We had so much fun at the party on Friday. The quality of the live video (find it on Facebook) is a bit ropey so here is some better quality!
Here are Summer All Year Long singing the song from the original launch party for Stations, Sweet Train Roll Softly based on (the much better) Sweet Thames Roll Softly, by Ewan MacColl. We had a different arrangement originally, by Peter Morgan, but an almost entirely different choir membership and very little rehearsal, so this is Melanie Harrold‘s arrangement (more or less) which we learnt more recently.
And Bartle Sawbridge reading the middle section of Rich and Strange, the story he wrote for the Shadwell stop on the journey the anthology takes from Highbury and Islington to West Croydon.
With the 5th Anniversary celebrations heading into view I was thinking about the thank you speech, and like the Oscars it is in danger of going on, and on. And on. So I thought I’d blog it instead, a section at a time.
What does a publisher need with musicians? Well, our regular events Solstice Shorts Festival (always), and The Story Sessions (usually), some of our launches and some of our writing workshops have included music – always acoustic, often folk, sometimes original, mostly but not exclusively songs, because we love the narrative power of a song.
Our most frequent collaborators are Ian Kennedy and Sarah Lloyd who have performed in just about every capacity we offer them.
Next most regular must be Annalie Wilson, who also reads for us and was our artist in residence for the last four Story Sessions..
Annalie Wilson
After that it’s our choir friends, in various guises, (there’s a lot of cross-over in choirs!) most frequently as Summer All Year Long, but also Vocal Chords and Raise the Roof
And finally… Lester Simpson, who runs singing workshops for us once or twice a year and teaches us amazing songs that find their way into our events, and the repetoire of choirs all over London; and has become a friend along the way.
Will there be music at the Anniversary celebrations on the 8th September? Of course there will! Book your free ticket now!
And finally… 