Album tour - report and forthcoming performances

My album tour kicked off on 25th April, with a performance at Clare Jazz. This is the jazz club in Clare College, Cambridge and it's run by a fantastic group of students who keep the weekly venture going.

It's the youngest jazz crowd I have ever played to!

Since then, we have been to Leeds (Seven Jazz - wonderful venue and terrific gig) and Hull. The Hull gig was great, although it was in a music bar where we were competing with crowds of Tigers fans who were preparing for their last Premier League game this season.

One such fan came up to me after the first set and said "You deserve a medal for carrying on with all that noise!" Quite.

During the second set they dribbled away, leaving behind a civilized group of eagerly listening jazz fans. Highly recommended on a day when Hull City are not playing!

Our forthcoming gigs can all be found on the gigs page of my website: www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk/gigs.

If you have friends or family in other corners of the country who may be interested in seeing some good jazz, then please direct them to the gig info.

Campaigning for Jazz

Pizza on the Park is set to close. This would be a terrible loss to the London jazz scene. Having performed at Pizza on the Park monthly for most of 2008 and some of 2010, I am deeply saddened by this news. This wonderful venue - the best listening room in town - really gave me a leg up to becoming better known in the jazz scene, both in London and nationally.

To join the campaign against closure, there's a rapidly growing facebook group.

The LondonJazz has blogged the situation (click here).

There's an interesting article in the Guardian (click here), which may convince those who believe its fate is already sealed, that there is hope.

Another campaign which I urge you to contribute to, is the following, led by jazz services: http://www.jazzservices.org.uk/JazzBusiness/JazzOffAir/tabid/206/Default.aspx

It is campaigning for more jazz on the BBC, as more and more channels are being cut, amid a growing fan-base for jazz.

Thanks for your support. Goodness knows, in the current political climate, it is desperately needed!

Reviewing for LondonJazz blog

Sebastian Scotney's terrific blog "LondonJazz" has been shortlisted for Jazz Publication of the year at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

Most recently, I reviewed a spectacular gig at the Purcell Room, of Ian Shaw and Gill Manly. My review received the highest of praise from a commenter... Read it here.

Album for sale

My album - having been released in March - is now available for sale.

I am selling copies on gigs, which means I will have a chance of making back the money that I spent on actually recording the thing in the first place! However, I also have to consider my profile as a jazz singer within the UK commercial market.

Although I don't make much money from albums sold through Amazon etc., the reputation that I will gain for retailers is invaluable. If I don't sell enough copies, they won't look twice at my second album.

So please buy it from the shops!...

Ray's Jazz

HMV

Jazz CDs

Amazon

iTunes

Tesco

Play.com

Napster

eMusic

System Records

Crazy Jazz

Jazz n Blues records

Press and media coverage

This month, my album has been reviewed in two publications: Jazz Journal and Jazzwise magazine, where it was given a 3 star review.

Jazzwise says it's a "wonderful showcase," and includes comments about a "coruscating duet... on Devil May Care," "a head-nodding Love For Sale," and "a dreamily floating You Go To My Head."

I love the way they comment on my song Workin Hard: "... the first of two classy originals, offers a salutary survival-on-a-shoestring tale of Tesco value meals and cycling to gigs which doubtless rings painfully true for many of her fellow jazz artists."

I'm proud of that song, and like the way that Jazzwise portray it. In the past, Dave O'Higgins (who recorded on Jamie Cullum's first album) said that it reminded him of one of Jamie's songs. The song also seems to invoke a sense of sympathy in the jazz audience - I have many a time received a bonus (a £5 note or some such generous gesture) from a compassionate audience member in response to the song's poignant lyrics. It's usually my Dad, but never mind!

The whole Jazzwise Magazine review can be read on my website: www.sarahellenhughes.co.uk/reviews or, of course, you can buy the magazine! It's available from most music shops, and WHSmith.

Jazz Journal was less generous in its description and opinion of the sound of the album, but said "Clearly a talent to look out for." Again, read the whole thing on my website, or the magazine can be purchased from some music shops or online: www.jazzjournal.co.uk.

This week I was played on Blast Radio, courtesy of the lovely singer Kate Winter and the wonderful pianist Alex Hutton. www.blast-radio.co.uk

Last month I was featured quite a bit on Fylde FM by Paul and Lucy, and the great new UK Jazz Radio. Well worth tuning in to!

www.fyldefm.com

www.ukjazzradio.com

I got a lovely write-up in my local paper The Comet. It's online here: complete with photograph of me on an un-made-up, windy Monday afternoon. http://www.thecomet.net/content/comet/news/story.aspx?brand=CMTOnline&category=News&tBrand=HertsCambsOnline&tCategory=newslatestCMT&itemid=WEED29%20Apr%202010%2009:59:39:547