November 2025 Newsletter
- The Premises Studios
- 12 minutes ago
- 6 min read
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“I love - you know, I'm a big fan of Prince and Curtis Mayfield and Smoky Robinson. It's something to be said about a man who can be very masculine but still display that sensitive side, and that falsetto does it perfectly.” D’ Angelo.
Terribly sad news about the death of D’Angelo, but the multi-talented singer and composer said a lot of smart stuff about seemingly ignored aspects of music, such as falsetto. Who does not like a great falsetto? In modern life I can think mainly of the magnificent David McAlmont, whose rousing revenge song with Bernard Butler, ‘Yes’ is one of the best songs in the last 30 years. Plus, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, (PS they’ve BEEN IN, with their massive flight cases and even bigger talent) whose higher register can make Kate Bush sound by comparison like Lee Marvin. A singer who goes in for that vocal stretch always has our greatest admiration and respect. RIP the genius who was D’Angelo, who, like many of the greats we flag up here, started out in church. Now on to all musings and upcoming events...
YOLANDA CHARLES BASS AND RHYTHM COURSE 8TH NOV
This is now SOLD OUT but you can email us if you’d like to be put on the waiting list, should anyone have to cancel. Email: michele@premiseseducation.org
It’s gonna be a humdinger.
LITTLE WONDER WOWS THE LITTLE UN’S AND MORE!
Studio One on 25th of October was transformed into a magical land of art, music, puppetry and free-floating creativity, a most marvellous way to spend a cold, grey afternoon with children who were very keen to express themselves in all sorts of nifty ways that were nothing if not spontaneous and delightful. Little Wonder head honcho Cath March writes: “Huge shout of thanks to the tiny champions and their adults who showed up to get the party started.”
Little Wonder is a project underneath the umbrella of her organisation invisibleneeds.wordpress.com. Within it she promotes the exploration of innocence and the challenges faced by children with special educational needs and disabilities, to enable children who are neurodiverse to thrive and tell their stories through creative projects and music. That, in effect, neurodiversity can be one’s superpower when it comes to different forms of creative expression. These needs are not always visible but there are so many gifts which can be facilitated by teachers, parents and carers. There will be another event in February, for more songs, quizzes, shadow puppets, dressing up, drumming, graffiti and the wonderful puppets including Mrs. Trees Watch this space for the next date!
PARLIAMENTARY JAZZ AWARDS October 2025
We were tickled pink and more than a bit proud by association that Folded Wing, long based at Premises to produce their radio programmes and podcasts, won the Jazz Media Award for the brilliant BBC radio show Round Midnight. Conceived by Folded Wing’s Karen Pearson and presented by Soweto Kinch, whose deep, calm voice and commanding presence brings a sort of joyful solemnity to all his interviews with current jazz greats, the programme goes from strength to strength. We love it when the great and good win! Other homies who won included:
Jazz Vocalist of the Year – Zara McFarlane
Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year – Rob Luft (guitar)
Jazz Album of the Year – Words Unspoken John Surman
Jazz Ensemble of the Year – The Banger Factory
Jazz Newcomer of the Year – Donovan Haffner
MERCURY PRIZE 2025
Alas, no Premises-related winner this time, but special shout outs to nominees Pulp, FKA Twigs, Fontaines DC, Joe Webb and Martin Carthy.
OLI BARTON-WOOD
Lotta cool stuff going on with one of our resident producers, Oli Barton- Wood, a busy and increasingly in-demand music magician who always seems to have his fingers on the right pulses! And we don’t mean lentils. Lately he’s recorded God Gave Me Feet For Dancing by Ezra Collective which recently won Best Independent Track at the AIM Awards. “Quite nice!” says Oli, modest to a fault. “I’ve also produced an album for an artist called ‘Luvcat’ who is getting lots of praise online - NME cover, Playboy feature (!), all kinds of write-ups. The album is called Vicious Delicious and is out on Friday 31st so that is exciting!”
Phew, anything else, wunderkind? “I’m taking part in Abbey Road’s ‘Meet The Mentor’s’ program, delivering a production workshop in one of the studios on 7th Nov. Signups available online!”
