction, Who Pays The Price?, Make Your Own Kind Of Music, Carousel, Rainbow Real.
Posted via LiveJournal.app.
Caftus Cafe gig was again quiet but nice to play jazz again. Slightly overdid it as strained a finger tendon. Luckily was Ok int he morning
Thurs
Worked on Raising Kayn episode 9 some more - completing it to my satisfaction - tok a bit longer than i expected and the day flew by - had a software crash near the end and had to redo some stuff - maybe it's time I get a new Cubase. My local Bollywood supplier finally got Love Aaj Kal for me - bounce bounce - will save it for when i need a treat. Love Aaj Kal is the new film by the director of Jab We Met which I loved!
I also got another album by Arve Hendriksen - Chiaroscuro - trumpet playing plus electronics - I think he's gonna join my hero(in)es list, having really enjoyed his Cartography album.
Friday
Took a while to get my head turned toward songs. The Vikki Clayton gig with The High Sierras (John Montague, Martin Burch & Pete Turnpenny) + Neil Segrott - went really well - great crowd - a lot of chums out there. After THS set I did 4 songs solo (Carousel, Bobby Caseys low whistle solo, Proud of You, Homecoming.) - Then did songs with Vikki and the band joined in. It was the first time I gigged with my most recent keyboard the Korg M50 which I have been using in the studio. The feel is great but I really need to spend more time programing it for live. I had the basics and mostly stuck to those. Great response. Got a good laugh too when announcing people coming on stage saying we were going to have a fascist come on stage as that was popular lately (UK News story) but there wasn't room. Sold a CD (My Minds Island) and coupla Celtic CD/cards.
Whilst preparing or the gig I had my first concrete idea about a new songs album and how it might be done - i simply - pretty much solo - new songs and some of the best of my others that would sound good solo. Still thinkin...
My gig tonight is cancelled so I might either chill or got to Newark to see Focus/Wishbone Ash/The Strawbs - see how I feel.
- Mood: chipper
- Music:Arve Hendriksen - Chiaroscuro
on Monday tho I worked on the Raising Kayn episode 8 - using some recordings of theremin music I had in the vaults that just seemed to suit the scene - .
Tuesday I felt nerdy enough to work on the plan to diversify my various musical entities as far as social netork sites goes and made Facebook fan pages for Govannen and The Rain Garden. Then after much pallava put together a Govannen myspace page that took much of the arvo once you've chosen the 10 songs, ripped them , uploaded them entered biog and photos etc - sheesh - I'd forgotten what a clunky piece to stuff it is - might hand over to Dan now it;s up and running.
In evening I watched Delhi 6 - I'd done enough research to suggest this might be the film for me (Bollywood reviews that say a film is slow are usually a sign of Euro art stylings) This was a great film - US Indian goes to Delhi for the first time to take his ailing grandma - culture shocks abound - quite a heavy ending, which was a bit messy (I gather the director had to make happier ending - which suits me cos I;m a wuss but it was a but rushed) - some preaching but no worse than Capra - definitely a figreat music by AR Rahman too. Fave scene is a dream sequence where New York and Delhi images get fantastcally muddled http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9snY21B_
plus there is the funky catchy Masakali song
I'd give it 9/10 - with 15mins to go it was sailing for a 10 tho.
Raiaing Kayn Ep 9 preparation today as the vid arrived this morning - and jazz gig tonight at the Cactus Cafe
- Mood: calm
- Music:AR Rahman - Masakali
Govannen gig at Kelmarsh Hall went well - nice people, nice place, friendly and helpful staff. Again another long night with 3 x 1hour sets, 1 of background and 2 of uptempo dancable & pop. Home at 1am.
Sunday
Went to play at Monkey Love-In benefit concert for Monkeyworld and Kidney Unit organised by Dan Britton and chums. I still was pretty tired from the previous nights gig so didn't feel I did an awesome set but it was informal - Dan joined me for 2 songs and hey I sold a CD thanks to The Alien Jellyfish Song. Oddly my gag referring to MPs expenses with got a huge round of applause at Have a Heart benefit on Friday sank like a stone today. :-) Also did a set with Robbie Murphy along with Dan and Neil the Bass. Then had a 2 piece mini-set with Govannen. Stayed and chatted a while and returned home. Unfortunately later on the bug I thought I;d shaken off twice had returned. Gonna hafta be patient with this one.
