Sad Week

It’s been a sad week with the passing away of my Aunty Kathy – one of my mother’s sisters, after a short illness.

Amazingly, she’s the first of my close relatives from that generation to pass away which at my age of nearly 60 is incredible. My dad and his brothers and wives are all still alive, as is my mum and her sisters and their husbands until now.

She was a lovely lady – witty, clever, talented and always beautiful – she’ll be sadly missed by her family and friends.  It will be sad at the funeral tomorrow, although I’m looking forward to getting together with the family to say goodbye to her.

Studio Progress

Great day in the studio today. I’m mid-way through recording the only reggae track I’ve written called Before You Were Born about taking acid in the 70s (yea I know more than 40 years ago!!) and still not a forgotten experience though one never to be repeated!!

We’ve had such fun with this track looking for great dub sound effects and beats!

I’ve still got a few more tracks not started yet but most are in various stages of development and with various musicians contributing all sorts of instruments and backing vocals.

I’m hoping to have it all wrapped up by the autumn. Still not decided on a name for the album – was thinking of Over The Moon but now having second thoughts.

 

Kartong Festival etc

I’ve been back in the UK for nearly a week now and thankfully it’s been mainly warm and sunny which is always better when you come back from somewhere hot – last year we came back to freezing conditions.

The Kartong Festival was brilliant this year, mainly because for the first time the Kartonkas themselves did most of the pre-planning and organising! This gives us great hope for the future of the festival. They’ll still need some technical help next year – especially with lighting and wiring but they planned all the programme and artists, food for artists, publicity. We helped with providing a stage manager, electrics and ticketing/wristbanding but pretty much everything else was locally run. We’re planning on returning in November to do some training/pre-planning and then not attending next February for the first time as the only way to really make the festival happen without us for the first time – sink or swim but we believe they can swim now!! It will be the eighth year after all!

For the first time, I played at the festival myself – flute with my kora playing friend Moriba Kuyarteh.

Here’s a video of us jamming with some other musicians at Tesito Ecolodge – the sound’s not brilliant but you get the general idea. Thanks to everyone for making it such a great festival this year

Chandra and Moriba at Tesito With Moussa and Chris