PROFILE DIARY - STARTED THURSDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2003

Thursday 2nd October
I've been tuning the piano - it's a life-long process rather than a one off chore! With the lid wide open I can truly feel enveloped by the sound of the Broadwood grand piano, the spectacle of which dominates my otherwise modest livingroom. Who is coming to the concert on Saturday? I wonder whether people are expecting it to be a weird event. Although the spontaneous song journey has an inherently wild and strange aspect to it, the reconnecting with the self it involves can make it feel quite the opposite; very clear, calm, directed and familiar. I started doing this thing in the 60's! As a kid I'd just sit at the piano, have a tinkle and mutter something. I was aware of feeling blocked but kept on groaning and moaning and was surprised to find that meaningful sentences formed. Moreover, tunes and themes and development... but not exactly Mozart! Then, around about the time I became a teenager, something happened that changed my whole life forever! I'd started recording my private impro-sessions on tape and listening back to them, reveiwing the material and monitering how I felt, becoming increasingly aware of the emotional and atmospheric changes that spontaneous song could bring about... when there was a phenomenal breakthrough, a REVELATION! From out the blue, a 'proper' song with a beginning, middle and an end, an ecstatic vision, a transcendent moment of joy and peace... and in 2003 it is still the most requested song in my collection. It would perhaps be fair to say that this song wrote me! Anyway, I'll continue the story tomorrow.

Friday 3rd October
I spoke to Steve Finn this morning. He's based in Muswell Hill, London and we were discussing the forthcoming concert in his home (see 'London welcomes gigs in digs' 10th October) and Live recording projects. Steve has written one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, A BOAT CALLED COURAGE. Very few people have heard it. There are lots of undiscovered musical treasures in this world. Don't think of unfinished projects or recordings/manuscripts gathering dust but of shining jewels that light the way for all time. That's what REVELATION has been for me. Curiously, it took a while for me to develop the confidence to 'write' a song, as distinct from giving birth to one! At one time I was quite a purest and devoted all my musicianship to faithfully modelling 'stream of consciousness' material. It's amazingly difficult to even get close to repeating what one has done in an inspirational instant. Try it! It can be rewarding work - work it is. It was ten years before I learned how to play REVELATION! It now seems like the simplest of songs, as does FEEL THE COLOUR, which took even longer to materialise into the show-stopper that it is today! I've experimented with other (perhaps less demanding) approaches to making songs over the last 20 years, including collaboration with lyricists. The fact is, ironically, I'm a slow song writer, full stop. So as the new millenium dawned I made a decission: To give up the writing & become the song - bringing me back to the beginning and forward... Tomorrow, Saturday 4th, NO WRITING, NO WALL.

Saturday 4th October
Well, it's nearly 9.30pm and there's no-one here yet! In the real world of the singer-songwriter it's not a question of stardom but of boredom! I'm going to do the show anyway and the MD recorder is at the ready. I'll keep you posted as to what happens next...

Sunday 5th October
We did it! Tom & I performed for each other and the club Secretary, Jocelyn. It was a very serious concert, not from an entertainment or even art point of view, but in terms of personal process and truth. My improvisation went on for nearly an hour and it was a difficult journey. Jocelyn and Tom felt it with me and I hope that they will share their experiences with you in future posts. This was no ordinary gig. What comes to mind is a Movie, not any Movie in particular, but the process of getting to know characters and issues, conflicts and (hopefully) resolutions. It's similar also in the sense that comedy and tragedy can change places quite suddenly. Relief from the tension of my performance came in the form of a tearful yet compellingly musical 'song' imploring my audience to stick it out a bit longer! They didn't give up on me and I think would concur that they'd never heard or seen anything remotely like it before. Enjoyment or endurance? Well I feel very much appreciated by Jocelyn and Tom and, unless we're all deluding ourselves, a stimulating and enjoyable evening was had by all. Tom Burton gave a performance of his songs with great integrity and maturity. What I loved the most was hearing his voice soaring powerfully over crisp guitar riffs. This guy really does play and sing with feeling. An unexpected bonus was hearing two very beautiful poems from Jocelyn. We carried on till nearly 2am! So I guess we'll be doing this sort of thing again. Check it out.

