Author: Jan Preston

I’m very excited to share that my long awaited new album PIANOLAND is to be released on Oct 1st through independent NZ based record label, YELLOW EYE MUSIC. It’ll be on all digital platforms and available in NZ stores.
Best of all, we’ll be playing an extensive tour of the North Island. Looking at the schedule, Mike and I are thinking it may be easier to cancel all other unrelated activities, such as eating and sleeping….. Truly it’s a punishing schedule, but none the less a wonderful opportunity to play towns and cities we haven’t visited for a while. Made all the more special by the addition from Melbourne of outstanding acoustic guitar player, NICK CHARLES.
And did I mention iconic Radio NZ presenter, JIM MORA is having me on his show? Kiwis can listen in from your gardening, housework or brunch on Sun Oct 6th. Jim’s outstanding reputation is well deserved and it’s always a great pleasure to be interviewed by him.
The (more than 20) dates kick off in Upper Hutt, Fielding, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Paeroa, Hamilton, Tauranga, Howick, Auckland’s Pah Homestead, Whangarei, Warkworth, Waiheke Island, Kapiti and more. Most bookings are through Eventfinda, details are being added to my website as they come to hand, and I will post updates.
And if you think that’s a lot going on….well yes it is.
Just as well I still absolutely love playing live music to audiences that appreciate it, of which I hope you are some!

 

Brian Nankervis (remember Rock Quiz?) has invited us to play live on his ABC Friday Revue Radio Show in Melbourne next Friday Sep 6^th at 3pm. What a buzz that will be! I’m such a huge fan of his! We’re finally making the trip down south to Victoria, starting this Saturday night in Paynesville, Sunday arvo at the Drunken Poet Melbourne, Tuesday night as special guests of the MBAS (Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society), Wed night at Beneath Driver Lane Melbourne and ending with WOW Roots Music Club, featuring yours truly along with prominent Australian guitarists, Phil Manning and Nick Charles. Improvising with these guys is totally scary for me, they’re both such brilliant players, I’d better keep up! 

Full details are on ” Live Shows” on the website, and you can book for the WOW show here.

 

I’m terribly excited that my new album, PIANOLAND, has gone to be pressed!
I’m very happy with it and am hugely grateful to everyone who played on it, recorded it, produced artwork, took fab new photos, and generally supported me through the long process. I’ve absolutely loved every moment and am now facing an odd void in my life…..what to do with myself?!

Fortunately there are concerts, most particularly the CD launch, JAN PRESTON’S BOOGIE CIRCUS at CHURCH ST STUDIOS in Newtown on SUN APRIL 28^th. If you’ve never been to this venue, you’re in for a treat. www.churchstreetstudios.com.au

It’s an awesome environment of musical artworks and books, both immaculate and quirky, as well as a magnificent Kawai Grand Piano.

Before then, on SUN APRIL 14th @ 3pm I’ll be playing completely acoustic at the lovely HUMPH HALL, 85 Allambie Rd, Allambie  Click here for more Humph Hall information and booking link.

We’re also playing 3 other duo shows in April, down the coast at TATHRA.
FRI APRIL 19th 7pm Private House Concert  Tathra
SAT APRIL 20th 4.00pm TATHRA Hotel
SUN APRIL 21st 4.00pm TATHRA Hotel 8-12 Bega Street, Tathra

Btw let me know what you think of the PIANOLAND cover. I can tell you it wasn’t easy climbing up into that grand piano!

We’re packing our bags and are super excited to be part of the SMALL HALL Concert Series, held in beautiful Heritage Halls in NZ’s Hawkes Bay. These concerts are caringly presented by HB resident Jamie MacPhail, so be prepared for a unique experience of music in an unforgettable environment with delicious food and, of course, famous Hawkes Bay wines.

Have I sold it you? Sounds like heaven to Mike and I!

And for those in the Wellington area we’ll be playing 3 concerts the week after. 

All the details are on this website…

So! I’m back on the horse (road/piano) after months of recording my new album, and  it’ll be strange to be playing live the precious material I’ve been working on. 

I so hope the audience loves it as much as I do…..!

In boogie and blues,

Jan

  

Our last shows for 2023 are this SAT NOV 4^th in Dungog at the Royal Hotel @ 7.30pm, and Newcastle on SAT NOV 11^th @ 3.30pm. Both venues have fabulous grand pianos, so it’s a great way to end the year. Whew! I’ve got through 2023 with my fingers and arms still attached and still operational!

