Hello boogie friends,
Having apparently driven to the stage in a 1909 Riley Sportsman at the Halswell Estate in Chrisctchurch, and added a painted piano to our show in Hanmer, we finished our current series of NZ concerts to a packed house in my beloved hometown of Greymouth this afternoon.
We now return to Australia for our next show with the extraordinary piano player and singer, Don Hopkins, at the music lounge of the Wollongong Town Hall next Friday May 31st.
Don and I played together at the Australian Blues Music festival in February this year and produced such an exciting pianistic sound and groove we wanted to perform together again. I’ll be “live in concert” on the lovely Nick Rheinberger’s show on ABC Radio Wollongong on Friday morning as well. He’s not only adored by his listeners, but is a fine musician who has recently, believe it or not, made a slide guitar out of a cricket bat!
June has a mix of concerts; first up on Wednesday June 5th at the Art Gallery of NSW performing my original score to the Australian Silent Classic “The Cheaters” for the Sydney Film Festival, a film made in Sydney in 1929 by the iconic early pioneers of Australian film, the 3 McDonagh sisters. The grand piano being moved into the Art Gallery theatre for the performance is provided by Australian piano maker and designer, Ron Overs, and will be given a workout. Not boogie this time! For this music score I even play the inside of the piano with a mallet, and Mike has a range of orchestral percussion.
We finish June with another performance of “The Cheaters” at the NFSA’s Arc Cinema in Canberra as part of their “Australian Women Directors” Series on Friday June 28th, and a unique collaboration with the exceptionally talented guitarist Shane Pacey (Bondi Cigars) and singer extraordinaire Sally King, for the Sydney Blues Society’s Harbour Cruise on June 30th.
And somewhere, somehow, I will have celebrated another birthday with all other Geminis such as Charlie Watts who shares the same day!
Yours in boogie,
Jan
