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Label: Runner Records -- Catalogue No: P I09 -- Publisher: Jim Reynolds Music
‘If Only’ is an album of all my own compositions. It features some fine musicians including
Gina Griffin (violin) Kit Morgan (guitar & Spanish guitar) Matt Taylor (bass guitar & tuba)Sally Barnett (cello)
Jim Reynolds is a guitarist and singer who writes and plays an eclectic mix of music.
The individual pieces tap into blues, ragtime, rhythm and blues, music hall and folk traditions. Some are extremely sensitive songs about life, people and relationships, while others are tongue in cheek. His albums are also sprinkled with classics from the likes of J.J. Cale, Nick Drake, John Martyn, Roy Orbison, The Ink Spots, Jelly Roll Morton and Jimmy Rogers.
Having played abroad and around the U.K. especially in Bristol, the South West, Wales, the Midlands and more recently in the South East, at clubs, pubs and festivals, Jim has honed his singing and playing resulting in a rich cohesive sound. His finely crafted songs and guitar playing are a pleasure to listen to and live performances are always memorable. Despite the rarity of happy tunes, the wry observations and descriptions of people’s experience are somehow uplifting, delivering a sense of humanity and intimacy.
Jim has performed with many respected icons of the present day acoustic circuit, including: Steve Tilston, Maggie Boyle, Mike Silver, Wizz Jones, Isaac Guillory, Chris Newman, Phil Beer and the late George Melly. Not forgetting the Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra and the ever-popular Smile.
See Artist Roster & Tour Dates for further information
Label: Undiscovered Classics - Catalogue Number: SS1612AL
You Tube Video: ‘Whats the Problem’ Directed by Julian Doyle.
“Having left Dexy’s Midnight Runners I spent years in London knocking on various record company doors. I finally secured deals with Hit & Run Music and Atlantic Records in New York. My manager asked me who I would like to produce my first album. Being an avid Beatles fan I said, ‘George Martin' – so we sent George a tape of my songs. To my amazement and utter delight George called back saying he was ‘knocked out by the material and would love to produce the album’. I was on cloud ten! A few months later after various meetings we started recording “Say Something” (1988) with the great man behind the recording desk at Air Studios in London. It is I believe the only debut album of original material that George Martin produced since the Beatles.” – Andy Leek
Track Listing: 1. What’s The Problem 2.Golden Doors 3. Holding On To You 4. Attitude 5. Carry Me Away 6. Say Something 7. Prelude 8. All Day Long 9. Please Please 10. Sailors Song 11. Interlude. 12. All Around the World 13. Reprise - Produced by George Martin
Musicians: Bass – Mo Foster, Drums – Stuart Elliot, Guitars – Clem Clemson, Alan Murphy, Steve Howe, Keyboards – Peter Vettesse, Percussion – Luis Jardin, Martyn David Backing Vocals, London Community Gospel Choir, (For additional musicians and arrangers see booklet)
Why All These Years Later?
After 1990 when I returned to the Midlands I couldn’t even bear to play ‘Say Something’ let alone contemplate resurrecting my career. I was so down at the failure of ‘Say Something’ to set the world alight I just wanted to hide away to forget all about Andy Leek, the artist.
Everyone was into Britpop and guitar bands like Oasis and my classy balladeering orchestral pop didn’t fit in with the fashion. Also I didn’t realise I could have the master tapes of ‘Say Something’ returned to me until Carol Impney offered them to me two decades later. I had never till then entertained the concept of remixing or re-releasing the album as I was penniless and I thought my dreams were totally broken. Consequently I formed The Blue Angels party band to distract myself from failure and boost the empty coffers.
Taken from Andy’s Time Line Bio – Full Bio www.pattynanmedia.com/452/552811.html
2008: One day Carol Impney of Hit & Run Music phoned me asking if I would like to own the master tapes to my original album ‘Say Something’ which had sat in their loft for twenty years or so. I was surprised and delighted to receive the master tapes and the many photos of my time in the studio with George Martin.
The tapes had deteriorated somewhat so they had to be cleaned by hand and baked for several days in order to transfer them to CD. I then added one new song ‘All Around The World’ to complete what is now ‘Say Something Revisited.’
You Tube Video: “What’s The Problem” Directed by Julian Doyle.