Last weekend’s TABLELANDS FOLK FESTIVAL,  (held yearly in Yungaburra, is up the mountain from Cairns, and has been held for 43 years!

Our 3 shows were some of my most exciting and uplifting performing experiences, the audiences were amazing and I’m still buzzing (exhaustedly)

Here is JAN PRESTON’S BOOGIE CIRCUS sitting on red lounges waiting to go on stage, getting the vibe right with husband Mike and brilliant bassist Craig Renneberg (aka Franz Batmilk).

Craig is the CIRCUS part of our band.

Definitely.

Those of you who have seen him perform will know what I mean….!

Sometimes in my musical career there are several things going on at once, and this month has been a prime example.

Firstly my Film Composing workshop at the University of Newcastle which was meant to be restricted to 20 participants but, as you can see, a few extras were squeezed in. They were a fabulous bunch of people, and we had a great afternoon, there was such a buzz in the room.

This weekend my trio is playing 3 concerts at the Tablelands Folk Festival in Yungaburra near Cairns. I haven’t been to Cairns much and the festival looks fab, so this will be a blast.

Next up on Sat Nov 4^th we’re finally returning to Dungog, the grooviest rural town in Australia, playing one show at the heritage Royal Hotel. We will be finishing up our live concerts for 2023 at the beautiful Adamstown Uniting Church in Newcastle on Sat Nov 11^th. All details are on my website.

In the meantime I’m digging into my boogie wardrobe wondering what on earth I can wear this weekend in possibly 35 degree heat. Bearing in mind that I like to stay as fully clothed as possible at this age (so I don’t scare the horses, well the audience that is) I’m frantically searching through long forgotten drawers.  Any suggestions? Bearing in mind that Mike refuses to contemplate shorts due to his gammy leg, I’m wondering if matching 30’s neck to knee swimsuits would work? Lightweight Lycra jackets? I need some ideas fast!

We were rehearsing yesterday for our last Sydney show this coming Saturday night, and the band is sounding brilliant!

It’s a great joy for me to be playing with (apart from loyal husband Mike Pullman on percussion) fabulous double bassist Craig Renneberg and sensational violinist George Washingmachine. George is well-known and respected in the jazz scene in Australia and NZ, is hugely charismatic as well as a magnificent player.

This will be our last local show so please join us at the Leichhardt Bowling Club Sep 16 for a night of grooves, moods and food (if you like).

More coming up for us is one performance only of an Australian silent movie at the Newcastle International Film Festival, a seminar on Film Composing, the Tablelands Folk Festival in the Atherton Tablelands, as well as concerts in Newcastle and Dungog in November.

And isn’t the weather in Sydney amazing at the moment?
Glorious winter sun!

I’m truly grateful for the donation of a new piano for the LEICHHARDT BOWLING CLUB in time for SAT SEP 16th when I will happily perform my new barrelhouse and boogie material on it.

This ALEX STEINBACH piano is valuable, and I and the Club are super thankful to Lois Harris, my friend who has made such a generous donation. Amazing!

This will be our last Sydney show this year, so don’t miss it…

This coming weekend on SAT SEP 9^th we are playing in Melbourne at the lovely LOMOND HOTEL, Brunswick, which also has an acoustic piano.
Most venues these days use any excuse (takes up too much room, can’t be moved, needs tuning etc) to get rid of their pianos, so bless these 2 venues for keeping the acoustic piano culture alive!

I am emerging into the light of the concert stage of Melbourne’s Lomond Hotel in Brunswick on Sep 9 and the Leichhardt Bowlo in Sydney on Sep 16. Both are Saturday nights one week apart.

The fabulous Thirroul Hall last weekend was our warm-up show, with huge thanks to the Illawarra Folk Club for presenting us in their series. We couldn’t have asked for a more astute and responsive audience, who have been unwitting guinea pigs to my new material.
The Barrelhouse went down a storm – it’s a hit!

It will definitely join my musical brain on the road, packed into Mike’s car along with everything else that NO-ONE can believe he fits in. The King of Tetris reigns! He’s a wiry unstoppable part-time drummer from the North of NZ’s North Island!

And speaking of the North Island we are sadly having to miss touring there until next March 2024, but have some exciting dates coming up in NSW and Cairns before the end of the year.

So friends, if you can’t keep boogieing, at least keep going!