The
Magic Lantern

EXCITING NEWS! I am very, very happy to announce that I have just signed a publishing deal with Karousel Music. Woo hoo!

Karousel are an amazing bunch of people, as much a collective of musicians, songwriters and music industry professionals as a traditional publisher – and importantly as a non-profit organisation, share the same ideas as I do about the music industry and the importance of treating people ethically. I’m very exited to explore the new opportunities that will come from working together.

Together we are stronger. Forza! Onwards! x

http://www.karouselmusic.com/the-magic-lantern-joins-karousel-music-publishing/

I feel super lucky to get the opportunity to play in some amazing spaces of all different shapes and sizes and for that reason I am very much looking forward to playing in Magdalen College Chapel in Oxford tomorrow tuesday 19th May at 7.30pm. If you know anyone in Oxford let them know, I think its going to be quite special!

Pals!

Finally the sun is out and the cricket season beckons. Ive made the executive decision not to play many festivals this year having decided that my music doesn’t really work in that setting. So ill be spending the summer writing songs for a new album, enjoying the sunshine and playing cricket. Woo hoo!

The last few weeks have been pretty busy though with some great gigs around and about. Last saturday was Record Store Day and very exiting that Smugglers Records have opened a new record shop in Deal. I went down there and played instore alongside Will Varley, Cocos Lovers and Liam from Syd Arthur – it was great day. We all recorded songs for a unique one off record which was made in a day at the store. You should be able to get your hands on a limited number of copies from the shop! I also had the great pleasure of doing a live session and interview on Blues and Roots Radio. You can listen again to my F Spot Live Session that went out last friday below. Thanks to everyone at Folkstock Records for inviting me down, Daria for the interview and Lauren who engineered it all so wonderfully. I play 6 sings and talk a lot about why i do what i do, the funniest things left on trains, philosophy, songwriting and the future.

J x

The F Spot Live Sessions 24 – The Magic Lantern by Daria Kulesh on Mixcloud

It’s not everyday that a recovering drug addict tells you that your music has changed his life, but today was that day. That’s what playing in a hospital will do for you – that and the amazing woman who danced, and i mean really danced, not more than two meters from me for the entire gig. Thanks to the great volunteers at Breathe who put today’s gig and all the lunch time concerts at St Thomas’s Hospital.

Tomorrow night i’m super excited to be playing alongside moroccan gnawa master Simo Lagawi and Electric Jalaba at Club Inegales in Euston hosted by the Nest Collective. The show is being organised as a showcase in partnership with Help Musicians UK, British Underground, Brunel Institute of Composing so it promises to be a great night. I’ll be on at 8pm sharp so make sure you’re there early so you don’t miss it! If you are a musican and would like to attend the talk before hand on management and agenting its free and from 6 – 7.30. More details below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/328862870636482/

Then on wednesday night i’m thrilled to be playing my first gig with the good people at Karousel music who I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot more things with the future. The gig is in association with Pledge Music and features Tom Baxter, Rory Butler and Sherika Sherard on the bill too. Check out FB for details below.

https://www.facebook.com/events/689794457833993/

Then on saturday i’ll be heading to play at the Hothouse Festival at Halsway Manor in Somerset. All sorts of amazing, beautiful and heavy things will be going down so come along if you can make it. I’ll be playing at 7pm on saturday 4th April.

Big love x

‘Air of the God loving earth’ – Thank you to everyone who made the last few gigs so special! First at the Bicycle Shop in Norwich on Monday where I played alongside the sublime Mari Joyce, got to walk along the river Yo in the moonlight and listen to Arthur Russell and drink whiskey into the early hours before heading to the Prince Albert in Stroud on Wednesday where despite the interruptions of a good natured but persistent heckler the vibe was as strong, humane and powerful as ever with Jack from Hotfeet looking after us the whole way through. In these adventures I’ve been joined by the inimitable Alabaster DePlume (his line above) in whose company the ordinary becomes surreal and words become flying fish. Onwards! x

These are the dog days of winter. The confusing rain/sun/rain days that herald the start of something new, that we’ve nearly made it and that its going to be ok. And now, with the budding of the daffodils i’m very happy to be able to announce that the limited edition vinyl of the new album ‘Love of Too Much Living’ has arrived and is available to buy now!

I cannot tell you how difficult it has been to finally get my hands on these. The story is long and frustrating but with a happy ending thanks to the intervention of the amazing Mandy Parnell. So, only 5 months late here they are – I couldn’t be more proud to see them spin!

So while I sit in my room looking contentedly at the boxes of records piled up, i’ve been finalising the details of the ‘Love Of Too Much Living: Re-Makes’ album which I announced in last months mailout. I’m delighted to say that this re-conception of ‘Love Of Too Much Living’ is nearly finished and i hope to release it very soon with covers from Hot Feet, This Is The Kit, Rozi Plain, Sam Brookes, Wallis Bird & Emilia Martensson among others. Stay tuned!