You Tube Video: “What’s The Problem” www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpXGU3k0lVU Images from the actual recording with George Martin at Air Studios in London
Single: What’s the Problem/Say Something/Golden Doors/What’s the Problem with intro by George Martin
Album: Say Something Revisited.
A CD released to raise funds for The British Computer Association of the Blind
http://www.bcab.org.uk Reg SC023234
Les Barker + Skuffle + Julia Hills + John Conolly + Bernard Cribbins + Nonny James Bob Williamson + Jon Briggs + Linda Bellingham + June Tabor + James Bolam Gaynor Faye + Mrs Ackroyd Band + Eric Allen + Toyah Willcox + John Scott Cree Mrs Ackroyd Band + Elaine C Smith + Jeremy Irons + Tom Bliss + Sue Jameson Alex Lester + Ken Galipeau + Cindy Kent + Norma Dixit + Michael Palin Eileen McGann + Ann Widdecombe + John Tams with Coope Boyes and Simpson Edward de Souza
The Guide Cats for the Blind album series is produced to raise funds for a project run by the British Computer Association of the Blind (BCAB). Guide Cats Volumes 1 to 4 enabled the Association to create EyeT4All, a programme of life changing computer workshops for blind and partially sighted people. Our vision doesn’t stop there.
With funds from Vol. 5 ‘Herding Cats’ we will empower community centres for blind and partially sighted people throughout the UK to hold EyeT4All workshops for themselves. Guide Cats and EyeT4All ‘Skill Share’ will transform and enrich people’s lives! These projects are increasingly important to blind people as more and more services are being made available online only.
Les Barker A Short Biography from the Age of Three Until Nearly Teatime
Les Barker writes strange poems and comes originally from Manchester, but he's now Welsh. He was an accountant before he became a professional idiot. A well known style icon Les always cuts a dash in the world of fashion where he is much respected as the leading exponent of the cardigan in all its splendour.
On the poetry front and in spite of the poetry police his most famous works include The Shipping Forecast, Jason and the Arguments, Cosmo the Fairly Accurate Knife Thrower, Captain Indecisive, Spot of the Antarctic, An Infinite Number of Occasional Tables, Stamped Addressed Antelope, Have You Got Any News of the Iceberg,
The Lemmings Reunion, The Missing Persian’s File, Will the Turtle be Unbroken and The Lost Elephants of Denbigh.
What Is The British Computer Association Of The Blind?
BCAB is an UK organisation of visually impaired people who use information and communications technology. Their membership ranges from experienced computer professionals, to people who are beginning to explore the use of information and communications technology for leisure, study or employment. BCAB aims to promote the use of computers and technology amongst blind and partially sighted people. We actively encourage people to explore the use of computers at work, in education and at home. BCAB stays up to date with recent developments in computing and technology, identifying relevant information and resources for blind and partially sighted people.
You are invited to visit the BCAB web site for further information.
How You Can Help
The BCAB will benefit from any media exposure you can offer via press, radio play or word of mouth. Benefits will come to the BCAB and its members in two ways. The first benefit will be financial as all proceeds other than the manufacturing and the very minimum administration costs will see the bulk of all earnings going to the BCAB. The association will also be able to sell the CD direct to the public through their many fund raising activities.
The British Computer Association of the Blind wishes to thank all the artists and everybody involved for your total support of this project in your own time and at no cost. We would like to thank all those performers who contributed to the previous albums which have now raised in excess of £50,000.
Catalogue: Distributed by Osmosy’s Records & The BCAB
Vol. 1 OSMOCD 020/021 - Guide Cats for the Blind
Vol. 2 OSMOCD 032 - The Missing Persians File
Vol. 3 OSMOCD 041 - Top Cat White Tie and Tails
Vol. 4 OSMOCD 050/051 - Cat Nav
Vol 5. OSMOCD 055/056 - Herding Cats
A celebration of English rural life, landscape, weather and seasons in traditional song and new settings of poems by Thomas Hardy, A E Housman and William Shakespeare
Guest musicians include Nick Cooper (cello) Paul Hutchinson (accordion) Simon Mayor (guitar, violin, mandolin, backing vocals) Simon Price (drums) Ed Quick (backing vocals) Paul Sartin (oboe) Phil Fentimen (double bass) David Pether (pipe organ) Richard Collins (bass guitar)
Track Listing: 1 A Song & Jig For Good Measure 2. The Bold Fisherman 3.The Two Ravens 4. Beneath the Willow Tree 5. Young Benjie 6. The Bellringing Song 7. Weathers 8. Winter 9. Can Love Be Controlled By Advice 10. Spring 11. In Summertime on Bredon 12. The Lady and the Prentice 13 A Song & Jig For Good Measure (reprise) Bonus Track: A Song & Jig For Good Measure (Complete track 7.35 mins)
In the 1890s, Sabine Baring-Gould, one of an army of late-Victorian collectors of traditional song, noted down a Devonshire dance tune called The Mallard. It had probably found its way over from France, but once in England had acquired a brief nonsensical refrain celebrating wild duck meat, an associated ritual of gluttony, and so its title. The collectors of that era, while deeply respectful of the material they were preserving were still not averse to occasionally cleaning up lyrics they deemed unacceptable for their Victorian target market. In this case, Baring-Gould went a little further by writing some new words of his own and giving the resulting song the more generic title A Country Dance. Here, in a medley with Simon Mayor's A Jig For Good Measure, it serves as both overture and, in extended form as a reprise.
