Sunday Lunch Jazz

At some point I’m going to get round to writing a serious
“jazz” blog
that narrates and commentates on the jazz things I’m doing in a “serious” way ... maybe. Maybe it should never be that serious. Maybe it should be all about fun, which was what last Sunday was. Following getting my CD done and launched in an informal way, I should be setting about getting gigs and sending it out to journalists and radio stations, but someone from the industry was at the launch gig and expressed a big interest in getting involved and it looks like they might be taking care of this side of things. I had sent out quite a few to press and journalists before the launch gig so I have been following these up but I’ve also been taking on quite a bit of IT work again to recoup the money I spent on doing the CD and to make up for not working in August. So when I got circular email from Fiona Egan asking if anyone wanted to sing at the Duchess in Battersea (not quite for free ... Sunday lunch on the house if I managed to attract an audience of more that 6 ... ah – the lucrative life of the jazz singer!), I thought “Why not – gigging is always fun!”.

The thing that is always foremost in one’s mind whenever a gig is coming up is ... what am I going to wear?!? I had bought a new black silky chemise dress for something else a week or so before and wanted to wear my newish tan suede sandals again before it gets too cold and had been on the lookout for a matching belt and decided to look on the internet, found one, ordered it and it arrived in time.

The lunchtime jazz at the Duchess has an open mic jam session toward to end so I invited a sax player, a guitarist and a singer I know and encouraged them to do a spot and also encouraged Hilary to sing a spot.

I advertised it on Facebook and designed a little flyer which I emailed to a few people and took to church the previous Sunday.

When we arrived just before 2pm (having got a bit held up in traffic) loads of our friends were there already. Hilary was there with her new boyfriend! And the piano player Geoff Castle (who I have sung with before at a monthly open mic session I go to in Kingston) and host singer Fiona, were just getting the PA sorted out. Fiona sang about three songs then announced me.

It was great singing with Geoff and I got Nigel the sax player to play on a couple of the songs. We did about 45 – 50 mins – I think it was 10 songs altogether. Then they gave me a free lunch!

Seeing the photos now I don’t think my outfit was all that great after all – I think I look like I’m going to the office! And I really must practice in the mirror so that I don’t pull so many weird faces when I’m singing.

Darcy came along too and my friend Janet brought her two daughters ...

and the three girls started a game of Chinese Whispers

.... to entertain themselves ...

... and the rest of us!

After a break Fiona sang some more songs

and there was another guest singer, Julie Ann, who did a little set too

Then Fiona invited Clare, the singer I had invited, up to sing. I had got up early in the morning to write out some music for her as she hasn’t done an open mic before and what you have to do is bring a one sheet version of your music for the piano player – the tune written out with the chords written about the notes. Clare is not a jazz singer as such but chose “Can’t take my eyes off of you” and she was brill, and doesn’t pull faces while she sings.

A couple of clarinettists did “Tea for Two” ...

and Joel played Autumn Leaves with an awesome guitar solo,

Then we got Hilary up there...

 ... and she sang "At Last!"

... and brought the house down!

It was such a fun afternoon with lovely friends, fab food and an amazing view out of the window of the iconic Battersea Power Station.