Gentle Men, Deep Roots Tall Trees Corby, Brigstocke and the New Town Pioneers

Roy Bailey, Robb Johnson and Barb at The Tabernacle in Notting Hill Gate launching Robb's  celebrated 5 star reviewed CD 'Gentle Men'

Barb on stage with mad hair in Corby, Deep Roots Tall Trees.

November started with a bang, two major projects went out into the world. The first was Robb Johnson's Gentle Men, the release of the CD we recorded in Ghent in spring, which feels like a million years ago already. So rehearsals were attended and plans were schemed and we found ourselves a couple of weeks ago on stage at the Tabernacle in Notting Hill, telling the story of the two World Wars through the prism of Robb's family history in his song cycle in which I sing all the women's parts. Jenny Carr was on piano, Roy Bailey sang the Grandfathers and more, and Robb sang wonderfully, as always. John Forrester was on double bass and also brought me some fine fine artisan bread he'd made himself, Linze his partner played clarinet, Arvin, Robb's son, played drums on a couple of tracks and the fab Jude Abbott played trumpet and more. The place was packed to the gills and there was a superb feeling of appreciation for Robb's work, which was wonderful. I've been singing Robb's songs since I made the Bare album in 1999. I'm a huge fan.

There was barely time to draw breath before I was off to Corby. Head of Snakes and I had written 9 new songs for the Deep Roots Tall Trees second year celebration with the Choir, on the theme of New Town Pioneers. I rehearsed with everyone at the Core, and stayed with my friend Ros in her lovely Water Tower home in among the trees where one morning I saw a kite rise up out of the bushes and soar into the sky, owls hooted during the night, and a rabbit sat on the lawn in the misty morning sunshine.

The Deep Roots Tall Trees choir with Barb and Head of Snakes at the concert in Corby at The Core. Here's the new website…….

Autumn leaves shroud the Water Tower at Brigstocke.

The tech day and night passed and we prepared and got our finery on and performed to a huge house of Corby friends and family, and everything went wonderfully, the songs will be up on sound cloud sometime soon and the website with last year's work is below.

http://deeprootstalltrees.org

So now its onto the album, finishing that, and the Christmas shows with Mari Wilson in London and on my own, in New York.

The news is that I'm starting my own record label, encouraged my Mari Wilson, and with a superb team of people helping me. Its called Kristalyn Records, at Mari's suggestion, my sisters were Kristina and Carolyn, so I think the label has two massive guardian angels, right there. And as always Ernest is looking over my shoulder to make sure I don;t do anything too feral, and my first release will be Hard Rain, my new album, produced by the talented and delightful Simon Wallace, on March 3rd. I'll be posting pre-booking potentials in early 2014. But for the now, enjoy the rest of autumn, and stay warm! From inside a very thick and woollen sweater, salut! Barb xxx