Singer’s Night in January

9th of January 2007 – Singer’s Night at Nelson, an Italian restaurant in Warren Sttreet. What a way to start the New Year!

Organised by a fine lady of the jazz music, Chris Legee, the Singers’ Night has been the place where I can say that my jazz family is. I know everybody, they like me, I like them and what greater way to water down those nerves than singing in front of a sympathetic audience of smiling faces and good cheers at the end?

Way back in 1998, I met Chris at Goldsmith College where we both attended a singing class run by Bertrand Quintart who introduced us to the joys of the Alexander technique. Chris invited me to come to the open mic she organised at a dainty little club called Tatty Boogle, where the likes of Anita Wardell and Ian Shaw were the guests of honour.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Last night we had Jonathan Gee on the keyboard, fresh from a stint in Paris where he is regularly gigging in Monmartre Lucky guy!

It was a special event for me because I was one of the acts who were invited to do a showcase. The other was my good friend David Eisen who organised a fabulous week of gigs and fun at his house in Turkey (check the posting on my blog for some great pictures).

For my showcase I decided to introduce some of my own songs because these little birds that landed on my soul when the inspiration struck need to take wings and fly away. In other words, worthier singers than me could take them on board and make them known.

To start with, when I practiced the songs with Jonathan before the gig, he liked them, which is a very good start.

Then, when my turn came, I got a very good response and everybody was very generous with their applause.

I sang SITTING ON THE WALL, which you can hear on my site, a  nice ballad called  JUST FOR YOU, MY LOVE, which Jonathan particularly liked, and a cabaret number (that’s more up my alley) called OUI MADAME, NON MONSEIUR.

I was very encouraged when some of the singers asked for a particular song to include it in their repertoire, so all in all, the night was a success.

Food for thought for me, a new dirsction for the new year, promoting my songs will be a priority.

Watch this space, my friends!

PS Special thanks to Alison who took the video of the last song. You’ll see it here as soon as I figure out how to do it.