September Newsletter
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“It’s all about the groove, and the groove is another word for the Grail. People search for it everywhere, and when you find it, you hang on to it.” Keith Richards on Tom Waits.
Ah, such deep thoughts from two wizened and wise ones at the end of our non-summer. Except those of us who work in music understand the importance of the groove, that moment in music when the musician is at one with their instrument and the band, and nothing, but nothing can come between them. It’s a joyous thing to see, and we see it a lot, here. We catch a glimpse, but we can never see, not really. And that’s OK. Pretty much everyone can feel the groove, even watching a band play an enormodome stage at a Summer Festival, but can we feel it? Who cares. It’s joyous thing to hear and watch. Feeling it is a bonus.
YOLANDA MASTERCLASS FOR BASSISTS AND DRUMMERS
And we really heard the groove during Yolanda Charles’ musicianship for drummers and bassists this August. The second Yolanda picks up her bass, she is in bass land with one foot, and in teaching land with the other. The ability to transmit the joy when you are playing your instrument, instead of the ‘It’s all about us, not about you,’ thing you can get from some stratospheric pop stars, is a rare and beautiful sight and sound. Every bass player played with a drummer they had not played with before, with Yolanda encouraging both drummer and bass player to go into musical spaces not previously explored. Sometimes people rush to the café during breaks, but this lot sort of drifted, floated into the café, hurrying back out to not miss a second of the workshop. As a result, we’ve decided one day is not enough, so if you are interested in doing a two day workshop with Yolanda, and you play bass or drums, contact: michele@premiseseducation.org for more info on dates in the new year.
TOMORROW AFTERNOON!!! FREE MASTERCLASS FOR STRING PLAYERS
Where does classical string music meet jazz? We woulda figured on a street in Soho or Covent Garden, but there is a musical space not defined by Google maps, which is in the musical ether, a place where like-minded string instrumentalists can expand their repertoire and mix and match genres. Sorry for the very short notice but if you’re a string player you won’t want to miss this… the world renowned Atom Quartet are leading a FREE workshop in Studio 2 here TOMORROW (Friday 8th) from 3.30 to 5.30pm. To grab a last-minute place, call 0207 729 7593 now or email: membership@tomorrowswarriors.org
AND NEXT WEEK AT THE RFH…
NIKKI YEOH’S PIANO WEEK
This was our 25th year running Jazz Piano Week, with some of our steadfast regulars returning, and some eager and able new recruits, tinkling the ivories with dedication, precision, and yet also a free feeling that comes only with expert tuition that allows the more confident to go slightly hog wild. You have to be pretty hardcore to join Piano Week, an intensive five days of tuition and recording (and recording is everything) with a lot of dedicated but fun practice with Nikki Yeoh, Tim Richards and John Crawford. Fast friendships were formed, with supportive and practical tips from all those involved. John Crawford’s Latin tinged day was as usual, controlled percussive mayhem, with every shaker and hitty thing being put to full use, temporarily transporting our rain sodden locale to a sultry, sun-soaked Tequila joint far away from here. As usual, everyone had a ton of fun. Watch the space for news of next year’s Piano Week as well as our Live Piano Performance Course.
CALLING YOUNG SINGERS!
We know most of you reading this might be, very likely, well above school age, but that is not to say you don’t know someone of secondary school age, or have someone of that age living with you and promising they’ll be home by 9, and lying. OK. Pencil this in cos it’s really fun and will get your kids doing something FOR FREE in October half term. We have our long running Voice Jam session at October half term, which runs from 24th-27th October, from the very teen respectable waking hours of 2:30pm to 6:30pm for rehearsal days, and a bit earlier for the recording day. The young people choose two songs and put an urban spin on them, under the guidance of Clive Brown, who has led Voice Jam with great spirit, joy, and a gentle iron fist, for as long as we can remember. It’s a great way to learn what it’s like to record in a pro recording studio, to make friends from other schools, and to discover the singing star within. Tell your kids! Tell your kid’s music teachers! For more info or to sign up.
FREE RECORDING SESSION FOR SONGWRITERS 16-25
More freeness. This is the best deal ever and if I could sing or compose and were a whippersnapper, would grab it with both hands. The Premises, in conjunction with recording engineer Jack Daley, is looking for young composers, beatmakers and songwriters to participate in a project which gives you a few hours free studio time to FIX A PROBLEM with your track. Here’s the deal. You have a song you want to work on with professional feedback and engineering, for free, to make the song better, ready to go out in the world. Maybe the drums are not quite right. Maybe the top line doesn’t grab you the way it should. All we ask of you is that you are open-minded in working with trainee engineers (as well as Jack) who are neuro-diverse. That is, they may process thoughts and words differently to the way you do, but that does not stop them from helping you make an ace recording. It’s a pilot project and a great thing to be part of, as you will get expert feedback and recording, for free, and get used to working and hanging with people who might communicate in a different way to you. What you have to do in the first instance is send a quick recording to me, and I will send it to Jack, who will find a good fit for you. We have only THREE SPACES for this fantastic opportunity, so get in early as it is not first come, first served. It’s based on the song, and willingness to work with those who are differently abled. Email your song or link to: michele@premiseseducation.org
SAY HI TO STEVE!
A super warm Premises welcome to our new resident producer/songwriter Steve Knight, who’s taken over Studio 21 on the top floor and already has a bazillion projects on the go. He’s been working with the likes of ADMT, Cam Holmes, Solomon and Antigoni who will all be releasing music in the coming months. As he’s in such a hurry to get his studio, we usually just see him dashing up the stairs, but he did pop in to the office to say it’s all going rather well here for him: “I’ve always felt at home at Premises and now I finally have a room here. I’m so happy to be part of the family!” Contact: @knightmusic
HO’S BEEN IN?
Last month, amongst many others, we were happy to welcome… Danny Silverstone, Michael Tomlinson, Jemma Rogers, Whatever, Kelly Lee Owens, Charlie Cunningham, Gary Cheevers, Folded Wing, Yumi, Alex Gold, Mae Muller, Dexy’s, Eliza, Kawala, Perhaps Contraption, Matt Felix, Lisey Tigra, Byte The Music, Eddie’s House, Jealous Nostril, Kalpee, Jam Shack, Clive Langer, Kinsi Abduhleh, Natalie Williams, Vula, Elephant Kind, Picture Parlour, House Gospel Choir, Moving Mirrors, Tomorrow’s Warriors, Rialto, Wendy Bevan, Bedhead, Dan Oates, Guy McCreery, Children of Zeus, Goldie, Nubya Garcia (see 3rd item above), Carcass, Horrifix, Khazali, Wendy Bevan, Fossils, Jack Hawitt, Jack Dora, Connie Constance, Sistra, The Funk Houses, Neddanamerbro, Elena Pelse, Emanative, Vocal Trepanare, Beth Orton, Moonshine Heavies, Twst, Jess Miller, Caspar Oakley, Charisse C, Etta Bond, Strabe, Jaz Karis, Issy Wood, Glory Choir, Boy Things, Boy Bleach, Triggerfish, Deaf School, Vacations, Kid Cruise and Borough Council, Anna Calvi, Nilufer Yanya, Sundara Karma, Gigi Perez, Saint Kochi, Harry Nye, Rhoda Dakar, Titania Krimpas, Lazy Habits, Yeule, Ilario Ferrari, Johnny Hates Jazz, Rachel Chinouriri, Lonesome Frets, Spearmint, Passing Ships, Benedict Benjamin, Jocelyn Brown, Asha Parkinson, Ian Shaw, Bite The Music, Saint Kochi and Cymande.
AND FINALLY…
