A December Doodle + Album & Tour Updates

Well, another year comes towards it's close and I've just celebrated another milestone. (Thanks to all of you who sent birthday wishes.... the celebrations are still continuing!)

But now it's time to look back and reflect before continuing forward to what comes next! (Love and thanks to Saria Phillips for this pic from The Peacock Theatre earlier this year).


Recording News

It's been a strange year in that I've done very little touring or live gigs but I have finally recorded that solo studio album. It's being mastered at the moment and though I haven't set a final release date it will be coming out in 2009. The artwork & design have taken shape in my head but I won't be able to confer with my design guru Sazi, til early in the new year.

The recording process was great fun and working with Bat was a joy - I think we spent as much time laughing and drinking too much tea as we did working. Hopefully that will shine through in the finished product - which incidentally, now has a name - 'The Woman on the Edge of the World'. Pre-orders are doing well but I'm happy to take more, email me if you're interested.


JPF - 'we're all in this together!'

In the latter half of this year I've finally had time to get active and connect with some other writers/composers/performers across the world through the Just Plain Folks community & web forums. I've been getting their newsletter for about a year and I really like where they're coming from. Although it's primarily US based, there's a lot of European & UK-based contributors, plus a good number of irreverent Australians to keep everyone on their toes! Everyone's equal and the serious contributors are all there to learn and connect.

Speaking of which, I got this amazing link through one of the JPF Danish contingent. The Playing for Change Foundation is based in US but is active in bringing change through music & art to areas in Tibet, Africa, India as well as the US. They use multimedia very effectively and I highly recommend the Playing For Change Song Around The World on their YouTube channel.


Touring in 2009 & Beyond!

Planning is underway for Melbourne & country Victoria, Adelaide & Brisbane to promote the CD - probably mid year.

Please feel free to get in touch if you particularly want me to come to your area to play or run a workshop. Email me details and I'll do my best to include your town on the itinerary. Plus I'm well into working out a quick US tour in 2010 to promote the new CD. The latest twist is to go to the UK for a few weeks first (which I know will make a number of you happy) but it's a lot to get my head around at the moment.

Also, I had the joy of connecting with WHUM Community Radio (98.5 FM Columbus & 98.3 FM Seymour) in the US. Based in Indiana, they would have to be the friendliest station with the most eclectic playlist ever - they play Bat too! I was listening to their live webcast and chatting online to the station manager when I heard one of my songs ('Silent Running') from 'Live Sampler'. It was a lovely moment and apparently not uncommon. Bat had a similar experience as did UK-based singer/songwriter Mark Forde. (Check out Mark's song 'Skies Big & Blue' - it's a cracker!) Mark's planning a US trip too and we're trying to work out how we can do a live-to-air together for them when we're in the States.


Meanwhile, thanks to you all for your ongoing support & the very best to all of you around the globe for the holiday season, let's hope it's a peaceful & prosperous 2009 for us all!

Love & best wishes,

Debra