Sector7 Heaven

Sector7 has had a busy May and June.

From my perspective, I've spent most of those two months on the blower/email (typer?) organising gigs for an autumn tour for the band.  We've got a superb list of gigs lined up for October and December, and these will be advertised in next month's newsletter.  For now, you can check gig listings on the Sector7 website: www.sector7.org.uk.

From the public's perspective, we've had a couple of great gigs and been featured on Jazz FM.

JAZZ FM
Bob Sinfield - presenter of the One O'Clock jump on a Saturday - was so impressed with the group when he came to my album launch in February (Sector7 sang a couple of songs given that our version of Spain is a bonus track at the end of my most recent album), that he invited us into the studio to do a couple of numbers and answer a few questions.  As it was a live show, I had to do the classic "listen again" when I got home, and recorded the session for all you Sector7-mad fans out there!  So here it is: http://soundcloud.com/sarahellenhughes/sector7-on-jazzfm

GIGS
Simon Carter runs a fantastic jazz night at The Boaters in Kingston which, having been going nearly every Sunday since 1990, is one of the longest running weekly jazz nights in the capital.  Usually, Simon plays keyboards himself and invites the rest of the rhythm section plus a guest soloist (the likes of Natalie Williams, Simon Allen, Jacqui Hicks are frequenters).  However, being a busy session musician and doing a number of pop tours, Simon is quite often away on a Sunday, so on this particular Sunday in May, he needed a full band to take the reins.  In steps Sector7!

The Boaters was packed - owing much to the atmosphere of the pub and the enthusiasm of the landlord - and we did a fantastic gig to a fantastic crowd.

Amazing advertising at Ziggy's World Jazz Club, Enfield

The end of June saw Sector7 taking the stage at Ziggy's World Jazz Club - a new venture at the Dugdale Centre in the heart of Enfield Town.  Ziggy's is a once-monthly jazz club that has been going since March.  We were sharing the bill with organisers Steve Taylor and Josie Frater's band "World Runners," and had a great gig to a sell-out audience.  We'll be back there in the new year.

What struck me most about this gig was the advertising: walking up from the station, the impressive Dugdale Centre had most of the front facade adorned with posters of activities going on.  I immediately spotted a Sector7 poster and went up to get my photo taken in front of it (for blog purposes!).  But I quickly spotted a much better photo opportunity in an A-board just by the side with Sector7 pictures all over it... and walking over towards that, what should I see on the other side, but this gigantic poster (above) with a picture that was ACTUALLY life-sized!  Apparently, there were two of these banners produced and attached to the railings, but one was stolen before the gig!  So someone, somewhere, has a life-sized picture of Sector7 in their bedroom!

Sector7 has been the feature of a South London music blog: time and leisure.  I met their correspondant in Peckham to chat about the future plans for the band.  The first paragraph has a little comment about my ability to cross the road in Peckham (!) but the rest of the article is interesting and well-written.  http://www.timeandleisure.co.uk/articles/interviews/1859-sector7-jazz-ensemble.html

"Playing tonight" at Pizza Express

Some of you may be aware of the personnel change at Sector7.  We are saying goodbye to two of our amazing singers: Kwabs and Shakka.  They are both moving on to greater things, so our last gig with both of them was last night at Pizza Express.  It was brilliant!  There'll be some footage coming up soon.