They say 10,000 hours of practice is what it takes to be a great musician. Oh dear. I'm not that good at Maths but even I can work out there's still along way to go.

We're advised that the SMART framework is useful. Well, yes it is, up to a point, but sometimes what you...

Three musicians I admire:

Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel

Ella: for her facility to sing a vocal line as a solo which is at least as good as those of the instrumentalists around her. Brilliant example here: C Jam Blues Live at the Santa Monica Civic 1972, t...

I’ve had the occasional gig where, in the past, I used to describe the music as ‘wallpaper’. Some got cross at the phrase – until I suggested that people only take note of wallpaper if it’s been badly hung or is out-of-place. But the following experience made me realis...

Choosing music for a wedding ceremony can be tricky. Get it right and no-one notices, but getting it wrong could be the single most embarrassing mistake you make. So, here are some helpful hints:

• Plan the music for your wedding early. It can take as much time to get...

Thursday

Excellent afternoon session with the children in Yrs 5 & 6 from Pontnewynydd Primary School. Last term they recorded the School leaving song (“There with Me); this term we’re working on their own song “Cool School” (words – mostly – by them, music by me) and th...

It was one of ‘those’ evenings of which there are a number round here. I can’t remember which charity we were supporting, but we’d all come together as a village in a neighbour’s garden on a warm summer’s evening. The drink – of varying strengths – had been flowing fai...