Autumn Glory

"lest we forget..."

Hello Folks!
I can't believe that we are already mid-late November.  'Who knows where the time goes...'  Night's are long and getting longer - the mornings are crisp and stark.  It is a time for hearty meals, roaring fires, warm clothes and cosy beds.  I love this time of year though - I find it magical, beautiful and inspiring - I love that although nature begins to slow down and sleep, the promise of renewal is everywhere.  My garden is still full of colour from autumn flowering shrubs and we will be eating the fruit of our orchards labours until the spring.
I'm out at first light all togged up and scavenging the beach for something interesting, watching the birds, or busy clearing the garden and lighting bonfires of leaves and twigs - that smell is so intoxicating.  Puts me in mind of the poem by John Greenleaf Whittier.

Before my driftwood fire I sit,

And see with every waif I burn,

Old dreams and fancies colouring it,

And folly's unlaid ghosts return...

From 'Burning Driftwood'

or

The evening fire whispers and puffs
Its flames, crackling its secret tales,
And you, I know will watch and let
Your fancy fashion a hearth-side yarn...

From 'Drifting home' by James McOran-Campbell

And it gives me an idea for the setting of another music video to go with a track from my Folk Ballads album.  It doesn't however, give me any inspiration as to a title for it...

Fire-side tales

So this last few weeks has been busy with concerts and travel, my bread and butter, but rather excitingly, more recording sessions at Ten21 recording studio.  Evenings have been spent sitting in front of the fire working out backing vocals, or working in my music studio on arrangements for keyboards and percussion along with my keyboardist James.  After one session I met up with James at my local folk club to hear 'Gilmore and Roberts' - they are an awesome team and I was so inspired by their unique sound and finely crafted songwriting, I came up with the lyrics for a new folk tale and arranged it into an uptempo folk-song.  So keep an ear out for that...

'The engine room' at Ten21

The tracks for the album are really coming together and sound great, but I didn't expect to find the process so nerve-wracking and exhausting, especially recording my own backing vocals, but Sean Kenny's energy and enthusiasm is insatiable!  The last session was particularly exciting because James and I were finally laying down the final four tracks for the album that we had rehearsed with keyboard and percussion (an uplifting detour from the tracks with just guitar and voice), one of the tracks is a duet.  James adds a touch of grandeur with strings, piano, ethnic flute, oboe and a mix of woodwind and of course, his dulcet baritone - it sounds wonderful! 

James and the 'Tyros'

Sitting pretty...

On one particular track, I was looking for a very haunting martial bass drum and snare.  After playing around with my Bodhran and a home made beater that I carved from a hazel wand cut from my woods in France. I hit upon an idea - literally...

Bodhran and home-made beater (carved Hazel wand, sheep's wool and the rags of an old shirt) 

I beat the distant war drum for the track, but was stumped when it came to the military snare sound.  Fortunately Sean Kenny is a drummer, and a very good one...

Sean Kenny at Ten21 - a paradidle-diddle

Setting up takes ages, so we drown ourselves with tea and coffee...

Soooo rock and roll...

Rack and stack...

Taking a break

Testing...

Testing...

One, two, three

And so with all the main tracks laid down, it just remains for me to finish working-in the backing vocals (I had a great idea for one of the tracks and have worked in a backing line of a different folk song over the top - so two for one - never let it be said that you don't get good value with Islander), and James and I will join forces again to complete the keyboards on the rest.

James duetting...

with me...

This weekend was meant to be putting the finishing filming touches to 'The old churchyard' music video - but time and weather got the better of us and the underwhelming response to my invites to over 20 local drama groups to help me with a few group scenes has forced us to retreat into the studio to rehearse -  and a great session it was, with some lovely touches accomplished and ready to record at the beginning of December.  At least we are being productive!

I'm itching to get back into my art studio and get started on some new projects, but for now here is a selection of archive artwork...

'Periwinkle'
Media: Poster paint on plasterboard

'Chakra Angelis'
Media: Poster paint on plasterboard

'Autumn Glory'
Media: Acrylic on Canvas

'You push all my buttons...'
Media: Buttons, poster paint on Plasterboard

'Stonehenge' A copy on Thomas Gainsborough
Media: Pastel on pastel paper

Keep warm and wrap up.  Look to the skies for the glory of Autumn Sunsets and keep 'folk-ing it up', for folks sake! 

That's all Folks!!!