Monday 6th October
Here is the lyric I referred to above, from the NO WRITING NO WALL song impro gig at the weekend:

Would you stay a moment
I know that the time is rolling on
You must be gone
But would you stay a moment
Your eyes are bright
And I can see by your light
So could you stay a moment longer
Just for me

Just wanted to be beautiful for you
So I put on a dress
Just wanted to be beautiful
I don't doubt that you are beautiful too
But I wanted to be beautiful for you

And here is a lyric from the YOU'RE ONE OF US song impro album:

I can wrap you
I can catch you
I can set you
Set you free
I can forget you
I can forget you
And let you be brand new
And let you be brand new

Tuesday 7th October
I met Elle Osborne today. Elle is a violinist and songstress based in Brighton (UK). She's excited by the prospect of putting on her own Healthy Concerts through the Mentor Partners project. In her first show, on Friday 17th October, she's presenting Carl Pannuzzo, regarded by one of his fans as the finest male singer in Australia! Having heard a slice of him on CD I can quite understand that kind of enthusiastic response. I will be attending the gig. I also received an email from a chap in North Yorkshire interested in the Mentor Partners project. The growth of interest in gigs in digs is keeping me quite busy on the admin side of things. However, I must now turn my attention to my own forthcoming performance on Friday 10th October at a house in Muswell Hill, London. I'm planning a song composition based set (rather than improvisation) and I am keen to create a favourable impression in Healthy Concerts new stamping ground, London! Time to put some practice in. I'll catch you later...

Wednesday 8th October
Good morning! It's 6.50am and I guess this is the time when a lot of bedside clock radios go on. There's not much Live music at this time in the day. May be Healthy Concerts can change that? Joke! However, it's the perfect time to start warming up the voice, wouldn't you agree?

Thursday 9th October
On the hop at the David Loyd Leisure Centre in Kemptown: I've been thinking about what I do again - this song improvisation thing; the unrepeatable moment of musical & lyrical invention, the 'one off', the subtle microcosmic meaning in spontaneous creations, the inherent and infinite beauty and abundance, the freedom from conceptual restraints...
Over the next few days I'll be loading some MP3 samples of the natural songs on my 'You're one of us' album. I hope to attract some interest in the work, not from the point of view of whether the listener thinks the songs are any 'good' or not, but in terms of examining the creative process and experience, becoming more aware of the unique qualities of the spontaneous song form and considering the possible value and role of this individual (or group) activity in the spheres of education, art, entertainment, therapy, communication...

Friday 10th October
I see the website has improved today! Good work Mr Kirkland. On a personal note, you can now hear MP3 samples from my song improvisation album: YOU'RE ONE OF US!
If you want to listen to something lovely, soft and warm then try SUCH IS THE LOVELY YOU.
Passions are riding high on NOISY HUMANIOD and on most of them come to think of it!
The title track, YOU'RE ONE OF US is challenging, aggressive and manic... but I like it!!
Don't forget, this is all unpremeditated music & lyrics from a stream of consciousness. The organic complexity of this stuff is extraordinary. The content of the MP3 samples, about 12 minutes in total, is not repeated anywhere else in the 74 minute album. In other words, the listener gets 74 minutes of continuous invention! I'm not offering this as a form of self-congratulation or sales speak but to indicate the nature of the beast... the wonderful limitless abundance of NATURAL SONG. More about this later, I'm off to Muswell Hill in London to give a Healthy Concert.

Saturday 11th October
Barnaby O'Rorke gave a compelling and magical performance last night at our second London Healthy Concert. It was a night that will be remembered fondly by the 15 or so people who attended. Small, intimate and completely satisfying. Our hosts, Steve and Amy, set the tone with careful attention to details. Flowers, candles and lamps in the living room together with refreshments (excellent vegetarian food!) in the kitchen, created a great atmosphere and home centred feeling. Thanks folks. Carl Pannuzzo turned up and played a few songs. He is everything I thought he would be and more... relaxed, highly skillful and imaginative singing that reminded a couple of people of Stevie Wonder. Be at his Healthy Concert on Friday 11th October, also featuring the lovely Elle Osborne.

