THERMAL VESTS IN MAY (it was then, but its been warm since)
Welcome to the blues version of spring.
Nobody’s been digging my potatoes, fishin in my pond and the bananas in my fruit basket are still green.
theres tons of news to report in this update but lets start with the most important: some music: https://soundcloud.com/tom-doughty/running-free-with-dan-wilkins Recorded at a gig in Birmingham a month back, completely free and improvised version of my song Running Free with Dan Wilkins playing Cora; (it was the highlight of the gig for me)
secondly:
THANKS for your votes-
i’m through to the final stage,
but I am in need of your votes again.
My song Journeyman Blues, recorded with the band in Brighton, is through to the final voting stage for ‘Best Original British Blues Song 2013’ in the British Blues Awards competition. My song was nominated by a radio station and is through to the last 15 from 60 entrants. You can both vote for the song again, for this final stage from my home page. I’m aiming for 10,000 votes. https://www.tomdoughty.com (voting link above the thumbnail) and also hear the song. If you like it, please vote (its called the Kevin Thorpe award at the bottom of the page http://britishbluesawards.com/#/vote/4550831539 )
Bugger; I hate to ask and feel genuinely embarrassed, I’ve never been comfortable with pleading. Please share this song and voting request.
gigs
Variety and fun can describe my gigs since the last newsletter and some of you have been able to travel and have met me. I value the efforts of people to come to my concerts and catch up in person. Particular highlights were the one day workshop held in Sandiway with my musician friends, Zoe Mulford, Graham Bellinger and Andy Anderson where we arranged the first ‘Music from the Roots up’ workshop and performed as band with no name in the evening. Co incidentally my next gig is with the no name band at the Wirral Folk on the Coast Festival next Sunday 9th June.
Other memorable evenings include an event with The Proclaimers at an RAF base near Leeds, performing at The Guitar Weekend at Manchester’s prestigious Bridgewater Hall in January and successfully auditioning for the Paraorchestra in London. The Paraorchestra was formed by the conductor Charles Hazelwood and television director Claire Whalley and they played at the closing ceremony of the London Olympics. The audition was a wonderful musical adventure for me: split into two groups, the assembled players composed by improvisation, a couple of tunes based around the structure of an old baroque theme. During the day I played in two different groups and we composed very alternative arrangements compared to the original. What a delight to be amongst a group of musicians who were so able and to share the sounds of a range of sounds determined by a wide and varied selection of instruments, from Brass and woodwind to percussion and electronic. I tried hard to fly the orchestral flag for the acoustic lap slide guitar and am chuffed to have been accepted. As yet, I haven’t heard any news about their performances or rehearsals, but have been assured that ‘stuff’ is happening. The audition was in March but to bring us back to the present, just two weeks back I held a lap slide seminar as part of the Edinburgh Guitar Show and Festival to an enthusiastic audience and so good to see players as young as 10 taking up this instrument. My most recent gigs have been to a packed out Alexanders Jazz Club on a Wednesday night (here’s a review) http://www.bluesinthenorthwest.com/index.php/2013/06/02/review-tom-doughty-graham-bellinger-alexanders-rufus-court-chester-29-05-13/ along with my friend Graham Bellinger performing our mainly duet material in the Americana style and last Friday, I was in Macclesfield. This Thursday i’m probably going to get slaughtered by a gang of boistrous teenage schoolchildren as I provide them with a one day workshop at a school in Staffordshire; so its fair to say i’m a bit busy. (Bit of poetic licence, time wise, its Thursday evening now, – I got slaughtered; oh to be a young testosterone fuelled teenager again-NOT) It was a lot of fun. Three different groups came up with a verse each of the theme of communication, in the style of the old blues song, Come Back Baby and with 4 volunteer backing singers and percussion, recorded the finished track.
the to – do list.
Put Frank’s new picture on my facebook page (hilarious dog, loves his shades and chillin in the sun), he is so photogenic and remind folk of my gigs – This Sunday 9th June, 5.30pm @ Wirral Folk Festival, 90 minute seth with the Band with no name, (messrs Bellinger, Mulford, Anderson and Doughtfire)
Friday 14th June @ Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival with my old mate and consummate professional, Woody Mann
Thursday 20th June @ Hobbs Rehabilitaion, a one day conference where I will be presenting, performing and providing an individual slant on Rehab.
Friday 21st June @ 12.30pm The Bridgewater Hall Manchester – A little bite music; a one hour solo performance
Sunday 23rd @ 9pm The Macclesfield Barnaby Festival @ The Wharf.
I have two or three private gigs in July, so we’ve decided to take a week’s holiday in North Yorkshire and maybe I won’t take a guitar as I’ve discovered that with a good nipple key, I can tune the spokes of my wheel to a pentatonic scale. August is looking busy again, with a few festivals booked in. Keep checking my web site for details.
the band.
The two tracks recorded with bass and drums have gone own well with people and I have the material for half an album, maybe the other half will be my more familiar, acoustic only work) and i’d quite like to do some live gigs this way – but as yet, its an idea only.
teaching
I have a few more ‘victims’ entering the black hole of learning that is Acoustic Lap Slide music and following my seminar at Edinburgh, there are a number of half hour instructional Cds that I prepared for the event. Thanks to Iain Paterson for the recording work. He handled my improvisational recording technique admirably. Anyway, if anyone would like one of these, just e mail me. They are free in theory, but i’m doing the Great North Run in September to raise money for the charity ‘Back Up’ so donations to that would be welcome.
FINALLY. Here is a short video of my latest pupil, Edwardioio, aged about 4years. He’s going to be good. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0unx55cg296d59t/nPZaPluss2
that’s all; if you got down here, you’ve earned a pie.
Tom
