after a heavy autumn, i've been enjoying a relatively quite winter... there are, however, a few gigs coming up that should be worth checking out:

allan browne's quintet releases their latest cd, une saison en enfer (a season in hell); music that geoff hughes and i have written, based on arthur rimbaud's prose poem of the same name. the rekerd's come up a treat, and the band is sounding more cohesive and adventurous than ever... come on down if you can, it should be a great evening: sunday august the 1st from 5pm at uptown, 177 brunswick street fitzroy.

andrea keller's band is also about to release a new rekerd: galumphing 'round the nation is a collection of andy's beautiful pieces featuring guest artists from around the country, including steve mags, jamie ohelers, miroslav bukovsky, bernie mcgann, phil slater and john rodgers. this disc is the culmination of a national tour the band did last year, collaborating with said guests... come check it out: Sunday august the 29th from 7pm at uptown, still at 177 brunswick st fitzroy.

andy's band will also be doing a couple of interstate shows in the coming months: we'll be playing in chidaney on 21st of august for the sima festival, and in canberra and the 3rd of september.

i'll be strapping a few shows at bennetts in august: wednesdays 4, 11 and 18 with steve mags, and tuesday 3rd with sam anning - he's off to do a masters at some sac school in new york, so come down for this, his final gig / pardee...

apart from the above, i'll be slaving over a hot piano / computer for the next few months: i'm co-md-ing and arranging for a killer Melbourne festival show, seven songs to leave behind. featuring sinead o'connor, john cale, meshell ndegeocello, rickie lee jones and gurrumul yunupingu. each artist will sing their first song - the song that switched them on to being a musician, one from master poet and songwriter leonard cohen, a song to share with another, a song that they covet - the one above all others that they wished they had written, two songs of their own and one for the end of days - a song to leave behind. should be a great show (closing act of the melbourne festival) with a great band, horn section and orchestra victoria, so come on down if you can: it's on october the 23rd at the sydney myer music bowl.

that's about it... gotta head in to see who gets bumped from master chef...