Monday 13th October
Last night I was at Charles Style's mansion in Kemptown sharing great food and music with his very talented friends and family. We were joined by Charlie Villiers, the highly complex and original artist that will be featured in Healthy Concerts' Komedia show on Tuesday 16th December. Afterwards we discussed the forthcoming show, exchanging ideas about themes, promotion and production. What came up were reflections about authenticity, integrity, quality, cooperation, rivalry (the show will feature Charlie, Luke Adams and myself), self-image, characterisation... We are determined to put together a very special show.

Tuesday 14th October
Jesse Schust is a political activist in London, very involved in the anti-war movement. He is present at Peaceful Demonstrations as a legal observer and provides valuable testimony in the courts when required. Jesse was involved in bringing Ethan Andrews to Healthy Concerts in the summer and is keen to support the development of gigs in digs in North London, where he lives. We talked over the phone last night about some of the issues raised by Healthy Concerts. Jesse grew up in an environment free from alcohol and he doesn't associate Live music with pubs and bars. For him, Healthy Concerts gigs in digs are a natural way to meet people, make friends and listen to Live acoustic music. There is a possibility that he may initiate a series of house concerts in London dedicated to raising political awareness, featuring artists who are vocal about social values, justice and civil liberties.

Wednesday 15th October
I'm looking forward to the concerts at the weekend. I'll probably just play an admin role and inform the guests about Healthy Concerts and the benefits of becoming a member of the club. Meanwhile, I'm performing at Mad Hatters in Western Road, Brighton tomorrow night and wondering what songs to include in my 20min set...

Thursday 16th October
What dress should I wear tonight? To be soft and feminine really helps me to relax and to sink into song, effortless and beautiful - I hope! See my article: TROUSER FREE
Smiling at a Rose, Happy New Year, Wild Flowers and Lantern of Hope, are the songs I intend to sing.

Friday 17th October
Lovely gig last night at Mad Hatters. 4 compelling artists - Matt Chaplin, Madeline Milla, Peter Reilly and myself. Matt, Ting and Steve of www.a-live.org.uk are doing a great job at nurturing new talent. The differences between this kind of acoustic music promotion and Healthy Concerts are perhaps more interesting than the similarities. No matter how much you tell people to 'shut up & listen' the presence of a sound system amplifying the musical performances will guarantee that some people will turn away and talk. I do it myself! It simply isn't as intimate as a truly unplugged gig. As a performer one is negociating a complex and intense range of sounds and other stimuli. Think about what it's like to talk to someone who isn't listening. Now put yourself in the shoes of an artist who is singing his heart out... It's surreal man, and sometimes distressing! Anyway, more on this later, I've got to get ready for tonight's show at Planet Janet.

Saturday 18th October
The future of Healthy Concerts depends on the initiative taken by artists in putting together their own gigs in digs as Mentor Partners. Last night Elle Osborne got off to a flying start with her show at Planet Janet. She has enriched the club by bringing a combination of original song and traditional folk music to the houses, and by introducing us to amazing creative artists such as Carl Pannuzzo. Carl brought a big smile to the whole of Planet Janet with his fun loving easy going approach to Live performance. His singing was remarkably imaginative, colourful, agile... and the songs were thoughtful and diverse in style. It was a real treat.
It makes me feel like singing. Come to think of it, I might just do that now!

Monday 20th October
'You' & 'Stumbling' are two extremely beautiful songs written by Harris, the young Healthy Concerts artist featured next Saturday (25th October). It has been my pleasure to arrange a piano part for 'You' and a guitar part for 'Stumbling' and I look forward to performing these great songs with Harris. I'm uncertain about the venue, still holding out for an offer from a new host. That sense of discovery, both of artists and homes, is what makes the gigs in digs so exciting to me.

SAD NEWS
I'm still in disbelief at hearing the shocking news of the death of Bob Beaumont, known and loved by many Healthy Concerts' members. Bob made friends with many of the musicians involved in gigs in digs, made his home available for concerts and his love for the music and the community experience very clear to everyone. Bob's suffering is over and it was his wish that we remember him with a celebration of life, a concert of music performed by the people he loved. This will be arranged for the spring. If you would like further information please call me on 01273 688446. Blessings.

