Just a quick update before Christmas REALLY kicks in!
1) I have an incredible gig coming up for my first of 2015. It is a real honour for me to be invited by Blues Matters Magazine to perform on their JAKS stage at The Great British Rock & Blues Festival in Skegness on 25th Jan. I will be performing a 1 hour set at 1.15pm on the Sunday 🙂
Here is the poster for the event., if you can make it please come along!
2) I’ve done two ace collaborations recently, both very, very different!
I performed and recorded backing vocals and guitar on a beautiful track by Songwriter Tiki Black called Free Like Smoke..
This will be available to buy on 15th Decemer.
Also as of 24th November the excellent concept album Sail to the Deep by Bowker was available to purchase. I composed/sang vocals for this on The Dream (Valentina pt 2)
Aaaaand 3)…. last but not least!
I have my very own Christmas song coming out called Christmas Come Home as part of Searching For Dandelions Christmas vol. 3. It is written, ready, the artwork is done and I will be back with a confirmed release date..
This month has been creative and busy. Keep moving keep warm 🙂
A few weeks ago I mentioned I had been asked to provide vocals for the fab band Bowker. These guys have written a concept album called Sail to the Deep and needed someone to be their ‘Valentina’. I was really honoured to be asked, it was also a pretty big challenge but very exciting! I have never just provided vocals before and for this one it was also vocals with no words…so…listen I did…over and over to the amazing atmospheric chunky guitar/bass/drum track they sent me. After I felt I’d suitably absorbed the music I started to get a feel for the character and it was a lot of fun singing my heart out for this.
The launch was a few weeks ago at Lomax, Liverpool and I went along to perform. Cracking night. Here are a couple of pics.
me as ‘Valentina’
The song was included on the Roots and Fusion radio show last week so for a listen head over to the mixcloud 🙂
Another guest appearance for me came in the form of Tiki Black. Tiki is a fantastic songwriter and though we have crossed paths at gigs and she has also been very supportive of my music, we had not yet worked together. Tiki asked me a couple of months ago if I would play some guitar on her track ‘Free Like Smoke’. It’s a beautiful song and when I had a closer listen I could really hear some vocal harmonies in there too. So, I jumped in and had a play. Luckily for me that was appreciated…. The track sounds great and I will update when and where this will be available once I know. This was also featured on Roots & Fusion and can be heard here.
SUMMER STUFF– Over the summer I had lots of fun playing at various festivals. One of which was on my doorstep at the Sefton Park Food & Drink Festival. I had the opportunity to combine my two favourite things of coffee and music and played at the Liverpool Live TV/Quills Coffee stage. LLTV were ace enough to wield their video skills and recorded my song Woollen Hearts…
and finally…..
This weekend I discovered that my song Sun shines under water (from Chasing Tales EP) was included on Tom Robinson’s MIXTAPE (BBC6 Music Introducing.. Fresh on the Net): I have been lucky enough over the last year to have 2 other songs (Chopping Wood & This Garden) from the EP also featured on the show. It’s a top resource for independent musicians and I’m very proud.
That’s it for now! You’ll find me walking around in the Autumn air finding inspiration for new songs.
Jo Bywater 