Amazing gig last Friday night with Liverpool Acoustic at 81 Renshaw.
Beat the January Blues.
I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Raphael Callaghan and Al ‘bluesman’ Peters. Cracking night of Blues, slide, songwriting, Very happy. Lovely sound, great crowd….
The first time I’ve done a gig on Peppermint Tea and then got up at 7am the next morning to do Princes parkrun. A different kind of Rock n Roll altogether 
😉
x
I’m excited to announce I will be performing a set of songs for Liverpool Acoustics ‘Beat The January Blues’ on 5th Jan.
Their new venue is 81 Renshaw st. It would be great to see some familiar faces there to bring in 2018.
Click here for the event info.
I will be sharing the evening with…
and
Al ‘Bluesman’ Peters
See you there!
Jo x
Hey all,..
Lots of squirreling little plans going on here that I’m excited about for 2016.
Creative, collaborative, proactive..
The most immediate is my involvement in Liverpool Acoustic Festival. This is a weekend packed full of acoustic artists held in Unity Theatre and Philharmonic Music Rooms. I’m made up to be on a line – up with lots other fantastic artists including Marcus Bonfanti and Dave O’Grady. The festival runs all weekend but my performance is on Sat 19th March in The Music Room – Philharmonic, I’ll be on at 7.15pm and will be road testing some new tunes.. Get your tickets.
I’m also very honoured to be invited as part of a panel discussion with Liverpool Acoustic at Unity Theatre at 5pm – 6pm on the subject ‘Female Is Not A Genre’..This, I believe has sprung from a very well written piece by songwriter Roxanne De Bastion last year. I’m in good company for this sitting alongside Roxanne De Bastion, Kaya Herstadt Carney and Eleanor Nelly.
I hope to see some of you there!
Other news on the collaborative front is my co-written track ‘Sharks’ with Operation Lightfoot (Luke Moore)… the track is now recorded and finished and sent for mastering. I’m excited, really excited about this track from beginning to end. It was great to be asked, to work with Luke and Jon (Crosstown Studios), to perform with other Lightfooters and now just to hear the finished product puts a big smile on my face. I loved working with strings on this one! I will be making some noise when it’s release time….
I’ll also be making some noise soon…. All will be revealed in due course!
Until then, stay creative and with your heart
x
Hey All!
I’m very excited about this whole experience of writing and winning the Judges Award for Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge (Nov 14) and so have decided that the new recording will be available as a free download to anyone who would like to enjoy it for a limited time.
As part of my prize I had the pleasure of recording Riches to Rags with Judge Jon Lawton at Crosstown Studios Liverpool. We had a chilled and enjoyable session and thus this recording was born.
Big thanks to Liverpool Acoustic and the 3 Judges (Kaya (Balance Vocal), Jon Lawton (Crosstown Studios) & Robert Vincent).
Big smiles from me!
You can download the song from Bandcamp (free or if you want to pay anything that’s up to your discretion) or Soundcloud.
I also played the fab Liverpool Acoustic live on Friday (27th Feb.) as part of an epic line-up (Cousin Jac & Roxanne De Bastion) and the lovely Graham Holland (1 half of Liverpool Acoustic) took this vid of me performing the song …
Enjoy
x
Well Helloooo February!
A few months back I was invited into the cover of Blues Matters for their Blue Blood section. The magazine came out in December and here I am telling tales of my musical journey, my inspiration and songwriting. Blues Matters does a lot for the British Blues scene and for people like myself who don’t quite fit into a traditional category.
I also had the pleasure of playing the Blues Matters stage at Jaks this year at Skegness Butlins for the 2015 Great British Rock & Blues Festival. Good times and a great gig to start the year on 🙂 Great opportunity to write some new songs! My set list is growing by the week these days….
The next gig for this year for me is 27th Feb at Liverpool Acoustic 6th Birthday.
See you there!
x
Good News!! My song Riches to Rags won the judges award for Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting challenge 😀
On Friday I went along to perform my entry for the finals. It was a great night of music both from 2 of the judges (Robert Vincent & Kaya) and also the other 9 finalists.
There’s a big smile on my face and I’m also very overwhelmed by the amount of congratulations from people. I genuinely entered the challenge for a bit of a different songwriting venture but to come out winner is very nice…
This is the painting I chose from View Two Gallery to write about… I was really drawn into this picture and had the whole song concept very quickly.,
The song…
The lyrics…
Riches to Rags
Do you know I used to be a Queen?