Wednesday 22nd October
Just added a photo of me wearing a Mask to the media folder below. This image was used in the design of the cover for my YOU'RE ONE OF US! album.
If you join the Mentor scheme and decide to put on your own gigs in digs you may be tempted to look for the biggest and grandest venue you can find. Why not? I wouldn't blame you, I've done it myself. However, imagine you are attending your first Healthy Concert and that you are treated to the most spectacular vistas and home comforts. Imagine also that you had been considering hosting a Healthy Concert yourself. At this point the gigs in digs idea might just look like a cover for traditional Stately Home concerts! You might compare your pad unfavourably to the one you're visiting and decide to shelve the idea of making your home available for a concert. This sort of thing happens but does not support the vision I have tried to uphold over the last 10 years. GIGS IN DIGS is meant to be just that. The ocassional Mansion Concert is a delightful 'cherry on the cake' but is no substitute for the community spirited tour of ordinary houses and flats in the neighbourhood. If you can seat 25 people in your livingroom (chairs, cushions...) then I would find it worthwhile paying you a visit to look at what kind of Healthy Concert would be suitable for your home. My favourite concerts have happened in small cosy places that lovingly wrap artists and audience in a warm bubble!

Thursday 23rd October
What am I doing? Why do I bother? I should get a proper job! I want to develop house concerts in the UK and beyond. Why? So that I've got somewhere to perform MY songs! That's the selfish angle of the truth. I think we would all benefit from a network of intimate musical open houses. The heart the heart the will the heart the drive the determination the go the willingness the motivation the inspiration the desire the belief the confidence the clarity the faith the hope keep going keep going the songs the ears the outlets the purpose FEEL THE COLOUR (colour therapy?) HAPPY NEW YEAR (season of good will)... homes for songs.

Saturday 25th October
A wonderful concert coming up tonight with Harris and Cathie and I'm really looking forward to it with the joy that comes naturally with being a Healthy Concerts Mentor. It has been my priviledge to work closely with Harris on a couple of his songs and we're just about to have another rehearsal. Harris is putting a great deal of thought and care into choosing the pieces to include in his set for tonight. The result will be more than a bunch of songs because I sense he is striving to achieve a beautifully balanced performance.

I'm also writing a new introduction to Healthy Concerts and the Mentor Partners. It's time to make it clear that gigs in digs are for everyone. They started in Brighton but resources are now available to facilitate involvement on a global scale. This is not about promoting a brand name but about communicating and sharing a lifestyle choice that promises benefits for everyone. Stay tuned...

Monday 27th October
Lee Harris was very happy with the mini-disc recording of the concert on Saturday. To be released as a limited addition CD, it faithfully represents Live acoustic performance versions of his songs - one to add to the Healthy Concerts collection. It is my priviledge to be featured playing guitar on Stumbling, and piano on You. Lee really sings from the heart and this is transparent in the recording. I'm a true fan.

Wednesday 29th October
We've been thinking about how to develop the Healthy Concerts website, create new tools and make them more user friendly. Are you a registered user or a subscriber? As a user of the Healthy Concerts website you will be on our e-mail list, able to submit host and artist details and write reviews. Subscribers (paying members) are able to submit their own events to the "What's on" diary... Lots to think about. For one thing, how do I organise a gigs in digs tour for myself? I could submit event listings before the venues have been confirmed! This is happening at the moment. Three proposed November concerts are listed without venue details. I would love to give house concerts all over the country. I'm sure there is an audience... Many newcomers to the scene are amazed by the quality of the Healthy Concerts and soon discover that they are a great way to meet people. More later...

Saturday 1st November
Imagine, Nizlopi on a nationwide home tour. Would you like to have those guys perform in your livingroom? Ofcourse you would! I suggested to Luke Concannon that they could start booking for the home tour immediately. Invent a series of events composed of artist information, dates and towns and post them on the website together with a request for home venues. Nizlopi fans would surely jump at it! I did.

Monday 3rd November
Yesterday I learned how to play the oud (or Ud). In the evening I gave a performance at the Cinemateque, Middle Street, Brighton. It's true! Percussionist, Kevin Kurmack and myself provided a live sound track to an old vintage and very silent black & white movie (such an obscure name that I'm going to have to go and look it up) based in the Ukraine.

Thursday 6th November
T-Car and Live Radio coming up...