The fruit of Baring-Gould's labours in Devon and Cornwall, a collection of 120 songs, was published as Songs Of The West, first in 1889, with other editions over the next few years. It served as source for other songs on this recording: the jovial The Bell Ringing, arranged for voice and mandolin quartet, and the poignant Lady And The Prentice, here with guitar, 'cello and oboe.
The Two Ravens, known in Scotland as The Twa Corbies, is a well-known border ballad and has many lyrical and melodic variants. Set here to a new tune, its gruesomely inventive lyrics give us a bird's eye reminder that we humans are not always top of the food-chain. From the same part of the world comes Young Benjie, a tabloid tale of love, rejection, murder, revenge and the supernatural belief that corpses may rise to betray their assassins.
The Bold Fisherman, in hypnotic 5/4 time, has been found widely throughout Southern England and East Anglia. The collector Lucy Broadwood suggested it could be laced with Christian symbolism, but it's performed here at face value as a simple, romantic love story.
Can Love Be Controlled By Advice is from The Beggar's Opera, written in 1728 by John Gay and first performed that same year. Beneath The Willow Tree, accompanied here by just mandolin and 'cello, is taken from Chappell's Popular Music Of The Olden Time, a collection of songs, dances and airs from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, published in 1857. There are several thematically similar but essentially quite different American and Irish songs.
Four new settings of English poems complete this album. The rich colours of Winter and warning words of Spring are both taken from Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost.
The initially optimistic but ultimately dark Bredon Hill is a setting of the poem by A E Housman, first published in 1896 as part of his collection A Shropshire Lad.
In a 1933 Cambridge lecture Housman cited both border balladry and the songs of William Shakespeare as influences on his writing. He further explained that Bredon Hill, actually located in Worcestershire, was written before the Shropshire setting of the collection had been conceived.
Like Housman, his contemporary Thomas Hardy frequently focused on themes of the English countryside. In the two stanzas of Weathers he describes the changing seasons and how all flora and fauna, including we humans, are swept along with their flow.
Celebrated musician Eamon Friel's much anticipated new musical was hailed as a roaring success at The Playhouse Theatre The response has just been overwhelming, and it’s a real tribute to the hard work by Eamon and all the actors, who have worked tirelessly to bring this phenomenal musical to life.” . Extra rows of seats were put in the theatre to accommodate the large crowds queuing to see the premiere of THE MUSIC MAKERS. Pauline Ross, artistic director of The Playhouse said: “I just love to see the work of such a great talent as Eamon thrive on stage here at The Playhouse. I have loved every minute of this project, and it was just fantastic to see people come out in their droves to see it!” Playhouse general manager Niall McCaughan said “
Eamon Friel’s musical comedy The Music Makers was staged at The Playhouse in Derry, Northern Ireland in the autumn of 2010. It was an outstanding success.
When the run was over a cast album was recorded and two songs from the show are now available as a CD single and download. The Music Makers will now play a part in the Derry City of Culture presentations in 2013.
Track 1. Such a Night of Stars is a duet from the first act. The lovers find themselves alone beneath the vastness of the starry sky. What does the future hold for them? They vow to stay true to each other no matter what. Sharon Duffy and Keith Lynch bring much of their stage chemistry to their romantic singing of this lovely duet.
Sharon says, “Such a Night of Stars was a delight to sing each night. Myself and Keith were transported by the song and I think the audience was too. It really is a beautiful song.”
