It’s December already, season of excess food, rubbish telly, fighting with family, crap jumpers and the birth of Whamageddon, a game pretty much impossible to win as the goal is to NOT hear ‘Last Christmas’ from 1st to 24th Dec, and involves scrupulous honesty. If you hear it in the shops, which you will, you will hang your highly flammable Wham-style hair-do in shame. So let’s escape that cosy ski chalet of high-haired people in the memorable vid and focus on the Ghost of Christmas present. Or even presents.
GROW YOUR SONG! MUSIC ARRANGING SHORT COURSE
If you have a song idea, or a song, and a band, or no band, and want to hear your song in fully arranged, proper band splendour, then please do sign up for our Music Arranging Short course, to be held over two weekends at the end of April/ beginning of May. It is led by stellar songwriter, pianist, composer and arranger Janette Mason, who will help you take your song to unknown splendour, helping you think and plan what the other instruments will sound like, where they will fit in, where the solos will go and how to build up momentum and work on the art of the unforgettable riff. The course will be held over three days (split by a week, for prep and composing time) and the final day you will be in Recording Studio A with pro musicians, playing your song for recording, which is yours to keep of course. Three days of full tuition and recording for a mere £325 all in. That’s 23rd and 30th of April, plus 1st May for recording. For more info and booking: michele@premiseseducation.org
PREMISES RADIO IS LIKE……
a walk through the building on a typical day, with sounds of every kind of music coming from one room after another – check our client list and you’ll see what we mean.We don’t do genres. If a track hits the spot and was written, recorded, mixed or rehearsed here then odds are it’ll be somewhere in our playlist. If you’ve got something that fits the bill, we’d love to include it. Send up to 5 tracks as mp3’s via Wetransfer to: michele@premiseseducation.org or post CD’s to: Premises Radio, 209 Hackney Rd, E2 8JL. Or drop at reception next time you’re here!
WHO’S BEEN IN?
November was super busy with friends old and new, including Fontaines D.C, Rina Sawayama, Jon Hopkins, Biig Piig, Dora Jar, Mimi Web, Orphy Robinson, Jack Garratt, Django Bates, Cleveland Watkiss, Lurine Cato, Gang Of Youths, Anna Meredith and – pass Michele the smelling salts – Wet Leg (above)
LONDON JAZZ FESTIVAL
November also saw many of our favourite jazz musicians gigging as part of the Festival. Our highlights were shows by Yazz Ahmed, Alex Wilson and Omar Puente, Nu Civilisation Orchestra’s magnificent interpretation of Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’, Archie Shepp, and the inspired pairing of Django Bates with Cleveland Watkiss. One of the most dedicated gig goers and players has been the effusive and charming Nikki Yeoh, who led our Piano Week this year (there will be a follow up, watch this space) and brought her Café Oran – which celebrates the music of Algerian-Jewish pianist and composer Maurice El Medioni – to The Barbican. That gig got a rave review which you can read here.
Happy 30th Birthday to long time Premises’ friends, allies and superstars Tomorrow’s Warriors, who not only have a long association with us but many of whom have gone on to travel the world, record wonderful albums, tour constantly, playing with headline acts or headlining themselves. The celebration, in part, will be a star-studded line up this Saturday Dec 4th at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and it’ll be mega! It’s called A Great Day In London and it will be! For more info and tickets have a look here.
PRODUCER OF THE MONTH
Christmas Day birthday boy, the wildly enthusiastic writer/producer/keyboard maestro Nicky Brown has been producing Great Things in and around The Premises for ever and a day. When he laughs, the walls shake. Like many of the best music producers, Nicky came up through the gospel scene and it’s still a big part of his life, with acts like House Gospel Choir. Over the years he’s worked with an astonishing range of major artists, from Madonna, Earth, Wind and Fire and Primal Scream to Emeli Sande, Paulo Nutini, Liam Gallagher and (currently) the amazing JP Cooper… see them both in action here.
CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR CLOSING TIMES
Even those of us at the coal-face of the music making business need time out to eat cake and watch Only Fools and Horses re-runs. The studios will be closing at 7pm on 23rd December, reopening at 10am on 2nd of January. We’ll be contactable by phone or email if needs be, just don’t call up on Christmas day looking for a ‘same day booking’ (as someone did last year!)
HAVE A LOVELY BREAK, STAY HEALTHY. SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE! X