I followed you here
Enticed and entranced by your need
But I know I’m never going to be your Queen
Though dress in golden seams
I’m left alone with my dreams
And I gave my colours for you
Gave my colours for you…
*
Honey, how I ache to be your queen
Oh invisible me
Now we’re strangers its clear that I
Served a purpose it seems
Left to dote in the breeze
Carry all that I’ve seen
And It’s alright
I know how you feel
I can’t keep you here
You’re not meant for me
And we used to dance and you’d hold me so firmly
I’d fly like a bird
And you’d touch me so softly I’d slip through your arms
Like the breath that you drew
When you kissed me
Unhooked me from all that I knew
Now all I know is you
Now all I know is you…
*
Darling I could never never be your queen
The world worn weary
This Goddess has dignity
And darling I rage like the sea
You took all that I had
From riches to rags
Not sure I exist
Chameleons and twists
Laments of lives gone by
I float between two skies
I’ve been chasing ghosts
Since you caressed my throat
Spinning mirrors and smoke
I tenderly choke
And we used to dance and you’d spin me so firmly I’d fly like a bird
And you’d touch me so softly I’d slip through your arms
Like the breath that you drew
When you kissed me
Unhooked me from all that I knew
Such a beauty, you told me I shone like a charm
These red lips you could kiss
That remind you of sunsets so bold
So unspoiled, I unfold, you took me from all that I knew
You unhooked me from all that I knew
Yeah you took me from all that I knew
Yeah you took me from all that I knew
And all that I wanted was you
Now all that I’m haunting is you
© 2014. Jo Bywater.
The prizes for winning are a vocal lesson with the amazing Balance Vocal, a studio recording of my song with Crosstown Studios and I am also invited to perform at Liverpool Acoustics Birthday event on 27th Feb 2015. 🙂
Once the song is recorded I will put it on here..
Thanks for the support everyone
x
Happy Days., I’m really still coming down from Friday nights Chasing Tales EP launch at View Two Gallery, hosted by the fantastic Liverpool Acoustic and with and awesome line-up (Little Sparrow, Me & Deboe, Anna Corcoran).. full house and lots of happy music lovers.
It’s been solid work for me since September last year with starting to write the first song (Woollen Hearts) and I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.
The EP is now available to buy from all the usual suspects –
Bandcamp / Amazon / iTunes / CD Baby
There are limited number of CDs available so get in there quick if you love the tactile music experience, I know I do. I will be taking these to gigs as well until they run out!
This is what the reviews are saying about the EP so far..
‘Delicious, laid-back, folk-tinged Americana’ – Folkwords
‘Unorthodox, uncompromising, simply brilliant’ – FATEA
‘always played with a great sense of maturity, an ear for the rhythmic and an ability to place words in such a way that the guitar is more than an instrument to her, it is more like a confidant, a co-conspirator in her music and Chasing Tales once exemplifies this confidant and genuinely very cool woman’s ability’ – Liverpool Sound & Vision
FIND THEM IN FULL AS WELL AS REVIEWS FROM THE LAUNCH
wt/; Blythe Cooper from Chasing Tales EP Launch Liverpool. pic by Adrian Wharton 2013
Sketch by Ken Martin, View Two Gallery Liverpool. 2013.
Chasing Tales EP Launch Liverpool. pic by Adrian Wharton. 2013.
wt/ Andy Jones. Chasing Tales EP Launch Liverpool. 2013. pic Adrian wharton
Chasing Tales CD pic by Russell Cottier
Find more pics from the gig on FACEBOOK 🙂
Big thanks to all those that were involved and made it down and for those that didn’t pick up your copy of the EP and indulge in some new music.
See you at the next gig near you!
Jo x
Next up for gigs
4th Oct 2013: Live session w/t The Foxs Den Show (Vixen 101.8FM) – 9pm
15th Oct: Writers Block, Lomax, Liverpool
17th Oct: Acoustic Lounge wt/Gerry Murphy – Vintage Radio
18th October 2013: The Rifleman, Stalybridge supporting Patsy Matheson
17th Jan 2014: Live session w/t Roots and Fusion (Pure FM)
20th June 2014: Beverley Folk Festival
Gearing up towards my EP launch this Friday Graham Holland has got stuck in with this edition of Liverpool Acoustic Spotlight to showcase some of the music that will be heard on the night. In the playlist is my new song Chopping Wood feat. Andy Jones (Just by Chance).