“Underneath the stars tonight there’s only me and you
Oh love unto ourselves let us be true”
Track 2. Jerusalem Today is very different. For its writer Eamon Friel it is as much an anthem as a song. “It has intentional echoes of William Blake’s Jerusalem”, says Friel:-
“Tomorrow in Jerusalem they say
But here we’ll build Jerusalem today
The ramparts of Metropolis decay
Let’s start to build Jerusalem today”
The song is a heartfelt plea for us to value more what is beautiful and full of wonder in life and to reject the tawdry blandishments of the world. It features the powerful singing of Laura Douglas whose passionate vocal both opens and closes the musical. “I know The Music Makers is a comedy but when we sing Jerusalem Today” says Laura, “both the cast and the audience really begin to believe that it is not too late to make a better world.”
The Music Makers is a piece of theatre that works on a number of different levels. It is a tale of redemption. It is a love story too. But most of all it is a comedy. The comedy ranges from broad farce to subtle satire. Friel says, “Yes it’s a comedy first and foremost but a song like Jerusalem Today has some serious points to make. I was confident about the songs because I knew they were strong. But comedy is a strange commodity. You never know till the opening night. The audience laughed a lot. I knew then it was a winner!
Ironically The Music Makers, a comedy about culture, was holding auditions when it was announced that Derry/ Londonderry was designated as UK City of Culture for the year 2013. Just a coincidence? Friel says,” I was conscious of the campaign in the city for the accolade and when we won I thought to myself how uncanny it was. But the subject matter of the musical and the winning of the culture award are totally coincidental. Weird!”
What isn’t a coincidence is that The Playhouse is to stage the musical again during 2013 and there are plans as well for this intimate (seven characters), tightly written, song driven comedy to be filmed in the near future. Meanwhile enjoy two of the best songs from a wonderful score.
Eamon Friel’s Catalogue (Thran Records www.eamonfriel.com)
Logrhythms (1985) Spring Records
Stepping Stones (1993) Spring Records SCD 1028
Word of Spring (2000) Thran Records THRCD 1001
Waltz of The Years (2003) Thran THRCD 1003
Here Is The River (2006) Thran THRCD 1004
Smarter (2009) Thran THRCD 1006
“Arising from the Troubles offers a more eloquent and expansive account of our awkward reality than any shelf load of academic analyses.” Eamon McCann
Special Guests: The Sands Family: Anne, Ben, Colum & ‘Dino’ + Pete Seeger
Tao Rodriguez Seeger + Dolores Keane + Steve Cooney + Arty McGlynn
Donal Lunny + Bojan Andic + John Fitzpatrick + Lisa Gutkin + Greg Anderson Richard Parkes + Liam Bradley + Rod McVey + Different Drums + Tom Newman Andy Seward + John Tams + Andy Cutting + John McCusker
“Through the swirl of smoke and sulphur came the rebel songs of Tommy Sands. Not in the sense of whooping it up for violent struggle, but in rebellion against the hatred which has pockmarked our history and shredded the happiness of successive generations. This collection provides a soundtrack for days of darkness, days of hope, days of weary peace: soul songs telling our troubled story with a deft eye for exact detail and pitch perfect appreciation of political nuance.
Northern Ireland is a savage place drenched in decency. Perhaps it cannot be understood other than by an act of artistic imagination. Arising from the troubles offers a more eloquent and expansive account of our awkward reality than any shelf load of academic analyses.” Eamon McCann
Track Listing: 1. Song of Erin 2. A Stone's Throw (featuring Moya) 3.The Mixed Marriage (with Dolores Keane) 4. We'll Sing It All Over 5. Bloody Sunday (featuring Moya) 6. Have You Seen Joe Cahill 7. The Road to Aughnacloy 8. A Call To Hope 9.You Sold Us Down The River, 10.Troubles 11. Bessbrook Lament (featuring Moya) 12. All the Little Children 13. Sailing Through the Sky 14. A Quiet Man (The Ballad of John Hume) 15. Music of Healing (with Pete Seeger) 16. Carry On 17. Silent No Longer (featuring Moya) 18. The Lagan Side
History can relay the facts but sometimes it takes a song to sing the feelings. Such feelings when ignored can all too easily be repeated by another generation.
