I shall be playing the piano in a jazz quartet, in a new short film entitled “The Final Leaves Of Winter”, intended for BAFTA-recognised Film Festivals this year and next year.
I shall be on-set all day this coming Tuesday (22nd January), so look out for more updates then.
It is, sadly, too late to post this with the title “Happy New Year” – but here goes…
I’ve seen plenty of people asking how 2013 can possibly live up to the wonders that 2012 had to offer. On a National scale, that may well be the case; 2012 was a Jubilee year, and was the year of a triumphant London Olympics – not to mention the fact that Norwich City Football Club survived to stay up in the Premier League.
On a personal level, however, my first gig of 2013 last weekend, with Crystal Bats, was a belter, while tomorrow sees a return to teaching at Sistema In Norwich, to which I’m very much looking forward.
There are plenty of exciting things planned for 2013 – including more shows with Crystal Bats, a debut album with Witchers (our first studio release since the Throw Your Books Into The Fire EP in July 2010), potentially the biggest ever Keyboard Camp Residential Course, and even a film appearance! So yes, 2013 is shaping up to be pretty good!
As always, you can keep up-to-date with everything that’s happening here on the site, and by following me on Twitter.
Axel Loughrey’s new album, Crayon Factory, to be released on All Sorted!?! Records on 26th November 2012. I am playing drums on all the tracks on this album.
Crayon Factory will be available to buy online, on iTunes, Amazon, Play.com, etc. from the 26th.
I shall be playing piano with the Joe Ringer Band for this nostalgic concert series.
Find yourself transported back to those cool, easy listening days of the 50s & 60s when you will be treated to the hits of Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Dusty Springfield, Bobby Darin, Aretha Franklin and many more of your favourite artists.
Top vocalist Joe Ringer leads his 8-piece band through a selection of truly classic favourites to create a laid back, swinging night to remember.
So, if you ‘Just Don’t Know What To Do With Yourself’, grab your ‘Wives & Lovers’ and enjoy ‘Music to Watch Girls by’, with matinée and evening shows on 17th November 2012, at The Fisher Theatre, Bungay, and another evening show at Dereham Memorial Hall on 22nd February 2013.
Get tickets for the two performances at The Fisher Theatre on 17th November 2012 here. Tickets for the performance at Dereham Memorial Hall on 22nd February 2013 will be available soon.
Crystal Bats will be supporting UK chart-toppers Sam And The Womp when they come to Norwich Waterfront on 3rd December this year, as part of their UK winter tour.
Tickets cost £8, and can be bought from the UEA Ticket Bookings website here.
“Arabella” – the new single from Crystal Bats – is released today. (The launch party is tonight at The Birdcage in Norwich, for anyone looking to attend.)
I appear in the music video for “Arabella”, playing synths and keyboard, and you can watch it here:
And thanks to Charlotte Rutherford for this snap of me on set at the video shoot:
And you can buy “Arabella” on iTunes here.
Thanks to a restructuring, and a change in the funding system for In Harmony Sistema, the continued existence of the project in Norwich was in some doubt, towards the end of last year. When its DfE Grant was cut, In Harmony Norwich was discontinued.
I found the decision to cut the funding to In Harmony Norwich unfathomable. It was a short-sighted and stupid choice, and one which I suspect was motivated more by money and “image” than by a genuine concern for musical education.
On a personal note, I was disappointed not to get to be involved with In Harmony any more – I had spent a whole year working on this exciting and ground-breaking project, and had seen first-hand what a positive effect it was having on the children and the schools involved. I had enjoyed my time on the project, and I felt that I also developed and grew a lot as a person during the course of that year.
But I feared that the much more damaging implications of axing In Harmony Norwich would be what happened to the children involved, when the rug was pulled from under them – in a music education sense. I couldn’t stand the idea that talented and motivated children, who had spent several years learning an instrument, playing in orchestras, and benefitting from all the wonderful experiences that ensemble music can provide, would suddenly – almost overnight – be left with nothing to show for that.
That is why I am delighted that the project in Norwich is continuing. Although not technically called “In Harmony Norwich” any more (as the project is no longer under the In Harmony England umbrella), the Sistema in Norwich project builds on four years of excellent work and development from In Harmony Norwich, and looks to grow and progress in the future, with more and more opportunities to get local schoolchildren playing and enjoying music together, and reaping all the rewards which those rich musical experiences have to offer.
I am currently working as the percussion tutor in Catton Grove Primary School with Sistema in Norwich. It is great to be back, and to know that the excellent work started by In Harmony Norwich is being allowed to continue – I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Sistema in Norwich, and I am proud to be involved in the next step of this exciting journey.
I am very excited to start playing keyboards in East Anglia’s most exciting and dynamic party and function band, the Joe Ringer Band. Playing an entertaining mix of classic party tunes and modern pop hits, with everything from swing and soul to rock and pop thrown in, these are going to be some very fun gigs indeed!
My gigs with the Joe Ringer Band start from the middle of October, and I’m looking forward to getting the ball rolling with them.
I have been a proud endorser of Pellwood Professional Drumsticks for six years, now – and now, for the first time, I am travelling to Čestice, in the Czech Republic, to visit the company, and see their operation in action.
I am really looking forward to meeting Ivan and his team at Pellwood, and talking shop with them, and seeing where the drumsticks which I use on a daily basis actually come from!
On 20th July, I am going to be playing piano in the gallery at Pellafort Press – a silkscreen and printing studio run by artist Scarlett Massel – to celebrate the official opening of the Press’ gallery and workshop.
I shall be providing an entertaining mix of light jazz and lounge piano music to complement the evening.