Friday 7th November
T-CAR (TRANS-CORPOREAL ART)
I hope you enjoy my little story. Once day I was invited to provide a Live sound track to a silent b&w movie at the local independent cinema called "Cinemateque". As a musician who relishes any opportunity to improvise music or song, I gratefully accepted the invitation. Having seen a preview of the film (The Unknown by Tod Browning) on video and with the knowledge that I would be playing a piano, I thought about the characters, emotions, moods, dramatic events... unfolded by the film and tried to imagine what style and form of music would represent a suitable accompaniment. It was a film riddled with stereotypes and I was struck by that time-honoured trio; the good guy, the bad guy and the girl inbetween them. I didn't like the film! I didn't want to watch it again, but how else could I provide a Live sound track that would fit?
1 Silent movie - primary source stimuli
I regarded this predicament as a problem and wondered if there was a solution. I came up with an idea which I now call "Transcorporeal Art". What if someone else watched the film on my behalf?
2 T-CAR - a viewerxs interpretation of the film in the form of xhands-onx tactile impressions on the body of a pianist x secondary source stimuli
I eventually pursuaded a friend to take part in a radical arts experiment. She would stand right behind me so that her hands could easily rove around my head, shoulders and back. Watching the film, she would relay to me the qualities of character and action through her fingers! I fabricated a crude body-part to character equation along the lines of Bad Guy=Pain in the Kneck, Good Guy=back and shoulders, Innocent Girl (romanic & frantic!)=head and hair. This proved to be a convenient starting point. However, in practice intuition took over and the language developed through stroking, scratching, pushing, patting and jabbing!
3 T-CAR x pianist interprets the physical sensations in a dynamic musical form
With my eyes closed I felt able to respond immediately and effectively to the tactile impressions made on my body. I imagined that a scene was complex when the hands were acting upon me discordantly. When the fingers of one hand stroked through my hair and the knuckes of the other burrowed into my kneck I was acutely aware of tension and conflict and really enjoyed reflecting this back dynamically with my own two hands at the piano.
4 Passive viewer (of movie) receives audio impression of the film
The cinema audience new what was going on and seemed fascinated by it. My friend and I were given a convincing round of applauds at the end and I was left in no doubt that Transcorporeal Art is a very credible activity. More about this later.

Tuesday 11th November
In the past week I have given several short and very intimate song performances. The feedback has been wonderful! So much so that I'm paying more attention to the idea of creating an international home tour for myself! One admirer wants to introduce me to the LA scene. That's it, I'm off! Well, soon anyway.

Thursday 20th November
What have I been doing for the past week? Steve Finn, our featured Healthy Concerts artist on Saturday 15th November, is producing Vignettes by Eliza Wyatt & Paul Chi. Over the weekend we started work recording this acoustic album, and also put together a Live demo of some of my songs to send to a producer in London. Last night I watched and heard virtually the entire video recording of the much loved 29 July 'Ollie to Arya' concert at the Komedia. Tom Hickmore & Ewen (Black Rock Films) did a great job at capturing the magical atmosphere and spellbinding moments of that extraodinary event. I think all the artists who were featured in the concert - Jane Bartholomews (with James), Edmond Kurkjian, Katy Carr, Ollie Relph and Arya - will enjoy and value the video (and DAT) recordings (soon to made available). It really is beautiful stuff. The gigs in digs set (special thanks to Mark Parker & Leyla Fakhr) provided richly textured and infinitely varied backgrounds for compelling artist portraiture. Many of the still compositions were full of poetic imagery and reminded me of beautiful paintings. There were sublime elements in each artist's performance and a collection of songs of inestimable value. You'll be hearing more about this concert and the recording...

Friday 5 December
What happened to my diary? I've been a little distracted. Perhaps I'm a bit of a wild flower. I'm very excited about the piano version of the song, WILD FLOWERS. I hope I'm ready to play it at the Komedia on Tuesday 16 December, the CAVE OF GOLD condert. There I will be sharing the platform with two of the finest singer-songwriters... anywhere! Luke Adams & Charlie Villiers.

Thursday 25 December
Happy Christmas everyone! In a few hours I'll be tuning the piano in readiness for the Ben Bannerman concert this afternoon. Ben writes amazing music that I believe will give pleasure to many people for years to come. Don't ask me to predict figures! Great masterpieces have gone unplayed and unheard for decades and then become so much a part of the art establishment that their presence seems as large as mountains. So no-one can know for certain what will happen to Ben's music, accept perhaps that you can hear it performed by the composer himself later today!