Most of these songs were written by Tommy Sands and inspired by events and people from both sides of the conflict between 1969 and 2011 and many have never before been recorded or available. These are songs arising out of ‘The Troubles’ songs of lamentation, inspiration and celebration.
The Irish Tour
"I have been travelling the world of late from the Mid West to the Middle East from the West Bank to West Bengal. This Autumn I want to reconnect with old friends that I have known all around Ireland. I have missed seeing them due to all my far off travels... and I am looking forward to all the new friends that I have yet to meet on this very special journey of my homeland.
This Autumn I want to play in every single one of the counties of Ireland North and South in a month and a day. I will sing new songs about the ravages of the so called Celtic Tiger and also songs about the spirit that has withstood much greater pain from the past. I am going to play in large theatres like the National Concert Hall in Dublin and more intimate venues of all shapes and sizes across Ireland. I can't wait for the journey to begin." Tommy Sands
Tommy Sands Discography:
2011 Arising From The Troubles (Spring Records)
2009 Let The Circle Be Wide (Appleseed Recordings)
2006 To Shorten a Winter (Green Linnet)
1999 Sarajevo To Belfast with Vedran Smailovic (Appleseed Recordings)
1995 The Hearts A Wonder (Green Linnet)
1990 Beyond The Shadows (Spring Records)
1988 The Hedges Of County Down (Spring Records Cassette Only)
1987 Down By Bendy’s Lane, Irish Songs & Stories For Children (Green Linnet)
1985 Singing of The Times (Spring Records)
Books:
The Songman A Journey in Irish Music (2005)
Websites: Tommy Sands + Sands Family
Venus - NASA www.nasa.gov
And Did Those Feet www.anddidthosefeet.co.uk
Track 1. Burning Bad Things Away Track 2. The Times they are a Changing
Release Date: May 16th 2011 - Label: Osmosys - Catalogue Number: OSMOS005
The single ‘Burning Bad Things Away’ from the English pastoral group And Did Those Feet is composer Richard Ellin’s first ever venture into producing a Christian hymn.
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Taken from the forthcoming album ‘This Beautiful Hand’ composer Richard Ellin’s
‘Burning Bad Things Away’ was inspired by the philosophical writings of the Emin.
The soloist is Ina Williams, Ina has won most singing competitions that exist throughout Wales including the prestigious "Blue Ribbon" at the National EisteddfodBacking vocals Joan Franclova, guitars & percussion Harvey Summers, additional guitar Richard Ellin.
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Song notes by Richard Ellin.
“The song was written on the occasion of my wife becoming a practicing Christian as a way of wishing her every success in this endeavour.
As the hymn was going to be specifically about Jesus Christ I initially felt daunted by the weight of great songs about his life and I needed an approach that was different and tangible.
Curiously this came about one evening when I was out for a walk. I noticed that Venus was just over the horizon, the only 'star' in the sky at that time of day and it occurred to me that Jesus would have also seen this planet in his time. I always feel a sense of awe when seeing Venus and wondered if Christ did too. Maybe there could be a shared feeling but certainly there was a shared physical experience. This was the way into the song.
Other ideas followed. 'Silver Threads' is from Millers 'History of the Church' and the ‘Chalice’ from less well known writings which place it in the human head and mind.
There came a point when I felt I ought to include a biblical reference but this seemed to constrict the songwriting process. Although there is great wisdom in this book I sometimes wonder if the words purporting to be from Jesus have been slightly tampered with by men with agendas. 'Blessed are the meek' is a case in point for they have rarely physically inherited the earth, maybe he said 'Blessed are those who seek', it's hard to know but it makes better religious sense.
The main chorus theme flowed quickly from this point and it felt as if it was coming from the place where the Christ force now is - 'on pathways of pure light'. “
ADTF Albums
Compilation Best of 1997 to 2007
Forgetting The Shadows Of History
Hymn For A Glad Tomorrow
Spirit Of The Age
ADTF Singles
1. Avalon Yet 2. To Clementine Churchill a poem by Sally Hayes
1. Hymn For A Glad Tomorrow
1. Angelus 2. Mil Harddach Wyt 3. Avalon Yet
(The track Avalon Yet is in video format and featured many times on Classic FM T.V.)
Distribution Terra Nova Music http://www.terranovamusic.com
You Tube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUxSjnSPXkM
All images used in the video Burning Bad Things Away are from Nasa www.nasa.gov
ADTF website www.anddidthosefeet.co.uk
*Richard & Ina*
Chorus
He was the one, who shone like the Sun.
