Blog, Projects & Gigs

Spring 2024

The “Evocations” exhibition with Paul Johnstone has just finished. It went very well, with a very good turnout at the opening and great feedback.

Recently I recorded a duo album with the great musician Martin Archer. It will be released in Summer and will have some of my drawings with the artwork on the CD.

On the evening of April 24 th I will be doing a short solo percussion set at Dubrek.

I will have some work in a group show organised by Arts Derbyshire on the 25 th April to the 27 th . This will be at Masson Mill between Cromford and Matlock.

Winter 2023

I have been busy with paintings in the studio and 3 assemblages based on my childhood crystal set.
I am so looking forward to exhibiting at MI gallery in Wirksworth.
The opening night will be on February 9th 2024.
More on that in the next year.

3 “Crystal Set” assemblages.

“They are part of an ongoing series called “The ontology of objects”
They celebrate the “itness” of things and the way they ‘sing’ when placed together in unique juxtapositions.
The ‘Crystal Set’ pieces are based on my childhood.
Dad made me a crystal set, which was basically just a chunk of wood with a few wires attached.
No battery or current, this mysterious thing called a crystal in the midst of the wires.
Attached to this was a pair of ex-army headphones from the war.
I slept in the attic in the 1950s, with just the slate roof tiles between me and the sky, so this led to superb reception, forgive the pun, but ‘crystal clear’.
I cannot tell you just how important this device was to me.
It was a portal to an emerging complex and beautiful world.
So when I was sent to bed I would tune in to all sorts, long wave morse code from mysterious locations, plays, documentaries, and above all music.
It was through the crystal set that I discovered a world of classical, world music, and of course jazz!
When mum and dad thought I was sleeping , I was on a journey, across continents, across time, all down to this bit of wood and a few wires.
The assemblages are evocations of the crystal set, not replicas.
They attempt to express my feelings for the object in question.
So this is formed from metallic found objects, wood, beads, bottle, slate, washers, screws, nails, wire, prepared, old luggage labels, thread.
The other 2 are again slate ( the roof ) and similar objects.”

Two albums I’m on have just been released on Discus Music.
Firstly “Inner Skull Trail” with the great Leicester musician Jim Tetlow.
Here is a link to find out a bit more.

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/inner-skull-trail-9004dl-2023

Secondly I was on drums and percussion on the Bo Meson album, “A Stylistic Nomadism”.

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/a-stylistic-nomadism-9003dl-2023

Happy Christmas to any reader who has stumbled on to here!

Autumn 2023

On November 9 th I will be recording in Sheffield with Martin Archer and Bo Meson on an album. More about this to follow soon.

The amazing anti-choir Juxtavoices is back up and running. We will be performing on the 11 th of December at Bishops House, Norton Lees Lane, Sheffield S89BE. 7pm till 10pm

“Here’s a mass exorcism, a whole tribe talking in tongues, 30 full-moon were-Ligetis, and Wicker Man workings wrangled by the Swingle Singers.” – Stewart Lee, SUNDAY TIMES

We are on with “Whale Detective”.

Summer 2023

The Pursuance project is playing Lancaster Jazz on Wednesday September 6 th at 7-30pm. This is a continuation of the project that began in the first lockdown, with Laura Cole writing poems inspired by my visual art and me creating paintings based on Laura’s poems.

In the band are Laura on piano, Lara Jones on sax and electronics, Faye MacCalman on sax and electronics, Charlotte Keefe on trumpet and myself on percussion and electronics. The brilliant video created by andew martyn sugars will act as a visual score for the sounds.

On the Saturday 16 th and Sunday the 17 th of September I am exhibiting work as part of the Melbourne Art Trail in Derbyshire. I will be at John Springthorpe and Sons, Potter Street, Melbourne, DE73 8DW.

March 2023

I have a gig with Birmingham Improvisers Orchestra on April 7th from 2pm to 4pm. It’s at Moseley Road Baths, Birmingham.

The show at The Old Lock Up Gallery in Cromford is looking great and is on until April 29th.

Orchestra of The Upper Atmosphere, Theta 6 is now released on Discus. Also the trio album ( download only ) “Germination”, with myself, Lorin Halsall and Jan Todd.

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/theta-six-150cd-2023

https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/germination-9001dl-2023

You can read far more about the albums if you go to the links.