The Smallpiper Blog

The summer is finally over, the summer season is done. We sold the car we inherited from Cloudstreet, we were sad to see it go in the end. It drove us around the country for two months and had the most massive boot. We'll miss that boot, trying to get the bass back into the golf! Sigh.

Thank you to everyone who has given us new album ideas. We're contemplating them all! As an aid we can reveal the track names that we hope to be including: Young Hunting, Two Magicians, Spencer the Rover, Lavender, Polly Oliver, Sweet Lovely Joan, A slig Jig set, erm and a number of other tune sets that are un-named. (We've got a few months to name them!)

Up and coming gigs include, Colchester Arts Centre on Monday, Sail Loft Folk Club next week, follwed by Newport, The High Barn in Essex before heading off to the AFO conference to help out and do a showcase spot. We hope to see you soon!
Have a great autumn! We'll be practising hard for the studio and also for other projects that we have up our sleeves! Watch this space!
:)
Vicki & Jonny

We've just returned from the Wallingford Bunkfest and the Bromyard Folk Festival. We were lucky enough to have Ian Tomey take some pictures of us at our spot at the Dolphin pub. We were so impressed that we're going to ask Ian to take some more pictures for us. (Ian doesn't know this yet!) The lighting was very difficult in the pub, so we'd love to see what he can do for us in a properly lit stage! One reason we need some more photos is that we're now well under the way rehearsing for our next album. It's going to be recorded in the spring and will feature all the songs that aren't on Scatter Pipes and some new exciting tunes. Our one big problem is that we can't figure out a name for this album! This is where you guys come in. The person that comes up with the best title and that we use will win a copy of the new album. There are no criteria, but we are looking to combine the album name with some kind of scene setting on the front cover, so please, helps us out and get your thinking caps on! We'll keep you updated!
:)
Vicki & Jonny

Welcome to the end of the summer!!!!! We've had a fantastic time over August, recording with Cath and Jay for their new album Ha'penny Tweedle and then off up to the Whitby folk week. My new bass had a great workout and I'm getting happier with playing an electric upright everyday. My next task is to learn to sing and play with it at the same time! The new Mundy-Turner album is due for release in January with a concert 'up north' and one 'down south' so watch this space! We drove straight from Otley to Whitby and the Whitby Folk Week in our inherited folkie car...

We've inherited a 'folkie' car. It's had three careful folkie owners up to now and it's time to pass it on to any other folkie that might want a car. So if you fancy having an L reg Peugot 405, 220,000 miles on the clock and would like to be it's next 'folkie' owner, give us a shout! We're only asking enough to cover some expenses, like insurance and new rear tires, say £200 o.n.o. Go on, you know you want to!

We had a fantastic week at Whitby. We always meet up with so many lovely friends and make new ones. The most poingiant thing about this years Whitby was the retiring of Malcolm Storey as festival director. We saw quite a few people quite overcome with emotion at the end of the farewell ceremony. (We got our heather, so fingers crossed we'll be back next year, August woudn't be the same without the Whitby folk week.) We kept a list of all the tunes and songs we played and top of the list was The Willows and the Three Ashes. This was requested numerous times and is even going to be played at two weddings next year and a 60 birthday party. So, incase you'd like to play this tune I've written it out in melodian friendly keys. So here it is in D and here it is in G. If you play it, let us know, we'd love to hear all the different places that the Willows has been played. Maybe even send us your photos of the most exotic locations, the most exotic location will be used to name a tune, entries by next Whitby!

An old musician friend of mine got in touch recently letting me know about an Alexander course for performers that she's running in the autumn, I thought there might be people out there who'd like to participate: (I'm certainly thinking about it..)

An Introduction to the Alexander Technique - improve your performance
(13th - 15th October 2006)
Tutor: Joanna Greaves (MSTAT PGCE DipGSMD BMus)
An accessible, participative and relaxed introduction to the Alexander Technique, suitable for performers of all abilities (music, dance, drama, business presentations, broadcasting). The Alexander Technique can help you perform with more ease of movement, balance, coordination, spontaneity and "stage presence". Come ready to participate and explore everyday activities, with optional performances and basic Alexander procedures. Individual and small group work will also be offered. Suitable for complete beginners and those with some experience of the Alexander Technique.

Date: Friday 13th October 2006 (6pm) - Sunday
15th October 2006 (2pm)

Venue: Farncombe Estate Centre, Broadway,
Worcestershire WR12 7LJ

Cost: Residential £185 - £198
Non-residential £132
More Information: Contact Farncombe Estate on 01386 854100
Or visit Farncombe Estate
Or contact Jo cheltenham alexander technique
jogreaves10@hotmail.com

Book by the end of August to ensure a place.

We have finally procured a picture of the five piece Mundy-Turner band. It was such a fantastic evening! This is the first photo that I've seen of the new bass in action, so we're really chuffed to get hold of it! I love the way the bass almost dissppears into the background. It's like I'm playing air bass! The bass is out again this weekend (this is almost turning into a bass travel blog! I will talk about something else soon I promise!), we're playing with Cloudstreet as the Cloudstreet Big Band for a set or two up in Cumbria at the Brampton Live festival. It should be fantastic fun, especially as John and Nicole haven't met the new bass yet. I hope they like it! I'm still looking for a name for the bass, so if you see us and a name springs to mind as you see him in action, make sure you come up to us and suggest it, or e-mail it to us. He definitely needs a name. (He's definitely a he, I've got that far!) We took him on the road last weekend and I soooo felt the benefit of a foldup bass. He sat in between the front seats of the van and you hardly knew he was there, so well behaved. No snoring at all, a very good nights sleep was had by us all! That's enough waffle. I promise to talk about music again and not the bass anymore! Hope to see you at a gig soon!
:)
Vicki & Jonny

Hello!
Where you at the Bagpipe Society Blowout? Did you want a copy of the workshop that we ran, but in the key of D? I've finally remembered that I promised this, so here is a link to it for you! RIght Click and save to disk this link for the tunes we played, but in D!!!! If you'd like them in A, use this link! The two downloads are slightly different, there are more tunes in the A version.
Hope you enjoy playing them! If you fancy recording them and sending them to us, we'd totally love that!!!!
:)
Vicki