Burning bad things away.
Greetings from the ever faithful servants of eternal
Pathways of pure light.
May you come to gather stardust in the way where needs must
Be and do what's right.
Though these days things are rife
With worrying and strife
There's a way to give thanks
For living in this life.
Silver threads enter me
In darkness let me see
By the Chalice that's from
The man of Galilee.
(Repeat chorus)
In the days fading light
Before a cloudless night
From the edge of the world
She rises into sight
Bright Venus can be seen
Just like she would have been
In the days of the one
They called the Nazarene
Composer Richard Ellin Soloist Ina Williams -- Ina has won most singing competitions that exist throughout Wales including the prestigious "Blue Ribbon" at the National Eisteddfod.
Burning Bad Things Away was inspired by the amazing philosophical writings of the Emin
Taken from the forthcoming album ‘This Beautiful Hand’
A single released to raise funds for the International Glaucoma Association
When I'm not sticking knives and forks in people's eyes, I still love to sing. About a year ago, I recorded a few of my songs, with a view to raising funds for a good cause and doing something meaningful and worthwhile with my music. The IGA (International Glaucoma Association) seemed the ideal charity - luckily, they were enthused by the idea and so my single 'Through My Eyes' was conceived. Hopefully through all our efforts we will raise a significant amount of money for this excellent organisation dedicated to eradicating blindness from glaucoma. Jay Menon
Mr Jay Menon - Consultant Eye Surgeon - was raised during the seventies in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. As a teenager he showed great musical promise resulting in the offer of a recording contract from EMI when he was fourteen years of age. His parents however, somewhat alarmed by this prospect promptly sent him far away from such distractions to their homeland of Kerala in Southern India in 1980 to complete his studies.
The story goes that his mother having seen Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull performing on TV - and to her horror recognising the song from being played on the stereo in her son’s bedroom!!! - decided there and then, that her son was not going to take any part in any such musical shenanigans.
After completing the formative part of his education whilst at the same time maintaining a keen interest in music Jay returned from India in 1996 to sit his fellowship exams for the Royal College of Surgeons. Having passed, he explained to his bewildered professor that he intended to give up ophthalmology and return to music. His youthful assumption was that this would be okay; after all he had satisfied his parent’s wishes by obtaining a Royal College Fellowship.
He immediately sought membership of The Musicians’ Union and also Equity only to find out a week later that his applications to both parties had been refused. Having been away from the UK for seventeen years his right of abode in the country had lapsed.
Dejected, Jay turned back to ophthalmology, returned to his professor and asked him for a reference. He then continued to train, qualified as an eye surgeon and was appointed to a consultant post at the Royal Glamorgan and Prince Charles Hospitals in South Wales; the same area where he grew up. He also serves as the Programme Director for the All Wales Postgraduate Ophthalmology Training Rotation.
Today Jay specialises in the medical and surgical management of glaucoma. The condition affects two per cent of people aged over forty and we are only aware of about half of the people with this eye condition, the other half remain undiagnosed!
Jay says, “After many years of working in the medical profession I felt very strongly that I wanted to do something positive and worthwhile with my music. The day job as an ophthalmologist rewards me well and gives me a decent wage – and it was time to put something back...
When I'm not sticking knives and forks in people's eyes, I still love to sing. About a year ago, I recorded a few of my songs, with a view to raising funds for a good cause and doing something meaningful and worthwhile with my music. The IGA (International Glaucoma Association) seemed the ideal charity - luckily, they were enthused by the idea and so my album 'Through My Eyes' was conceived. Hopefully through all our efforts we will raise a significant amount of money for this excellent organisation dedicated to eradicating blindness from glaucoma.
I would very much like to raise awareness about Glaucoma and its implications. This is a condition that left untreated can cause irreversible damage to vision, resulting in blindness – this can often be prevented with early and appropriate treatment.
All the funds raised from sales of my single will go to a professorial fund at Moorfield’s Eye Hospital and will be used to fund research into the pathology and management of Glaucoma.”
International Glaucoma Association (IGA)
The IGA is a patient-based organisation which works to prevent glaucoma blindness by providing information, literature and advice. We provide support to thousands of glaucoma sufferers.
We are a UK based non-governmental organisation, a charity registered in England & Wales.
We are committed to preventing unnecessary loss of sight through the condition, which is one of the most common eye disorders.
