This week in TTBOAW, I bring you one of many recordings of Sweet Georgia Brown. This particular one was made by Benny Goodman and his sextet, although sadly I can’t find out much more about it (not even the year it was produced). That does nothing, however, to diminish the beauty of the notes you …
Today I would like to bring you instalment no. 5 of Tales from the Rhoda McGaw! I spent a significant part of last week playing for Runnymede Drama Group’s production of Sister Act, and what a fine show it was. While I was there I also managed to get some more soundbites of me playing …
Last week found me in my old stomping ground of Woking’s Rhoda McGaw Theatre, playing piccolo, flute, clarimanet and alto saxomophone for WAOS Musical Theatre’s production of High Society. I thought the world in general might like a taster of what the experience was like, so here’s a little picture and video with which to …
This week on Transcription Tuesday But On A Wednesday, I have a little gem courtesy of The Jelly Roll Morton Trio! ‘That’s Like It Ought to Be’ features some lovely clarinet playing from a 23-year-old Barney Bigard, who would later become known for his 15-year stint as clarinettist for Duke Ellington’s orchestra. Here are the …
I had a tiring but enjoyable time on Thursday, travelling all the way to the wilds of Newport (the Wales one, not any of the others) to play tenor saxomophone and a little bit of clarimanet for ‘Stranger Swings’, a new stage show with vocal harmony quartet The Flyboys. The only problem is, I forgot …
Good afternoon world. It has come to my attention that I have been neglecting my hordes of adoring fans lately, with many of you (presumably) wondering and caring deeply about what I’ve been up to since my last update. So I thought now was the time to fill you in on all of my comings …
Well, how time flies! It appears that I haven’t updated you wonderful people since the beginning of July, and an awful lot has happened since then. Therefore I would now like to present a review of the past six weeks, which I hope you will find interesting. Week 1 (2nd July) After returning from …
Here’s a little something that I’m sure all of the card-carrying members of the Michael Grant fanclub (and maybe some of the non-card-carrying as well) will enjoy. It’s a clip from Saturday’s gala with the Welsh Musical Theatre Orchestra, in which Broadway star Wade McCollum sings ‘At the End of the World’ from new musical …
Last week’s run of Sweeney Todd has inspired me to go on a little excursion, and spend this week down ‘By the Sea’! So I’ll be heading off to Copacabana to play in a musical about Southend-on-Sea. Wait… Strike that – reverse it. The point is, I’ll be joining Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society to …
This week’s adventure takes me to Stockwell, where I’ll be attending the tale of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Wandsworth Road. I’ll be playing the shrill combination of piccolo, flute, Bb clarinet and (for 4 bars only!) Eb clarinet. Do make an effort to attend if you can – yesterday’s sitzprobe sounded pretty darn …
