The
Magic Lantern

I’ve been thinking over the past few days that perhaps the phrase ‘listening and learning’, which I’ve used myself, might be at risk of feeling a little tone deaf. As in, how much more do we need to hear? Of course, change starts with listening and learning, but it occurred to me that as well intentioned as this approach is, it might be helpful if we started with why or what we haven’t been hearing until now. 

For me, what I’ve heard in the past days is the difference between not being a racist and actively being an anti-racist. What I’ve been learning is the complacency of thinking that I’m one of the good guys and the gap between my beliefs and my actions. 

I’m trying to educate myself to become a better comrade and to follow through. I wanted to thank everyone who’s been sharing resources and information on how to do this, that’s one of the great things about social media. One of the most powerful things I read yesterday was the Uluru Statement from the Heart’ which outlines the path forward for recognising Indigenous Australians in the the constitution. You can read it here:  
https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement

Hope everyone’s taking care of themselves,

Love

Jamie x

Dear Pals,

What unusual times we are living in. I hope wherever this finds you, you are as well as you can be under the present circumstances. 

I’m under no illusions about music’s place in the hierarchy of needs right now, but I do think it can help. So in that spirit I decided to put on a series of five live streamed solo concerts on Sunday evenings at 8.30pm UK time on the platform Twitch. The third concert is this Sunday 24th May and will focus on new songs I’ve been writing at the piano for my fourth album ‘The Reckoning Bell’ which I hope to record on the other side of all this. 

This series has given me great focus. It has been a gift to know there is an audience at the end of the week to perform for and to be the best I can for. The first two were quite special. We went deep and it got emotional. It made me realise more than ever how much I love doing this and how grateful I am to know that what I do is useful and can help in some small way. If you missed them you can watch both concerts in full below:

• Lockdown Solo Concert No. 1 (10 May 2020)
• Lockdown Solo Concert No. 2 (17 May 2020)

Tune in for the third concert in the series if you can on Twitch at twitch.tv/jamiefdoe 8.30pm UK time Sunday 24th May. 

Take care and wishing you every strength to brook whatever challenges you might be facing,

Big love

Jamie x

I don’t really know what to think right now. I find myself oscillating from nervous excitement to a melancholic lethargy to some point of balance and then around we go again. More than anything else, I find myself stretching to I’m doing enough, being enough, helping enough, working enough, caring enough, loving enough. All I can say is, depending where I am on the wheel, I either feel more or less at peace with the answer. 

At the very least, among all the many things I’m grateful for, I feel very lucky to be writing this new album, it gives me something to focus on, to pour it all into. 

x

Pals, everything of mine is cancelled until further notice. All the gigs (inc. Piano EP launch on 21 at @kansas_smittysand the big TML show at @earthackneyon 3 June), all the teaching, the lot. Nevertheless I feel lucky and grateful for my good fortune when so many have got it immeasurably harder right now. ⠀
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My sincere wish at this time is for us all to support each other however we can and with the full use of whatever gifts and privileges we have.⠀⠀
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If you can, please think about how you can support your friends, your neighbours, your favourite venue, your favourite bands, your postie, the guy who runs the 24/7 corner shop and yourself. ⠀⠀
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If I can help you in anyway right now let me know or if you want to share some ideas about what we might be able to do to help more musicians and people in general at this time, let’s get our heads together. I want to be part of the solution. ⠀⠀
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Big love and fierce compassion!⠀⠀
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Jamie x

Pals, in the spirit of positivity in these uncertain times I’ve decided to offer free life coaching / song-writing / release strategy sessions via Skype starting from Thursday. If you’re interested, DM me and we can book in a time. Big love x

Pals, I am excited to about to announce that I’ll be recording my fourth album this summer! There is so much I want to tell you about it but all in good time! I’m an so incredibly grateful to acknowledge the support from PRS for Music Foundation for their help to record it and can’t wait to share more about it soon! Watch this space!! xxx