We arrange meetings in the UK open to all twice a year and provide a regular newsletter to our members and friends as well as overseeing a network of support groups and fund research into the causes and treatment of glaucoma and disseminate the results to appropriate audiences
About Glaucoma
Glaucoma of some type is found in about two per cent of the population over the age of forty. It can also affect children and young adults, although much less frequently. It is estimated that more than half a million people suffer from glaucoma in England and Wales alone, with more than seventy million people affected across the world. The great majority of those with glaucoma have a chronic (slowly developing) form of the condition, primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), and studies have demonstrated that half of all cases remain undiagnosed. People of African-Caribbean origin have about four times the risk of POAG as whites.
Close blood relatives of patients with POAG have at least a four-fold increased risk of glaucoma compared with those without a family history of glaucoma. People from families in which a member has glaucoma should be tested for glaucoma from the age of thirty five onwards. People with other glaucoma risk factors in addition to the family history (e.g. being of African-Caribbean origin or having diabetes) should be tested from an even earlier age.
The treatment of glaucoma has developed considerably over recent years and new, more potent drugs with fewer side effects than earlier medications are now available. Surgical techniques have also improved and it is estimated that around ninety five per cent of those diagnosed early with glaucoma in the UK will retain useful sight for life.
POAG usually affects both eyes, but initially produces few symptoms. Eventually, if untreated, sufferers may become aware of a severe restriction of their field of vision or even loss of central vision in the worse eye. Although blindness from glaucoma is uncommon, it is responsible wholly or in part for thirteen per cent of those on the blind register in England and Wales and is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the UK.
A significant risk factor for glaucoma blindness is advanced loss of vision when the condition is first detected. Appropriate examinations during a routine eye test are, therefore, essential to detect glaucoma early and prevent significant sight loss.
Chloe Hall and Silas Palmer met at Wintermoon Festival, a favourite of many Australian musicians, in Queensland’s North. During a festival jam, they started a musical conversation that continued into the night, and kept going after the festival tents had been taken down.
After months of exchanging ideas long distance, Silas flew to meet Chloe in Europe, where they played their first official show together in Paris. Since then, they have continued to capture the space and beauty of that first performance – two voices blending, guitar and fiddle intertwining, melodies soaring above – bringing the stories in Chloe’s songs to life.
Their sound is confident, mature and delicate. They have now captured their unique sound by creating the album Spring Hill. The album was recorded in - and named after - the miner’s cottage in Central Victoria where Chloe’s dad lives; she spent a large part of her childhood there.
“We brought a ton of equipment up from the studio and set up my dad's farmhouse
“Spring Hill” as a studio. It sounds absolutely gorgeous. We did the photo shoot up there before recording one morning, so hopefully the artwork will capture some of the character of the experience. It's co-produced by David McCluney from Atlantis Sound in Melbourne. There's only one other player, Carl Panuzzo (the Accapelicans, Checkerboard Lounge) on percussion, the rest is me and Silas Palmer.” Chloe Hall
Spring Hill was funded entirely by Chloe’s fans through Pledge Music
Chloe Hall is an engaging, intriguing, and charismatic young artist from Australia. She makes you laugh, cry, sigh and dream; and that voice! To date she has built up a loyal following from her numerous live performances in Australia and more recently on the Canadian & European acoustic music scene. Her album “Outside" introduced Chloe to UK & Ireland where she has already played over sixty shows.
Whether for recording projects, live shows or theatre or musical arrangements, Silas Palmer is the go-to fiddle and piano player in Brisbane. He studied at the Queensland Conservatorium and Queensland University of Technology, earning a Bachelor in Music Performance and a Bachelor in Music Jazz Studies (Piano and Violin).
He has toured Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada and Europe with bands including: Deep Blue Orchestra, Women In Docs, The Daybridges, The Lovers of Modern Art, Roz and the Wayward Gentlemen and Spot the Dog. As well as recording with all these groups, he has recorded with many of Australia’s established and emerging songwriters, including Liam Griffin, Nadia Sunde, Michael Fix and Loren (Dent). Silas is also a regular on the festival circuit, having played most major festivals in Australia, as well as a few in the USA, Canada, and New Zealand.
You Tube ‘Outside’ + ‘I’m Still Here’
Expatsradio.com speaks to Australian singer/songwriter Chloe Hall for the second time. We asked about her music and the new CD.
