LIVE TV is nerve-racking

I haven't blogged in months, partly because i haven't been 'inspired' to do so. If I am really honest though, I think I really got lazy about documenting my journey.

It's however December and you all know the month of December tends to be when we take stock and promise to do better in the new year. I though instead of promising to blog more in 2015... why not just get on with it :-)

Yesterday. I was on London Live TV to perform on the Evening News Show. There was a lil' interview to start with. This is more like a mini chat where the artists gets asked questions about their journey. 

The usual... how would you describe your music question. You'd think i'd be used to answering those questions by now! oh nope. I still stutter when i get asked, how would you describe your music.

They mic, you and give you all these instructions that go in one ear and come out the other and a they count the presenter in... Four Three, Two...

I however survived and managed to enjoy myself. I edplay one of the songs from my current record, 'Memories' a song I wrote for an organisation that supports Alzheimer's research and awareness. 

Here's the link - let me know what you think ;-)

http://www.londonlive.co.uk/news/2014-12-15/playout-pitch

HOME Liner Notes - Track 2 | Stone Collector

I wrote this song after a conversation I had with a man who has a habit of collecting stones. 

I was obviously curious as to why…

He said he collected stones for good luck. My first thought was, how bizarre!

The more I questioned him about why, and how on earth he thought the stones in his pockets made any difference to how his fortune turned out, the more I realised how very alike we all are. I stopped judging him, I instead accepted and respected his choice to collect stones and wrote a song instead. 

Isn't it amazing how what you need to read, listen to, watch..... comes to you at the moment when you need it

So, these past few days I've been reading about dreams and inner voice and I realise that Stone Collector is a little glimpse into those things. We are all searching for that voice to assure us that

Everything will be ok!

You are  on the right path!

You will win!

And what we spend our lives doing is searching for that voice elsewhere but within us.

A couple of days ago, the legend and extra special human being Dr. Maya Angelou, passed away and her last tweet was this..

'Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.'

THAT IS IT!!

The voice speaking to you is within you, willing you to be quiet and listen. (we are not doing a lot of that these days, everyone is talking at the same time and no one is listening)

Let that voice lead you!

You can download Stone Collector (from the EP - Home) on itunes

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/home-ep/id862416048 

Stream via Spotify 

HOME Liner Notes - Track 1 | 21 Days

I write because I don't have all the answers. 

Always searching, seeking and hoping to find.

21 Days is my take on the conversation that (may have taken) took place between Daniel and an angel called Gabriel.

Do you pray?

If you do, what do u pray about and why do you pray?

Does it make any difference?

There's a point in the Daniel and Gabriel conversation that always gets me. When the angel told Daniel that he already made his way to help from the first day Daniel prayed.

What the heck took you 21 days Gabriel? 3 weeks ?!?!

My afro would have grown a whole inch in the time it took the angel to come to Daniel's aid.

Gabriel's explanation though, favours the saying "there's more to life than meets the eye"

There are people who believe that prayer is an excuse for apathy or laziness.

 Some turn to prayer when they feel helpless and don't know what to do.

and then there are some who would explore all options and then pray when come to the point where nothing else works.

There are those who pray before each meal and then pray before they select what outfit to wear

 Some pray when the day starts and others, when the day ends.

What ever category you fall into, I think there must be an element of belief in divine intervention (or) and a higher power in everyone who prays otherwise there'll be no need to pray....no?

                                   Question is though, do you believe?

and........

would you still hold on to your faith if you have to wait 21 days for an intervention or response?

You can download 21 Days (from Home) on itunes

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/home-ep/id862416048

Stream - Spotify 

A BLANKET AND A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE

A week ago, I released a 5 track record called HOME

Picture by Jendella Artwork by Charles Juba 

Prior to the release, I had the privilege of putting together a Living Room Sessions tour. 

Sharing music with a live audience is a beautiful thing because you have the opportunity to see people respond to the music you've been crafting and perfecting in your own little world or room in real time. 

Having to go into people's living spaces and sharing music with them, their friends and family was even a more beautiful experience because the gap between stage and audience is removed. I wanted that same feeling of closeness to be felt on my new record.

  

When you think of home, you immediately think of family. 

I have discovered that what also connects people apart from bloodline or DNA is music. I have seen it happen when I toured Paris and got to play with amazing musicians whose English speaking ability is way French's which is nonexistent and it made absolutely no difference. We just connected.

On this record, I wanted to play with friends and musicians that I've shared the stage with at some point and that's exactly what happened.

Cello - Nora Kalcheva | 2nd Guitars - Richard Burrell | Bass - Stewart Rawle | Drums & Percussion - Feranmi Ogunseyinde

Picture by Janssem Cardoso at Resident Studios

All five of us (and a six month old bump) spent ten hours recording together in one room with Simon Small at the desk. It's an experience I won't be forgetting for a long time. What a blessing to be supported by these musicians.

We later asked Mike Dunne to sprinkle some gold dust on Memories and did he do that or what?

When you ask anyone what home means to them, it's interesting to note that it means different things to everyone. For some, it's a space and for others, it's a state of mind. I wanted anyone who listened to this record to feel connected to that place they call home, their own comfortable place, their home. All I told Rohan Budd, who did an amazing job of lovingly piecing together everything we recorded in that room, was "imagine being wrapped up in a blanket and handed a hot cup of chocolate on a cold winter night"

Every artist will tell you that sharing your work with the world carries with it a whole lot of excitement as well as nervousness. You wrestle with your inner voice...

will it be well received?

oooh I hope the like it..

i should have tweaked that song here and then there

What I've come to learn is that, after all is said and done, you have to let it go... to my surprise though, the EP did climb to #53 on the iTunes chart a few hours after release. For some, that's nothing but for me, THAT IS AMAZING

I hope the record continues to reach out and finds it's way into people's homes, cars and cafes.

So when you listen to this EP I'd like you to close your eyes and allow yourself to be wrapped up in the voices, strings and rhythms coming out of your speakers into your ears, till your whole body is immersed in the music.

Thank you for telling a friend and a friend's friend :-) - below are the links to the new EP 

Stream - Spotify 

DOWNLOAD itunes
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/home-ep/id862416048