Recording, new tracks and a piano

Phew. What a week. Well, we've finished mixing and mastering the demo. Thank goodness. I always find the mixing process a bit laborious (listening to yourself repeatedly for a whole day is enough to do anyone's head in), but Josh was a paragon of patience and craftsmanship, and I think we've done a good job. We had our work cut out in one sense because, having recorded everything live, there was a lot of spill from the instruments, and that limited what we could do to any individual tracks. But all in all, we got a good "live" sound and captured the energy of the songs I think. I'm really pleased! So far, I've got them up on MySpace, and once my head has cleared from computer fuzz, I'll get them up on the website, too.

Another achievement this week is that I got my piano moved up from my folks', replacing the keyboard I've been using for the last 7 or 8 years here in London. I'd been umming and ahhing over it for ages, trying out practice rooms (and encountering some bloody awful pianos), wondering if it would fit...wondering if the stairs could take it too, actually! But although the keyboard I've been using is great, it's just not the same, and I finally took the plunge to have it moved yesterday.

Unfortunately, nobody told the guys moving it that they were going to have to climb four flights of stairs, so when they got here, they were a trifle miffed, shall we say. I really felt for them, and it was a nail-biting experience, hearing them heaving it up to the top floor (I say hearing, because I was too nervous to watch!). But all's well that end's well, and here it is, in the study, ready to be played (and tuned). It's been so nice playing it again, and I can tell already I'm going to enjoy practising and writing with it from now on.

Demo!

Me in my piano den


Spencer on his mean machine


Olly lays down the groove

Finally got down to recording my demo today, and it felt good. We went to my friends' Ruth Applin and Josh Kemp's - Josh has set up a brilliant studio and was really good to work with. Olly Blackman was on drums and Spencer Brown on electric bass. We recorded everything live, with me playing piano and singing live as well. By the end of the day we had five good tracks, and now I'm bushed. More news on the final mix soon.

The Inquisition, ducks and a stand-up opera singer

Funny how things change, isn't it? I was checking out some new chords in Mark Levine's Jazz Piano book and while trying out the "So What" voicings (from Miles Davis' 1950s tune), I read that during the Inquisition, if you played a tritone interval, you could get yourself excommunicated, "or worse". Sometimes people really get their priorities screwed, don't they!! Amazing to think that playing a few notes could get you into that much trouble. If only that was the case now for certain "artists": I'm thinking of the Simon Cowell-type bands - the usual suspects - or people that write songs that go: "I-love-you-my-life-is-so-perfect-now- I've-met-you-let's-have-sex". Which seems to be what most songs in the charts are about, anyway.

Anyway, the reason I was checking out those voicings was on the recommendation of the amazingly talented Andrew Milloy, who's played bass in my band and was on my gig last Thursday at Femmes on the Thames. I'm working on a new funky song and want to adjust my piano playing accordingly! But back to the gig. Battersea Barge is the only venue I know of where you can gaze at families of ducks paddling past while you're playing. In fact, it was very soothing and sort of put things into perspective before we came on as the headline act at the end. We were the only full band (Andrew on bass, He-man on drums), which kind of helped to crank up the energy, and the set went down well.

The highlight of the evening for me (apart from the ducks) was Evie Anderson, a stand-up opera singer - "the only stand-up opera singer on the road". She was hilarious - I don't know how she kept such a straight face - and also filthy, as well, actually, so she's not for the faint-hearted. I see she's doing a long run at Edinburgh this year, though, so that looks like a good time to catch her.

Anyway, back to those voicings...

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

I've been thinking about this blogging business. How much do you reveal and what do you keep back? Given that most of my material and songs are drawn from personal experience, sometimes it's hard to tell.

I often find myself wondering, when I read various columnists, "Did that actually happen?", or "I wonder what that friend/spouse/partner thought of them writing that?" Maybe they don't mind. Or maybe they have some agreement about what they can and can't say. Who knows. One thing I do find a bit pretentious, although I understand why writers do it, is this business of giving your significant other an alias. For example, AA Gill calls his partner the "Blonde". One writer whose column I used to edit when I was freelancing referred to her partner as "Boyf". Eurgh.

I asked my husband what he'd like to be known as in this blog. He said: "He-man." I said, "Are you serious?" He said, "Yes." It all stems from this conversation I was having with a friend who came to stay a few weeks ago, and my husband was in the room. I was making some comment about I don't remember what, and my friend, Ada, said, "Well, you did marry a he-man." Which I think he rather liked. So He-man it is. For now....

Timber!

So I was rudely awakened today at about 5.20am by something that either sounded like a demented motorbike owner revving his engine, or somebody doing DIY in a nearby house, obscenely early. Turned out it was closer to the latter - a chestnut tree right outside our flat was being toppled and sawn up by tree "surgeons"... I always find that job title a little euphemistic. Anyway, I'm glad we hadn't parked there as it was right above the spot where we'd normally park if the spot is free, but lucky we didn't, as the surrounding cars were getting a right bashing from falling branches and paraphernalia. Now the tree is all sawn down and all that's left are a huge pile of branches, chunks of trunk and one massive stump. It seems rather empty now. I guess yesterday must have been very windy - I hope it's that, as I hate to see these beautiful trees massacred for the sake of making room for a view or something.

So tonight I'm playing at the Femmes on the Thames night on the Battersea Barge. It's my first "originals" gig since the benefit gig I did at St Luke's about a month ago. It'll be good to play these songs again to an audience. Even though the feedback so far has been really great, unless you're getting out there doing it, it's easy to lose momentum. However, once I get this demo finally ready (which should be next week), I'll be able to remedy that. What's interesting about tonight is that it's actually the same venue where I did my very first full gig as a solo singer, years ago in London. I'd booked the venue while I was doing a jazz course at the City Lit and brought most of my class from that, and it went really well. Issy Postill was on keyboards, her partner Dave Wickens on drums and Amy Baldwin on bass. We did mostly jazz standards and some poppy stuff too. Seems a long time ago now... Let's hope tonight is as much a success as that one.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

Oh dear. I now have a blog. Yes, after months – years, in fact – spent in protest against this very individualist, web-obsessed modern habit, and after railing against the sheer narcissism of gratuitously sharing your inner thoughts with countless anonymous others, I have finally succumbed and decided to add my own mutterings to the fold. I shall be chronicling my transformation from jazz singer to singer-songwriter extraordinaire, so for those of you with surfing time to spare, you are most welcome to join me on my quest.

It may contain some interesting insights into the music biz (or what I can see of it, anyway!), but I shall try not to name too many names. There may be a few angry moments as I flail about trying to make sense of this hyper-real state known as a “career in music”. I won't pretend to remain impartial or claim to write particularly regularly. However it will contain the latest on my new songs, what inspired me to write them, views on gigs and other paraphernalia. Should you feel inspired to add your comments to the blog, it would be heartily appreciated, as I do like to maintain appearances of popularity where possible.

That's it for now. And next time, I will try to come up with a better sign-off.