New hats!

The straw boaters have arrived just in time for the summer season which, as far as Eastern Straynotes is concerned, begins the first weekend in May.  The hats seem to be a reasonably good fit and should keep the sun off.  Shades of Zorro under the brim though...

It's great to be playing again after a bit of a lay-off.  Andy has been busy with solo projects while Jonathan went over to Utrecht to do a Master of Music degree.  We have a few private functions lined up for late Spring and Summer, which is giving us the incentive to add some new tunes to the repertoire and re-imagine old ones.  We are planning some public performances too.

Yes, I know it looks Photoshopped but that windmill really was at the end of the street on which I stayed.

First outing of the New Year

Andy and I ventured over to Great Yarmouth the other day for our first outing of 2015, entertaining the diners at the wonderful Quayside Plaza.  We thought we might be a little rusty after the winter break but we needn't have worried.  And the promise of a hearty meal at the end of the evening kept us alert and on track.  We're back there in May but meanwhile we have a few corporate events to keep us busy.

Hot jazz for a cold day.

We played the Magdalen Street Festival in Norwich on Saturday.  The courtyard of the King of Hearts doesn't get much sun in October and we froze.  I had chosen my T-shirt with care but didn't even take my jacket off.  Nor did Cesar. Andy wisely kept his hat on. Or perhaps unwisely - opinion is divided. But a little hot jazz and klezmer goes down well in Norfolk and I like to think our audience was somewhat warmer for the music we played.

Thanks to Polly for accepting the offer of my camera and taking the pictures.

Eastern Straynotes on video

As promised, here are the results of the band's first foray into motion pictures.  Three live takes: two jazz tunes and one klezmer piece. 

Radio Video

Well it's a busy time for Eastern Straynotes.  On Saturday we had our first video shoot and hope to get something onto Youtube very soon.  That was followed by a private party in the evening where we went down rather well, even if I say so myself.  We were more or less acoustic for that with just Andy's vocals given a little boost.

This evening I'll meet the filmmaker to select the takes we'll go on and use.  Then, tomorrow afternoon, I'm off to Radio Norfolk to be interviewed in relation to our next public performance.  Also there will be singer-songwriter James Frost who has programmed the King of Hearts stage in the courtyard of the eponymous café.  James is also playing on that stage.  If you tune into Radio Norfolk at around 3.30 tomorrow afternoon  (Tuesday 9th October) you'll probably hear us both.

And if you make it Magdalen Street on Saturday, look out for Eastern Straynotes at the King of Hearts at 11am.  You know if it's us playing because our infectious klezmer and swing jazz will make it impossible to stand still!

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Ringing endorsements

Verbal compliments everyday fare for Eastern Straynotes but, sadly, written praise is rarer.  So it was lovely to receive this card from Denise Denis who runs a care home for the elderly in Norfolk.  The band went to play some jazz for the residents there.

It reads: "Thank you again for the lovely concert on Sunday morning - valiant in view of the weather! - everyone really enjoyed your music."