Well, the album project that I referred to in my last blogpost has got slightly firmer dates around it. I leave my current professional obligation no later than the 1st June 2016 and hope to start work on the project at the earliest opportunity after that.

I’m also going to be spending some time in New York – two weeks – with the US family and am hoping to take my portable Cubase rig with me along with a basic USB interface, a USB key controller and probably a USB Midi Wind Controller and a spare hard drive. Hand luggage is going to end up being quite chunky as a result, but I’m sure it will be OK.

The plan is that I will record over there and ask my uncle’s friends to take part as well, particularly in some of the tracks that need other musicians or skills that I do not have – he and his friends were all professional session musicians in the late 60’s and into the 70’s and 80s and are tight, resourceful, inventive players. I may also continue to write over there as well and see whether my adopted hometown of New York can inspire me further. I sincerely hope that it does.

While it is not enough time to record both entire albums, it is enough to make a serious dent in proceedings. It would be looking a gift horse in the mouth not to ask my uncle and our friends not to be involved. And on the return from New York, I am due to go to two landmark gigs (by my standard anyway) – Heart and the Royal Philarmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall on the 29th June and Carole King in Hyde Park on the 3rd July.

The Carole King concert is one that I’m particularly excited about as she is most definitely on my bucketlist of inspirational writers to see while I still can and I’m in no doubts whatsoever, that this is going to be my last chance to see her play. And the fact that she not only is going to be playing Tapestry in full, but also has Don Henley as a guest, is just icing on top of a fabulous cake. No way on this earth I’m going to miss it. And hopefully, these two great shows will help to sustain and develop the musical inspiration at a point in time where I’m going to need it the most.

So. It is possible that my current professional engagement may finish earlier than June 1st, but if that is the case, it just means that the project starts sooner. That is OK, I have no problem with that.

I promise I’ll keep you all posted, every step of the way.