Facebook event for the gig is here – https://www.facebook.com/events/731376096878649/
Buy your tickets upfront here! http://www.wegottickets.com/liverpoolacoustic
See you there! x
EP Launch Invite – Jo Bywater Chasing Tales EP
I’ve been excitedly preparing for this date and here it is! I would like to invite you to my EP launch and latest installment of new and original music.
Date: 27th Sept. 2013 @ View Two Gallery, Liverpool. I’m very pleased to be doing the launch with the award winning Liverpool Acoustic. The line-up is amazing – Little Sparrow, Me & Deboe, Anna Corcoran and Me (plus special guests).
In order to buy tickets in advance head to: http://www.wegottickets.com/liverpoolacoustic you will see the event with my name attached.
The EP is also in collaboration with Searching For Dandelions (www.SFDRecords.com) label/collective
Chasing Tales is Acoustic Blues slide guitar meets finger-picking brain food. Raw and finely-crafted beauty with a dark twist, soothed with harmonies, melodies and textures. A worthy follow-up to 2010 album Cycle Grace Pulse Break in creative growth. The EP features guest performances from Andy Jones (Just by Chance) and Blythe Cooper and was mastered by Russell Cottier (Parr St. Studios). It is released in collaboration with Searching For Dandelions Label/Collective. Cover Artwork by Jo Bywater. The first review for the EP has been provided by Ian D. Hall for Liverpool Sound and Vision: http://www.liverpoolsoundandvision.co.uk/2013/09/04/jo-bywater-chasing-tales-e-p-review/ Chasing Tales will be available from CD Baby, Bandcamp, Amazon, iTunes and at shows. There are limited CD copies available to buy at shows and online.
It would be a pleasure if you could join us at the launch! For those not able to I hope you enjoy this next chapter of my creativity 🙂 for updated info go to http://www.jobywater.com. Jo x
As my final mail of 2011 I mainly wanted to say thank you to everyone who has supported and enjoyed what I’ve been upto creatively this year whether it be music or art. Cheers! And thanks to those I’ve shared the gigs with. It’s been a great and varied year. My favourite!
2011 started off with my album released and ready to gig. I spent the year sending messages to magazines, reviewers and radio shows and got a significant amount of positive feedback. All the reviews i’ve had so far are on my website and I’ve had some great local help from Seven Streets, LSU, Liverpool Acoustic, Radio Merseyside, Nerve and this month Good Vibrations gave me my final review of the year.
Nationally I had positive reviews from FATEA, R2, MU Mag, The Girls Are and Americana. In terms of radio I had a fab experience on ICON Radio, KVFM and ‘Folkscene’ on BBC Radio Merseyside after being invited by Mr Stan Ambrose. As his only guest I had the whole show and had my entire album played. Definately a moment of pride and acheivement. There’s has also been great support coming my way from Bob’s Folk Show to the South!
Over the last 12 months my gigs were a little chocolate box of mixture. December culminated in two great gigs, the penultimate in LLanberis, Wales after which I went mountain biking in Snowdonia and the final gig of the year at Sound Women in Huddersfield, which was preceded by a traffic-laden, 4 hour journey from Liverpool!
Work – wise I’ve spent an incredible time building up my guitar students and also taken on more commissions art-wise. The most recent two being illustrations for a childrens book and a painting for a present I’m half way through for a customer in USA.
My plans for 2012 are of the writing kind. New music for the new year and the forming of a tour, possibly Europe. I’ll definitely be gigging as ever around the UK. Plans for the capital city are afoot. 31st Jan I will be playing live in session on Bob’s Folk Show. http://www.radiowey.co.uk
My album Cycle Grace Pulse Break is for sale at http://www.cdbaby.com.jobywater2
My blog and updates are as ever to be found at http://www.jobywater.com
The shows I’ve done and art I’ve created will very soon be on the site!
Again, many thanks and I wish everyone the best for the end of 2011 and most definitely 2012!
See you there
Jo x
Jo Bywater 