HUNTSMEN
Big congrats to resident producers Huntsmen, who have music on a series on Channel 4. It's called Worlds Apart & you can read more about it here. And over on Instagram there's snippets here and here.
SAFEGUARDING IN MUSIC STUDIOS FOR ALL
Premises Studios, in conjunction with musician and journalist Naomi Larsson Pineda, would like to invite you to a conference about the need for studios to be a safe space for people to rehearse and record, with clear protocols and due processes in place for those who do not adhere to a code of conduct. We would like to develop a policy document that would spell out how to keep music studios an environment where there is zero tolerance for sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour.
You might think it is no longer an issue but:
48% of musicians have experienced sexual harassment at work
51% of women in music have faced discrimination due to their gender, with a third having experienced sexual harassment. (MU)
While work is being done in this area by organisations across the creative industries, we feel it is vital to bring those who work in studio environments together to raise awareness of this issue. There is currently no campaign or policy dealing specifically with safeguarding against harassment and abuse in studios.We aim to build a safer space for anyone who works in studios and create an environment where all people feel safe at work and know where and how to access resources and support.
Please join us for a panel discussion on 17th November at 7pm.
To register: michele@premiseseducation.org
FAREWELL ALEX, OLD FRIEND
Sad to report that our dapper, never knowingly underdressed long-term piano tuner Alex Skeaping passed away. Well known across the music world, Alex will be greatly missed for his exuberant, not to say delightfully eccentric, presence. We suspect he’s already casting his expert ear over those celestial and almost certainly out-of-tune harps. RIP old friend.
IRENE TAYLOR TRUST REVS UP FOR 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Our friends at the Irene Taylor Trust are gearing up to play a 30th anniversary gig on 28th of November at the Rich Mix, just down the road from us. The Trust has been at the forefront of bringing music into prisons and into the lives of others who have struggled to access music on the outskirts of society. They say, “Our mission is to nurture people who have been marginalised to become celebrated and elevated, through the joyful process of creating original music together.”
Half of the anniversary show will be curated by their Young Producers, which features young artists from their Making Tracks projects and former prison support musicians from their Sounding Out Programme. You can hear a blast of Zeta’s tune here and read more about the wonderful work The Irene Taylor Trust does here.
WHO’S BEEN IN?
Last month, we welcomed Bar Italia, Radiohead, Dov Sikowitz, Horrifix, Mae Muller, The London Voice Academy, Cymande, Keyon Harrold, Trinity Laban, Clare Bardot, Lurine Cato, Ewan Barr, Wealth Union, Tung2, Miranda Hall, Triggerfish, Gia Ford, Octohawk, Chinchilla, With Post, Say She She, Charlie Cunningham, Beverley Knight, Anna Calvi, Crystal Murray, Kat Penkin, Malibu Hot Flush, Yoshika Colwell, Polly Gibbons, Vula Malinga, London Bollywood Orchestra, Remember Monday, Be Lucky, Jenny Smyth, Stay Loose, The Jam, Katy J Pearson, Celebration Church, Glory Choir, Wendy Bevan, Ishrat, London New Wind Festival, Dwarves + Cocaine, Hope of the States, Manifest Destiny, Lynda Dawn, Marc Almond, Luke Taylor, Clive Langer, Alfie Whitbread, Rules, Tom Aspaul, Se7ven Productions, George Vaux, Anna Phoebe, Barry Sinclair, Timothy Porter, CSX Pistols, Asian Dub Foundation, Erin Bloomer, Moses Boyd, Huntsmen, Film Noir, Dan Bartlett, Folded Wing, Louis VI, Evergreen, Irene Taylor Trust, Lucas Boardman, Mabel, Cath March, Semi-Toned, Mitch Rowland, Bonita, Jewish Music Institute, Kevin Richard, Child and The Banned, Singing Bowie, Havana Heat, Cats and Bats, Celeste, The Collective, Maya Deliah, Jamie Woon, A.G Cook, The Lipgloss Twins, and many others..
AND FINALLY...
