FIRST REVEAL

 

11months ...and we're at the 'pointy end' ....that means, production is about to start ...  if you care to pop on over to the website, you'll find a new post there pre-empting the 'official' announcements - it's the EARLY BIRD peek just for you!    Here's the link;   Maureen's Website   and hint:  Subscribe please, it costs nothing and there's another post coming quickly to give you more information about the album itself.

This has been such a fabulous project to work on that the curators and I agreed it was worth a documentary in its own right.  So we've been steadily compiling that over the past few months and it will be posted up to one of my Youtube channels before the official launch of the album.

The project itself emerges in 3 stages;   1.  the music is exposed in December    2. the larger exhibition arrives at the Timeless Textiles Gallery in Newcastle in January, where you will be able to listen to each track that inspired the artwork you're viewing.   3. The reduced exhibition comes home to The Hunter Wetlands gallery space in April and will be celebrated accordingly.

If you're in Newcastle on Sunday December 10th, around 2pm, you're invited to come along to the album launch at the Wetlands itself - this will be a part fundraiser for the Centre and the only cost will be their regular entry fee [$7.50 adults/$5 senior+concession.

A Peek Under the Covers

 Surprisingly, it's almost a year since I started work on the new project that I've been hinting at...and I just cannot believe how fast that year has gone!  There hasn't been a day gone by that I've not worked on it - alone or with others;  

• 
   Singers (@ 30+) that are helping with 2 of the pieces - one is a rhapsody, a choral work, the other is a 4-piece female acapella harmony song; 
•  studio engineers - huge thanks to Zac Limon and the inestimable Robbie Long;  [and rotten tomatoes to a U.S. studio that I'll happily share a name with anyone who is interested!] 
• Musicians - the kind and honourable Steve Cowley, well known and loved folk musician Julie Castles, and Sydney composer/guitarist David Spira who has generously allowed me to use one of his tunes for a set of lyrics....    not to mention the Limon father and son outfit! who helped with bass, drums, and guitar on a couple of pieces.
• so much gratitude for all of these people .....in addition, to Rod Barnes [our local jazz icon!],  to videographers David Jarrett and Ed Reddin, and Merewether Uniting Church who reduced our hall-hire fee in order to have a space big enough for the choristers to work together.

 Over many years I've worked on numerous Arts and Music events including many festivals which are major projects.  But this is the first time I've experienced such a community collaboration - it demonstrates just what a committed tribe we have here in the Newcastle and Hunter arts community.

The original 6 pieces composed initially for the project has now grown to 10 ...and by anyone's accounting - that's an album!!    Possibly releasing in December, a month before the project itself is released.   

Full details of the project
will be made public in either November or December - subject to the curators agreement.  [although I may be tempted to reveal early to my own followers ...so keep your eyes and ears pealed!  are you on my mailing list?].  Additionally, once the covers are off, there is likely to be a couple of live appearances to share some of the new material.

Singing up a Composition

 The new project mentioned in my last post is progressing very nicely!   One of the new compositions is titled "The Wetlands Rhapsody"  and is a choral piece for multiple voices.  Here's a pic of the 'scratch choir' who listened, learned, and recorded the piece in just one day!

It was quite a challenge.  Nobody had heard the music.  Some had never sung this type of music before.  Most couldn't read music.  But they put their heart and soul into making it happen.  They were awesome!

EXCITING NEW PROJECT

(Reports of my 'retirement' may be slightly exaggerated)
I'm excited to be part of a unique project happening in Newcastle in January and August 2024.

What started as a fairly straighforward commission in September of last year has morphed into an incredible community arts project involving a multitude of participants across the music, visual arts, and music technology arenas.

As I'm not the curator of the project, I'm respecting the wishes of the person/s who IS curating and keeping details under wraps for the time being. But stay tuned for tastes and tidbits as the year progresses.

In the meantime, my "creative bones" are back in the swing of things [thanks to this project] and although I'm unlikely to be returning to live performances in the foreseeable future, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to hear some great new music, some excellent stories, a few new comedy videos, and possibly a new novel before the end of the year.

For now, I thought you might enjoy the sounds of a song from the last album "WHIMSICAL" which I've just re-recorded with Katie Succar on lead vocal and myself on alto harmony. We may be hearing more of Katie to come.