Well the shortish tour of the USA with ARW is over and I arrived back on Tuesday morning and my suitcases arrived Wednesday evening. A first for me that I lost a case on the way out, (although found and delivered the same day), and then two on the way home. It took a lot of hassling and phone calls to finally get them back though.
The tour of just 10 shows was really good and the band was undoubtedly the most polished I can remember. Everybody was on great form and the audiences were amazing and lifted us to new levels which made every show very special. It was lovely to meet up with so many old friends and I particularly enjoy the meet and greets as you get to meet so many different kinds of interesting people from all walks of life.
AS ARW, we are taking the rest of this year off to concentrate on our personal projects and personal lives. Trev is doing the score for a new film, Jon has his new album about to come out and I have The Piano Odyssey album and tour taking me up to Xmas.
There’s quite a lot going on this month and indeed October including Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 15th at 9am, which can also be heard on listen again features. Then it’s a full on few days of finally selecting the music for the tour and the stories to go along with them. I’ll be sitting in the music room solidly for at least three days if not five!
The tour starts in Durham on Thursday the 20th and it’s always a lovely place to go to. The concert itself will be a mixture of music. Putting a set together is a bit like a football manager selecting his team as he always has a few players that will always be on the team-sheet, likewise there will always be certain pieces that if they are not included will always end up with my being asked, ”What happened to......”?
Obviously, there will be some pieces from the new album, although without strings and choir, and some from Piano Portraits as well as a look back over the years to other music I have been involved with.
As a complete change, on Saturday 22nd I am part of the re-opening at the Cats Protection Cat Sanctuary in Dereham. They do wonderful work there saving and re-homing and I look forward to being part of the ceremony at midday and having a few cuddles with some of the cats.
On Sunday 23rd I am pre-recording an interview with Cerys Matthews for 6 Music. I have no idea at the moment when that is likely to be broadcast...Hopefully they will tell me!
Then on Monday 24th I have an interview at Radio London at 10.15, then one at Jazz FM straight afterwards....(Yes.... I know what you’re thinking...Rick and Jazz ?...are you sure...trad jazz I’m good at, but anything after Dixieland doesn’t grab me so it’ll be interesting listening that’s for sure.....)
For the rest of that day I’ll be sitting in a BBC ISDN room doing radio interviews to local stations around the country. I enjoy doing these, although after the 10th cup of coffee is brought in, you do start to feel quite queasy!
Then on the 27th it’s off to Salisbury, Yeovil the next day, then Aylesbury and York on the 30th. After York I drive to Manchester to record the next day for CBeebies narrating three delightful children’s stories.
The only other thing to report for September is that it’s time for a drastic haircut. It’s got too long and when that happens it starts getting tangled up and unmanageable.............(I can’t believe I just wrote that, but there you go.....it’s my feminine side coming out I reckon) !
Next GORR in just a couple of weeks for October.........bye for now........Rick