John and I Barb Sting the UK, Ernest Hecht leaves us and spring is on the air

Hi Sunday folk,
as I'm writing on a Sunday afternoon with clouds of varied grey outside over the tall buildings and the trees still bare of leaves, but a sense of spring at last after the hideous Siberian snow and ice of the last week.

The waterfall couldn't cope!

Last week John McDaniel and I finished our teeny UK tour, with dates all over the country, and we had such a wonderful time in Delph at the new Millgate Theatre, Newbury Corn Exchange, The Pheasantry, the Core in Corby and Annie's Jazz in Southend.

Johan and I after the Millgate show in Delph last weekend - before the snow came!!

We recorded the Sting material for the Float Like A Butterfly album which will come out now late June, 29th, on Kristalyn, and we did a bunch of photos for our project which will go to Joe's Pub in July, 1968 - Let The Sunshine in, and for the Sting project. We were on Jazz FM live in session which was lovely and you can hear that, here

https://www.facebook.com/JazzFMUK/videos/10156204009049329/

feel free to share that, it was recorded at 9.30 in the morning, which is only marginally better than the TV we did at 7 in the morning in St Louis and which is here

We had a wonderful time. Which was good because alongside that was the loss of my friend, the great and legendary publisher Ernest Hecht OBE. Ernest was my rock; adviser and mentor, friend and confidante, and I am wondering how a world without him will be. Here's a beautiful obituary of him and his extraordinary life and achievements by the journalist Liz Thomson.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/feb/19/ernest-hecht-obituary

Ernest was a truly great man, with all the foibles and wonder that such an epithet suggests, and I am very proud to say that we were friends.

With Ernest at the party to celebrate his OBE, Anne Dolomore and Liz Thomson to his  right.

And now to the future. Polka Children's Theatre is my current home as we rehearse and record the music for the fabulous Chocolate Cake, which I've worked on with friend, director and Polka's artistic director Peter Glanville. There's a wonderful, talented cast and the piece is based on the fabulous Michael Rosen's poems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=HOPlN6FJTAQ

It opens in March and tours throughout the year. Come see it with your 4 year olds and more. The design and lighting are gorgeous and as always its a privilege to work in such a creative and lovely team of really nice people.

https://polkatheatre.com/event/chocolate-cake/

And alongside that there are some great gigs coming up at POW Thanet with Jenny Carr and Julie Walkington, in Broadstairs this coming Thursday 8th March

https://www.powthanet.com/events/barb-jungr

and on Friday for International Women's Day I'll be with Jenny Carr singing a little pot pourri called Barb, Bob and Brel - the clue's in the title there, at Stoke Newington Church for Blow The Fuse on a double bill with these great musicians Deirdre Cartwright, Alison Rayner and Louise Elliott.

http://theoldchurch.org.uk/events/blow-the-fuse-presents-barb-jungr-and-solar-flares/

On March 18th I'm thrilled to reunite with the brilliant Simon Wallace on piano and Davide Mantovani on bass to sing Hard Rain the Songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen again at the fabulous 606 Jazz Club in Chelsea. Its such a great venue and such a great vibe down there. You can eat and the food's good too.

http://www.606club.co.uk/blog/interview-barb-jungr/

And finally, on March 18th tune into Elaine Paige if you want to hear one of Mike Lindup (legendary Level 42 keyboardist, writer and vocalist) and my song from Liver Birds Flying Home which opens in April at The Royal Court Liverpool. Thats a heads up right there.

See you at one of the shows, I hope.

And Happy Spring - I think.