Nathan is on top form and writes a track for every day of September 2022 for his new 'Thirty' album. I was able to collaborate on this 25th track 'On the Road' which I provide piano for. Nathan explains the process and plays through the track during his live album stream.
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A clip of my performance at Janet's music afternoon. Janet's electric piano has a good range of sounds. I split the left hand to play strings and the right hand piano to create this filmic effect. This is similar to Floating on my 2016 album Purple Lights. It was a wonderful afternoon of music among Janet's group of recorderists, bass recorderists, violinists, flutists and pianists, meeting occasionally and taking turns to perform various pieces that they have been working on.
Today my brother Allan and I downloaded the sheet music for Easy on Me a recent Adele song.
I launched my new album 'Riviere' in February and school friends Jono, Andy, Mouse and Neil were there to see. We have been avoiding getting together for some time due to work commitments. It's finally happening, we're getting together regularly to write music together. At the moment we're focusing on two original songs 'Spoken Too Soon' and 'Nasty Turn'. Here's a few audio clips from the writing session today looking at Spoken Too Soon and working out a structure. Alexei, my friend from year 2 at school, asked me to produce and play the piano for his new song 'Bolder'. The song is about missed romantic opportunities and learning that you've got to jump at chances when you have them, or risk missing out. Alexei's sound and writing in this song has been compared to Ivor Cutler. Have a listen and check out some of his other songs on YouTube. Bolder - Alexei - Preview 2nd writing session as the Indiscreets at Andy's place. Mouse on bass guitar.
Jack Rowland, 28, from Orpington has not been playing the piano at Caritas House for very long, only six weeks, but the impression he has made on patients, volunteers and staff has been far reaching and profound and he freely admits that the experience has been equally profound for him. “Four years ago, my mum’s partner passed away and she came to St Christopher’s for bereavement counselling. I remember waiting in the reception area whilst she had her appointment, and her saying how lovely the staff had been. I believe Caritas House have really helped her better manage her feelings around his death. When she was coming to the end of her counselling, she suggested I come along to play the piano in the café, so people could enjoy some music while they had a warm drink or a bite to eat. I made some enquiries at the time, but my attention was elsewhere, and I never quite got around to coming in and playing.” “Four years later I visited a friend in the streets behind the Caritas Centre, and on the way past, was reminded of my intention to come and play. It’s hard to believe that it took me so many years to come in, though I reckon the main trigger was my grandad passing away.” ‘’My Grandad had always encouraged me in my playing and he was a big music fan. He used to play the trumpet, loved listening to music and was forever thrusting me into situations where I was sat in front of a piano, in public, finding a tune to play.” “Now he’s gone, playing piano at Caritas feels like a way to honour his memory and keep doing something that would make him smile. So, one day, quite spontaneously, I turned up and sat down at the keys.” Jack is quite unique in his ability to recall and perform pieces from memory, but this method of playing allows him the spontaneity essential to the other aspect of his talent; improvisation and composition. “Unlike most pianists, I didn’t actually start playing the piano until I was fourteen, I’m completely self- taught and only learned to read music in my early twenties. Mostly I remember bits of music I hear and then perform them by ear; I rarely have the score in front of me.” “When I play the piano, I want to relate to the music I’m playing and when I do the piano becomes like an extension of me – I’m not just playing, I’m expressing myself as an artist. That process is important, because if I’m enjoying what I do then I believe that enjoyment passes through me, via the music, to the audience and I often dream of becoming involved with composing or performing for theatre or film.” “Many of the songs I play are improvised, partly because I don’t have the sheet music in front of me, but also because this allows the music that I’m playing to become a reflection of my state of mind. “ “I think music can be a huge benefit to mental health, both for the player and for people listening. Time at the piano certainly helps me if I’m stressed. I’m a big believer in the healing power of music and have been listening to some of the touching stories of those at St Christopher’s and how playing an instrument or listening to music is often a solace to loved ones in physical or mental pain.” Jack is currently playing at Caritas House every Tuesday from 11-11.30am. My brother and I play Adele's 'Make You feel My Love'.
Nathan Fitzpatrick unveiled his 8th album "Wavelengths" under his pseudonym Ghost Hall. I had the oppurtunity to contribute to the fifth track 'Alpha Build 1.0', adding some piano towards the end of the track, in between Nathan's floating piano and synths in our first time working together.
Looking through archives in the early months of 2022, I found an email sent to my Nanny Clocks nine years ago. I'd given Nan a CD of some piano music I'd recorded and she said that she played it sometimes and enjoyed listening to it. Nan was very supportive like that and since she'd recently got an email address I was able to send this electronically.