Monkey Love-In solo set - Monkeys on the Moon, Finally, Lifespell, Bobby Caseys, Train of Thought*, Alien Jellyfish Song*
My PRS/MCPS statement shows that again my tune Rendezvous with Rama was played somehow on German TV for which I got about 30pounds and US cable (£10) - be nice to know the show. Bird Dancer was played on Estonian TV. Rama is by far my most broadcast tune. :-)
Today I'm taking it slow but have a Raising Kayn episode to do the music score to which needs a quick turnaraound so that should distract me well.
- Mood: blank
- Music:Terry Riley - In C (Copenhagen version)
Did some more uploading to Bandcamp and website stuff.
In the evening I blagged my way onto a benefit gig in Shepshed at Hind Leys College Theatre - ostensibly to play with Vikki Clayton as a warm up for next weeks gig at the Musician. But Dave Kirk was there too so played a 30min set with him, after some students did some rock sets. Vikki's set was mixed with John Montague & The High Sierras so we all informally swapped songs between us (I did Deja Blues) - very nice vibe, nice theatre space and great sound from Greg Tempest.
Tonight Govannen have a function gig at a country house ion deepest Northamptonshire.
- Mood: chipper
- Music:NHOP - Uncharted Land
Poorly start to the day as I had a bad reaction to some vegetarian hotdogs - go figure. Thanks to some medication I was able to work away at mecahnical things like uploading more albums to Bandcamp, website stuff to incorporate Bandcamp widgets. All Contnuum, PLanet Scanners, and most solo electronc and Rain Garden albums are now up there.
I also remixed Future Beige song, looked at the song compilation album idea, and sorted thru Quadelectronic recordings, selecting favourites for a possible end-of-year collection like my Electronic Flights this year.
Redesign of my Electronic page is pretty much done for now - hopefully other genre pages will follow as and when I have time. Haven't quite settled on download pricing policy - I flipflop between wanting to get paid and giving downloads for free - right now I;m giving early albums away and asking for $5 min on newer ones.Felt better in the evening - chilled rewatching an old classic - 1936 Invisible Ray with Karloff, Lugosi and the delightful Frances Drake and a haunting portrayal of Karloffs character's mother by Violet Kemble Cooper. Odd Hungarian Lugosi playing a Frenchman and Englishman Karloff playing a Hungarian. Atmospheric fun.
- Mood: blank
Been battling stomach cramps since Sat night - something I ate perhaps but who knows. Managed the jazz gig on Monday night at Dos Hermanos - quite quiet which I quite like musically as you can do the subtle stuff.
Wanted to do some planning and stuff today but no good for thinking so did mechanical tasks like accounts, uploading tracks to bandcamp.
Sold a CD (Spirits of the Forest) - thanks to s/he knows who.
Feeling abit better tonight - just very tired...
- Mood: sleepy
- Music:Quadelectronic videos
Had a chum in the strings section who i hadn't seen in a while so it was nice to chat to her and family in the break.
Watched, well skimmed, a terrible Bollywood film Naqaab I was given cheap by my local store for buying the other one. I got it coz i liked the music composer. Apparently lifted from a Hollywood film (Dotting the i) - totally unbelievable premise and the western feel of the film jarred with the inserted songs. Music was OK in places - a bit mecanical and clunky with the drums samples.
- Mood: blank
- Music:Simon Stockhausen - Trip To Asia
Thursday & Friday were bits & pieces days with uploading more albums to Bandcamp and sorting Electronic web page out, and starting a CD clearout.Picked up some cheap Alice Cooper albums to revise for when I see him in December - know his 70s music. less so his 80s-90s.
Friday night I bought aother Bollywood film ...
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and enjoyed it - one of those wife falls for nerd husband in-disguise films - well shot - nice scenes of Amritsar - songs only OK - background music excellent tho, best thing for me - one dance number was nutz with a Busby Berkeley Goldiggers reference - overall enjoyed it more than Om Shanti Om. 8/10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB2fZsBZG
Saturday it was time to gig again after 5 days off - a birthday party in Somerby - nice people - food provided by fish & chip van. After an hour's set and dinner we started the 2nd set and they are all pretty keen for dancing - in the end we did an hour & 3/4 2nd set of almost all uptempo pop & irish mixed. Good to be gigging again. We sold 3 Sniff the Pony CDs too :-)
Dead tired when landed home at 1am and I am poooped today so takin it slow.
G is in a concert of Carmina Burana with her choir and an orchestra so will see that tonight.
- Mood: tired
- Music:Arve Hendriksen - Cartography
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