April was one of my busiest months ever. Finland in Lahti was a lot of fun. Ben Pope conducted the Lahti Symphony Orchestra for “Night and Day”, a tribute to Fred Astaire with myself and Rachel Weston singing. Everyone is always so very friendly in Lahti and in between our three concerts we visited their enormous Olympic ski-jump (pictured) and enjoyed two more ice swimming sessions – 20 seconds in freezing water sets you up for the day like nothing else! Click here to see me singing I Won’t Dance with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
Then it was Olympia with the James O’Carroll Big Band, up to Hull to present a film for the NHS, back to London for Boisdale’s, then the next day to Lisbon to join the Queen Victoria. She’s a great ship and we had a wonderful time. Back for a day, and that night I was thrilled to catch Eliane Elias and her band at Ronnie Scott’s. I think of her as Brazil’s answer to Diana Krall, only much more fun! Along with Robert Fowler’s “Tight Lines” (available on Amazon) Eliane Elias’ “Three Americas” is an album that’s always getting played in our house.
Then it was to Dublin for “Big Band on Broadway” with the RTE Orchestra, Rod Dunk and Emma Kershaw. This was the premier of our new show and a real thrill to hear many of the songs from the Swingin’ on Broadway album with full orchestra. Back home to see The Black and White Ball, a new musical play at The King’s Head with our friends Chris Stanton as one of the leads and Joe Pettitt in the band. The play’s great and weaves some great Cole Porter songs through the plot. We rounded off the month with a day at Ascot – a real treat.
BBC Radio 2 was kind to me. Russell Davies played It’s a Fine Day for Walking Country Style from Swingin’ on Broadway, and Desmond Carrington played Anything Goes from the In The Lounge album.
Highlights for May include Opus One’s Anniversary Concert in Hatfield, the Pigalle in Piccadilly, and two more concerts with the RTE in Dublin: “The Gershwins in Hollywood” with John Wilson, Kim Criswell and a new Sinatra tribute concert with Neil Thompson conducting.
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