Its been a busy little period, from playing in a tiny cinema themed laundrette in Durham with the inimitable Samantha Whates, to preparing for gigs that examine the relationship between music and the world around us.

The first of these is ‘Love in A Digital Age’ at Open Arts Cafe in the West London Synagogue this thursday 26 Feb followed by two one-off performances of ‘Rhythms of the Heart’ in which I will collaborate with scientists, philosophers, actors and fellow musicians to explore what the beating of the heart means. I can’t wait to play this evening in Bristol for ‘Live at the Lions Den’s 5th Anniversary party as well as going all the way to Fife next weekend!

Upcoming live gigs are here. I really hope you can make it along to one of them!

24/02 – The Golden Lion, Bristol
26/02 – ‘Love in A Digital Age’ at Open Arts Cafe in West London Synagogue, London
28/02 – House gig, Fife
02/03 – The Bicycle Shop, Norwich w/Alabaster Deplume + Mari Joyce
04/03 – The Prince Albert, Stroud w/Alabaster Deplume
20/03 – ‘Rhythms of The Heart’ at The Proud Archivist, London
21/03 – ‘Rhythms of The Heart’ at The Proud Archivist, London – matinee.
31/03 – Club Inegales, London w/ Electric Jalaba
04/04 – Hot House Festival, Halsway

Big love

Jamie x

Sometimes the old songs are the best…

My funny valentine
Sweet comic valentine
You make me smile with my heart
Your looks are laughable
Unphotographable
Yet you’re my favorite work of art

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?

But don’t change your hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is Valentines day

Is your figure less than Greek?
Is your mouth a little weak?
When you open it to speak
Are you smart?

But don’t change your hair for me
Not if you care for me
Stay little valentine stay
Each day is Valentines day.

Happy new year! Ive been shockingly absent from your inbox for a while because after finishing the touring year at Irregular Folk in Oxford in mid-December, I needed a while to recharge, think and prepare for the year ahead. I trust you all had a wonderful holiday and if you’re looking onto the same slate grey sky as I am as I write this, then you’ll be wondering where all the good cheer went. But January never promised to love you, so now its time to pick up where we left off. Forza!

So, here we are. Cold & broke but with the promise of a full year of exploration ahead. A year when anything is possible. Positivity is a choice! That is my new mantra. Releasing the album and touring around the country was both thrilling and exhausting in equal measure. Your support has been amazing and its been great to make some new friends on the road.

2015 then holds the promise of the new. For me, that starts with the vinyl edition of the record which i’m relieved to say will FINALLY be released at the end of January with pre-orders available from next week!

Then i’m very excited to announce: ‘Love Of Too Much Living: Re-Makes’ album. When ‘Love Of Too Much Living’ album came out, I approached a collection of close musical friends and asked it they would be interested in doing covers or ‘re-makes’ of songs from the record. I’m delighted to say this re-conception of the ‘Love Of Too Much Living’ is nearly finished and i hope to release it in early february with covers from This Is The Kit, Rozi Plain, Sam Brookes, Wallis Bird & Emilia Martensson among others. Following the Re-Makes album,I plan to release a double AA side single, with a few special things, more info to follow! I’m putting some plans to together for some more extended touring, as soon as these firm up i’ll let you know.

In the meantime, I am very pleased to be able to share this lovely live video I made of Stitches with Janseem Cardoso for the At The Window Sill series. I hope you enjoy it! There are more videos to come over the next little while so stay tuned.

Live gigs coming up

21/01 – Undergrowth at The Greenbank, Easton, Bristol
20/02 – The Laundrette, Durham
24/02 – The Golden Lion, Bristol
28/02 – House gig, Fife
04/03 – The Prince Albert, Stroud
30/03 – Breath at St Thomas’s Hospital, London
04/04 – Hot House Festival, Halsway Manor

I’m absolutely delighted the announce the premiere today on Folk Radio UK of a short film directed by Tom McCagherty – ‘Somewhere Safe To Sea’ – made about me while I was recording the album (and growing a beard)! Who was to know there were so many more months to go before I finally got it finished!

Massive thanks to the crew – Tom Bryan, Andy Mitchell, Sam Louka, Joe Gubb, Tom Dinsdale , Nickolas Blomsby, Leanne Pletersky. Also to Wilf Merttens in whose flat i was living and Sam Lee for inviting me to support him at the Tabernacle.

It’s been a hectic few weeks since coming back from the first leg of the tour. Doors have been mended, boilers fixed, played a stupendous gig at Catweazle Performance-Space in Oxford, wrote a song with story teller and poet Rachel Rose Reid about Mary Anning, history’s overlooked female paelentologist, as well as remembering to breath.

Next stop the Grain Barge in Bristol this friday to play with Cocos Lovers and Hot Feet , see you there pals! x