Wednesday 19 May 2010

Live music, Jamie Cullum and Teeth!

For the last 2 Saturday's I have performed at Caesars and I really just love it! I've added some great tunes to my repertoire - Cry me a River, Aint no Sunshine, Fever, Feelin' Good - the audience clearly respond to the more well known ones and I love the more modern Jazz classics and love putting my own spin on them! And with respect to Selby, it's probably a little different to what they are used to, whether it's the live music, live saxophonist or live female playing sax!

This is where I get to do my little shpeel of appreciation - many of my students and friends have already come to see me over the last few weeks to give me support - but they have also probably felt obliged to come after my relentless emails and texts (sorry, unless you ask to be removed from my list, you're staying on!:-)) and also out of curiosity (can she actually play???!!).

I must take this oppotunity to say, your support means more to me than anything. And not just for me but in support of live music which I feel very strongly about - there is just not enough. I have had so many great comments, not least for the cute dresses! (Heck, I'm a mother the other 6 1/2 days a week I don't perform so it's nice to feel like I've still got something!), but also for my playing. My fantastic friend Jane has such huge plans for me that I'll be an international star if she had her way! Dreaming aside... I am keen to grow my performance side as and when I have the time, and if you enjoy it, all I can ask is you spread the word!

In my bid to support live music, I have decided to hold a concert in aid of a local, music related charity (details to follow, but trust me, this charity is worth it) towards the end of the summer with my students being the star performers! Watch this space!

I just cannot finish this blog without mentioning that Ben and I had the most fantastic night last night (Tuesday 18th)with Jamie Cullum! What a fantastic, innovative, inspiring and natural performer he is, who engaged every single one of his audience! Totally amazing! If you get the opportunity to see him, WELL WORTH IT!

And finally, Ellie's 1st tooth fell out on Sunday - she was very brave (given the amount of blood shed over the previous 3 weeks because of it!) and her toothfairy 'Flowerbell' left a very nice letter and a shiny coin. Ellie still cannot belive how she managed to bring the letter and coin when a fairy is so small! (Oh to be 5...!)

This weekend should be fantastic as well as slightly more stressful for me as we are going to Ben's mum's 60th (it's a surprise, don't tell her!) and I am also playing a few tunes at the party of Sunday - that in itself is not a worry, but it's the fact that I am playing with a most fantastically accomplished and successful musician, Ben's cousin Nathan (sadly cousin on other side of family, Ben SO has no musical skills at all! But I still love you more than ever! (not like I could do a triathlon tomorrow is it?! That's why we're made for each other xxx)

In the words of Friedrich Nietzche, "Without music, life would be an error".

Never a truer word.
xxx

Thursday 6 May 2010

The Beginning...


Okay, so it's not quite the beginning of my playing career, but after not having the confidence to do 'total' solo performance when I was younger (I had plenty of opportunities but I liked the support - believe it or not, I was shy!), I have now discovered my own personal 'Ironman'!

For the average person who does 0 - average exercise, an Ironman consists of a 2.4 miles swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and then a 26 mile run). I hope I have got that right as my husband has done 3 of these 'superhuman' competitions! (each to their own...!)

Clearly the physical efforts during one of my performances are not quite up to Ironman standard (but if you asked my strained ribs that, they might not agree after still being in agony 2 weeks after my last performance!). The comparison is in the 'training'.

Ben trains to achieve his goal of Ironman and other triathlons inbetween. I am now in training to do my 'Ironman' and have some great gigs inbetween. The problem is we now both have the same problem - Time!

Since that comment to the manager at Caesars, (Would you be interested in a saxophoninst?), I was in a rather awkward position of agreeing to do something but not actually having any material to perform - could have proved rather embarrassing, but as it turned out, with thanks to Ben and the girls, for giving me that time and support, I have managed to accumulate a portfolio of 54 songs (and growing!), each of which have required some element of writing solos (and I never knew I was any good at composing until I did this either!).

I got a quiet lunch time gig out of the way just to prove to myself that I was capable of some element of playing, loved that, so drafted myself in for a Bank Holiday evening. I then sold the idea of a regular 'Sunday Jazz Club' lunch to the Manager which now happens the last Sunday lunch of each month (2-4pm!) and then last night, I did my 2nd Saturday evening, which I can honestly say, is the best feeling ever playing to a full restaurant! Heck, I've even been in the local rag the last 3 weeks running!

Hey, I've also had some fantastic support from many of my friends who have come down to see me, thanks and I just hope you enjoyed the experience of live music - your support is always welcome and appreciated.

My mum, dad, brother David and his gorgeous family also came to the last Sunday lunch Jazz club - don't think David has ever heard me play, and my mum and dad probably not since I was practicing in the front room at home many eons ago! Thank you for coming along, that was a special day xxx

I must also reiterrate how important Ben's support is in all of this as he knows me and he knows this is important to me and knowing how proud he is, makes it even more worthwhile (as is the new wardrobe which I have HAD to get in support of my new venture! ;-)!!!)

I am now up to date in terms of writing my blog in real time, so bring it on!

Monday 3 May 2010

Fullfilling a Dream...

Have you ever come to a point in your life when you say to yourself, 'if you don't do it now, you never will'?

A few weeks ago, I saw an opportunity, asked myself that very question and now I am fullfilling one of my life long ambitions - performing live again - not something I've really done in years and not something I've ever done just me, on my own.

Okay, so I'm not exactly performing in some huge concert hall or arena, and nobody has a clue who I am, but that's not the point. I am playing at Caesars Restaurant which is a very nice venue in Selby with fantastic acoustics (I think it used to be the old Savation Army building), which is now being run by a new and very enthusiastic manager who wants his business to be a success and can see the potential in having live music as a way to offer his customers something different.

How did it start? Ben and I went out for a meal for the 1st time in oh, about 3 YEARS! It's difficult getting out with no family close and young children, but we have promised to make an effort. It was a lovely evening and I particularly noted the very talented young pianist (Liam he is called), and with the help of a glass of wine or 2(!) I said to Ben, 'I could do that'. When paying the bill, that question 'If you don't do it now, you never will' was firmly in my mind (as was the wine!) so I asked the manager if he would be interested in having a saxophoninst play and he said, yes, do you know one?

I now play a 2 hour set of jazz sax the last Sunday of each month 2-4pm, and a Saturday evening a month and it is one of the best feelings in the world when I am up there playing.

I am writing this blog to share my experiences and feelings about where this new branch of my musical journey will take me and I hope you enjoy taking the journey with me!