So it’s the first of February (a pinch and a punch…) and I seem to have racked up a whole lot of travelling in the last two months. I spent time in Yorkshire in the run up to Christmas and managed to hang out with (nearly) all of my favourite people. I then spent new year in London before making a trip to Fuerteventura for a week. I was in Madrid last weekend, and am passing through London and Winchester again this week… So you get the idea, I’ve been everywhere and I’m very happy to report it’s been a great start to 2011. Sharing it with so many lovely people, meeting some new characters, catching up with my oldest and closest friends and family, and being to new places has been incredibly refreshing. Travelling doesn’t feel tiring any more these days.

When I’ve not been being a maverick globe trotter, I’ve also been moving forward with various bits of work and projects (aka things I’m actually meant to be doing!). Firstly I’ve almost completed a new piece for big band, named “Fins Aviat”. The title comes from the Catalan “see you soon” which is fitting for my travelling theme–due to lot’s of hellos, see-yas, and foreignness–but it is also a homage to it being my last year at Leeds College of Music. With five months to go it won’t be long until I’ll be waving “Fins Aviat” with a degree scroll in hand (fingers crossed). Shamefully the piece isn’t exactly Catalan in musical content but give me a break have I not justified the title enough?

Aside from my new-found use of foreign titles, I’ve also been rehearsing with Pursuance- a jazz quartet I’m playing guitar in. The band also features the amazing talents of Tim Steemson on drums, Louis Peakall on piano and James Hutchinson on bass. We’re working towards a gig at Seven Jazz, in Leeds on February 20th. Tim’s been bringing in charts of tunes in crazy time signatures to rehearse (there’s some 11 in there), but despite tricksyness it’s sounding really cool and Iooking forward to the outing.

As to other things on the go… I’m writing bits of music for film and am currently trying to get together with a producer I know to write music for a short film he’s about to start shooting (all things going to plan).

I’ve also been getting down with my old skool technology and have been making hip hop tracks with my little Korg SP-303, a pretty retro sampler (think early Madlib). Around the time I was recording things up I managed to smash my laptop screen (epic fail), so progress has been hindered. But I’ll post tracks up when I’m back in action.

Talking of hip hop, as I write this I am listening to Common’s album Like Water For Chocolate. I’ve loved it for a while (the guys I live with got me into it) but I’ve only just managed to grab a copy on vinyl. Its a great album thru and thru, but my stand-out selection is “A Song For Assata”, it’s just sublime. Considering the personnel there was no chance of it not being a good track- being produced by The Soulquarian’s, with ?uestlove on the drums and featuring Cee-Lo… Yes, as in current chart topper Cee-Lo Green, but don’t be fooled he’s been around for time and has been lurking in the writer/producer/guest backgrounds for many years (L.W.F.C. was released back in 2000). Mr Green even wrote The Pussycat Doll’s “Don’t Cha?” didn’t you know! …anyway if you’re not familiar with the album… get into it (not the Pussy Cat Doll’s… Like Water For Chocolate!)

Away from music I’ve got really into taking photos with proper film cameras. It all started by nicking my dad’s old pentax slr that he’s not used in years and years. I then spotted the www.lomography.com website and have been experimenting with strange films and different cameras. I will post some snaps up sometime soon. If you don’t know about Lomography be sure to check it out. Analogue is the way.

Also check out LKKL, my better half’s new knitting and fashion blog. She’s also the one teaching me Catalan, and the reason I’m now addicted to Cola Cao (google it, but not the turbo stuff).

Anyway thanks for reading, this is long, and it’s now quite late, so I better get sleeping and get working before it’s time to pack my suitcase again.

Keep travelling, end of rambling.
Fins Aviat,
[AJW]