Recording and learning new tricks

So I have been away for the good part of a month and thought it might be nice to check in and see what musical endeavours have been happening.

Firstly, in terms of playing the trombone, there has been a bit, but not much. Whenever I stay in a location long enough, I end up getting it out and going through some rep, jamming and scales - which is still great fun - but it is currently more for my own sanity. I’ve been going through some of my own pieces, some of the Indian wedding music too! I expect to do a bit more playing as I progress through to northern India and punjab where I’m more familiar with playing alongside those instruments.

After a potentially dodgy start in Sri Lanka with my Zoom’s memory card not working, I sorted memory issues and got to recording! I’ve managed to record some great soundscapes across Sri Lanka from busy bus station to thunderstorms in the mountains - all which serve a great addition to sound library, but also I am thinking of writing some jazz quartets to play over the soundscapes.

The buses in Sri Lanka have also proved useful as they play a variety of Sri Lankan pop (some of it great, some of it really really terrible!) that I have been recording! I’ve got a funky small riot jazz quartet in my head and these are great for small licks to play around with.

I am now in Kerala, South India and have picked up a small portable hang drum (photo attached), which I have the joy of playing and practising every day. The sounds are delicate and beautiful, I have kept in touch with this drum’s creator (his family business), Imran, and we are going to send each other videos of progress and ideas over time. I may

visit him in Delhi!

Lastly, in Fort Kochi at the moment there is an art biennale that I’ve been indulging myself in and has proven wonderful for some nightmarish inspiration into a new opera I have been planning with my friend and previous librettist, Tom Drew. Our ideas are still blooming but we are imagining a forage and adventure into art and horror - which these exhibitions are proving wonderful for exploring.

More details in time, lots of things to get on with!