Hospice singers aim for Christmas number 1

A newly-formed choir of 300 patients, families, staff and volunteers from 18 hospices are aiming for this year’s Christmas number 1 with a cover of “The Living Years” alongside Paul Carrack, who was also lead vocalist on the original 1991 hit  – taking on the might of X Factor.

The aim of the single is to raise awareness of the hospice movement and amongst the numbers within the London Hospices Choir are twenty seven singers from Children’s charity  Demelza who recorded their new take on the classic track at the world famous Abbey Road Studios and shot the moving music video at Clapham’s Royal Trinity Hospice, under the direction of top Hollywood film director Annabel Jankel (Super Mario Bros, Live from Abbey Road).

The choir was brought together to mark the 125th anniversary of Royal Trinity Hospice in Clapham Common.

Volunteer Maggie Allen explained why she wanted to take part: “I was so excited when Victoria our music therapist told us about the London Hospices Choir and so thrilled to be taking part in this wonderful project to promote the hospices movement, its achievements and of course to sing together with other hospices. I volunteer at Demelza Kent because I really feel I make a difference to families by offering them massage, reflexology and giving them time for themselves in a caring, safe space.”

Lead vocalist Paul Carrack said, “The Living Years has been an important song for me for many years, but this is the version that means the most. Recording it with this incredibly special group of people for such a worthwhile cause has created some kind of magic. It’s a powerful and inspiring track, and I hope that everyone gets behind it this Christmas.”

Music producer James Hawkins said, “The idea of recording ‘The Living Years’ with this wonderful choir came to me as I was walking around the pond at Royal Trinity Hospice. The song’s message was reflected so strongly as I watched generations come together at a place of such serenity and life to share important conversations. It couldn’t be a better message for everyone to hear this Christmas.”

All profits from the sale of the single will be divided between the 18 hospices involved, helping them to support those reaching the end of their lives, and their families. The hospices include; Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Greenwich and Bexley Community Hospice, Harlington Hosice, Haven House, Marie Curie (Hampstead), Noah’s Ark, North London Hospice, Pembridge Palliative Care Centre, Princess Alice Hospice, Richard House, Royal Trinity Hospice, Shooting Star Chase, St Christopher’s, Saint Francis Hospice (Romford), The Hospice of St Francis (Berkhamsted), St Joseph’s Hospice, St Luke’s Hospice and St Raphael’s Hospice.

‘The Living Years’ by The London Hospices Choir and Paul Carrack is being released on December 16th. It’s available to pre-order now from:

Amazon (Physical): http://smarturl.it/e872qp
Amazon (Digital): http://smarturl.it/ad3krd
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/4sk7sm

Follow The London Hospices Choir at:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/londonhospic…
Twitter – https://twitter.com/choirlondon
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/londonhospi…

Come Together: Interview with Barb Jungr

Cabaret & Jazz star Barb Jungr is currently touring the UK & Europe with Grammy Award Winning arranger John McDaniel.

They have released an album called ‘Come Together’ which features revelatory renditions of Beatles Classics.

The duo are performing in Faversham at The Assembley Rooms Thursday 17th November and then the The Astor Theatre in Deal on the 19th Nov.

Barb spoke to Monday Matters presenter Jason McCrossan about the album and the inspiration behind it.

 

For more information about Barb: http://www.barbjungr.co.uk/

For more information about John: http://www.johnmcdaniel.com/

Boston’s Blues Rockers Mr. Airplane Man

Mr. Airplane Man is Margaret Garrett on vocals and guitar and Tara McManus on drums, keyboard and vocals. The band started in the late ’90s and almost immediately joined Morphine for a U.S. tour and recorded a self-titled EP with Mark Sandman (Morphine).

They have released three albums and an EP on Sympathy for the Record Industry garnering high praises from press including Rolling Stone: “Bostonians Margaret Garrett and Tara McManus are deeply sensitive to the inborn ache of the blues. But Garrett’s guitar is the real salvation. It cuts and swings and explodes, crying.” 

Since re-forming the band after a few years hiatus, Margaret and Tara have been gigging around New England and Europe, writing new songs, and recording new material. In October 2015, Dirty Water Records released “The Lost Tapes, an album recorded at The Money Shot (with Bruce Watson of Fat Possum Records) in 1999 and had not been previously released.

Monday Matters Trump v Clinton 10 Oct 2016

They say politics is – show business for ugly people – well, new Chancellor Philip Hammond claimed that Ball’s Charleston was better than his economic forecasting…well, we will hear from Ed Balls about Strickly, the EU referendum and the future of the Labour party.

Our featured artist of the week is: Singer-songwriter and producer Kirsty Maccoll who released pop hits like “They Don’t Know.” If she was alive – she’d be 57 years old – as it was she was killed in a boating accident in December 2000 – aged 41.

Secretary of State David Davis made a statement in the House of Commons on the next steps in leaving the European Union. He used his appearance to tell EU leaders including that any attempt to damage Britain “is not a good strategy to pursue”.

In the final hour Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton debated in a town hall setting during the second presidential debate of the 2016 election. We will hear some of the memorable moments from the debate

Monday Matters, AA Roads & Labour Party Conference 26 September 2016

Cambridge born Olivia Newton-John is the featured artist and we will be playing 4 non-stops songs back to back.

It’s party political season at the moment and the Labour party were in Liverpool. We will hear from Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell who announced he would introduce a “real living wage” of at least £10 an hour in 2020 if elected.

An AA poll shows 8 out of 10 drivers think removal of hard shoulder for Smart Motorway makes motorway more dangerous. Drivers feel that this is not enough to avoid broken down vehicles being forced to stop in live running lanes, with the danger of being hit from behind.

When asked by AA to describe their thoughts on the lay-bys, phrases such as “death zones”, “foolish planners’ promised land” and “desperate unreachable havens” were used. Jason spoke to AA President Edmund King about the findings.

The Dowling Poole New EP

Following their critically acclaimed second album ‘One Hyde Park’, which was released earlier this year, The Dowling Poole has just released a new EP, featuring a brand new never heard before song ‘Miles Checks Out’. The EP also features bonus tracks ‘Saving It All For A Saturday’ and ‘Getting A Licence’ which were recorded live in Manchester on the band’s acoustic tour in 2015. Full electric versions of both bonus tracks feature on the groups debut album ‘Bleak Strategies’, which was released to high critical acclaim in 2014.

The group are playing live, supporting The Wildhearts at London’s 02 Forum on December 17th. Tickets here.

Debut Album Released By Sir. O

Sir. O

London-based alternative Rock/Pop singer-songwriter Sir. O marks his debut LP release, ‘Forever + a Day’, alongside the release of a new single, ‘Lost’, taken from the album.

‘Lost’ is an alternative rock duet, performed alongside singer-songwriter Lir Shilton, who is also Sir. O’s other half.

As hinted in the track’s title, the song is about getting lost in the world, a well-known feeling we all share.The melancholic lyrics come across in perfect harmony with the vocals and peaks with the powerful line “On the outside I’m alive, on the inside I’m dead”.

 

Lir Shilton releases debut single ‘Flower’

London-based folk singer-songwriter Lir Shilton is marking her debut single release with ‘Flower’, taken from her upcoming debut album, ‘Nothing But A Ghost’, mixed by John Cornfield (Neil Halstead, The Verve).  ‘Flower’ is a slow-core alternative folk song, written about Lir Shilton’s beloved dog and lead by her classical guitar fingerpicking style and a soft downtempo drumming.  Lir’s pure troubadour songwriting skills and soothing voice tells an honest story that immediately pierces the listener’s heart.