My Dad is a singer songwriter and leads a reggae band and is known as Al Keval. At one point around this time my brother was in Dad's band playing keyboards. It's quite common to find recordings of my Dad and brother, or my brother and I together, but what surprised me about this recording was that it was all three of us together. Listening to it, I couldn't help but realise what a good songwriter my Dad is. The lyrics are positive and empowering. Illusive and spiritual. My brother's piano accompanying skills also come through in the recording. Allan had forgotten about the performance and said that it brought tears to his eyes as he didn't remember this at all. He was so happy to find this family version that he shared it to his Facebook. Like many songs the meaning is different to different people, but this song alludes to a state of stillness and living in the moment. I was surprised to hear that I was singing the lyrics in this version and it brought a smile to me because I'd forgotten all about it. Thanks to Nathan Fitzpatrick (producer of my album Riviere) this version is now available on Spotify and all major platforms from 14th May 2022. If you found this interesting, please check out my regular blog posts and subscribe to my Facebook and Youtube for new content. Nan didn't really get on well with computers though, and I do wonder if she every did hear this version. "Buried amongst the digital debris of 2013 is this family version of Inner Guide, written and produced by Al Keval (Dad), we all play together. Allan junior on keyboards (see KDX Films), me on vocals, and Al Keval on guitar." My first experience playing in the real world came about when Jacqueline Taylor who had her own theatre company took an interest in my piano compositions and asked me if I'd like to play in her latest production The Ash Girl. After lots of preparation in Peckham, we performed at London's Unicorn Theatre. I relished the experience. Blinded by spotlights, I knew the audience was there listening and watching in the dark. It was immensely exciting.
"The piano is ready. The whole spectrum of black and white notes. It starts like a carefully planned operation as I choose the starting notes. There are several things considered, such as how many hands to start with, and then, which keys to press. But this takes no time at all and before I know it, I’m playing. Although the music may be flowing nicely, I’m only on a short leash before I run out of melody. I force myself to create ideas, and remember what's come before. My music relaxes me, and I retreat into my mind, listening, and influencing the music in every way possible. I feel control over each and every note. The music follows my own story as my hands elegantly dance over the notes. " from 2006 Gentle Piano Slowly Slowly Creaking Improvisation in C Minor The musical journey I embarked on started before I played piano and fuelled my understanding and passion for music.
From a young age Mum opened the windows in the Summer and put on The Isley brothers 'Summer Breeze', she often relaxed to Enya's 'Orinoco Flow' while doing the housework or Yanni's 'One Man's Dream', another that I remember is Seal's 'Kiss from A Rose'. Although I rarely listen to these now, these song's remind me of love and good times and are ingrained in me. Dad wrote music around me since I remember. I grew up watching his first watching his eight track whizzing around, then his editing on Cubase, and always the perfect chaotic - creative environment with lyrics strewn across the place. His friends were musicians, and both my parents knew creative and open minded people. At 8, I started to play the trombone at school, encouraged by my Grandad who played slide trombone. I was initially progressing well but I would regularly forget to bring the trombone in to lessons and it went down hill from there. Visiting my Nan & Grandads, the walls lined with tapes and mini disks was an immersive experience as alongside my Grandad's brass instruments, he and my Nan also had a piano, organ, and keyboard which I experimented with. I had other interests at the time, but my Nan taught me ‘Three Blind Mice’ and ‘Oh When the Saints’. They often took me and my older brother to the Dulwich British Legion on Friday nights where we'd often see a trio playing with Rodney Mendosa on the keyboard and Jo Medele on double bass. I was fascinated by the action and sound of the 'brushes' of the drums, the dexterity of Rodney's hands and the concentration of Jo leaning over his bass and feeling the music. The whole experience. Grandad's other musical passion was big band music like Joe Loss's 'In The Mood', where he would take my Nan to Hammersmith Palais to dance together. This backdrop of family musical appreciation in lots of directions set me up. Having so far no professional lessons or real experience with the piano, at the age of 14 things changed quite rapidly. A friend from school gave their piano to us, like many getting rid of piano's from their houses. It was the perfect chance for me and my older brother to start experimenting. Before I knew it I was using the piano to express something. A new doorway was opening and since then the piano, and more importantly what I get from it has been invaluable to me in so many different ways. This duet of my brother and I playing is from our first year with the piano. My brother plays the bass in the left hand and I play the melody in the right hand. I believe this is the first recording I have. You can hear us laughing at the end when it all goes wrong. |
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