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

Previous Editions

August 2026
July 2026
June 2026
May 2026
April 2026
March 2026
February 2026
January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009