pray for sun playlist

A whole day just for us, shucks

It does for sure suck that we have to have a dedicated day to raise awareness that women are human beings but hey hoes let’s get a bit more positive shall we?

I GOT 99 PROBLEMS BUT BEING A BAD BISH AINT ONE

Here is my playlist celebrating some classic boob having humans.

In all seriousness, I do want to thank all of the women in my life from the bids to the babes! Thankyou for  supporting and uplifting me emotionally, mentally and sometimes physically.

There is always something to be taken from human encounter but if, when we are interacting, fellow women, we can give each other just a little bit more kindness than may strike necessary at first sooner or later we will be AN ALL POWERFUL FORCE TO TAKE OVER THE UNIVERSE.

😀

*12 days* til showtime…. 12+1 songs from my A List +1 Bonus ;)

With only 12 days left until our show at Red’s in Shoreditch   I thought I had better start introducing myself a bit so y’all could get to know my vibe and decide if you wana come check my creations on the 9th!

Tickets here! 

I come baring gifts in the form of playlists ….. 

12 choons that have sat firmly on my A List whilst I have been excavating my own creative-ness… expect to hear Solange, Allan Kingdom, Kendrick, JMSN, Tamar Braxton, maze and MORE

I am also compiling folders to download on a weekly basis 

This week is — Early Divas — Early works from Whitney, Gladys, Solange, Syd and Aretha… yoooo you want these on your lappy or phone darls 

email abluecmusic@outlook.com with Choons 1 in the subject line to be added to the mailing list. 

 

 

Hometown glory – JAMS

This past year or so has seen an influx of cool musicians coming into the city. Both touring and local peeps getting their learn on at BIMM or musicians from all across the UK and europe deciding that Brighton, slightly cheaper than London, is the place for them.

I don’t mean that there hasn’t always been sick heads about – there always has been a pretty high level of musicianship…

The motivation level seems to have increased on the whole in the past year. Seems like people are putting down the sessioning of joints and picking up the high vibes.

QM Records keep putting out some strong bills ( personal favourite so far is Lebeaux – CHOPS FOR DAZE )

The Mesmerist hosts some of my fave players ( Vels Trio  who just supported Cory Henry @ Concorde on Halloween) hang about there de temps en temps.

Also, Peter Adam- Hill sets up some pretty sweet ensembles so be sure to check them out when you can – You can head over to my music page to see me sitting in with Pete one night – Alexandra Blue

p.s CORY HENRY @ Concorde 2 was SUCH a good show. He is such a legend and such a nice guy, PLEASE SUPPORT HIM AND HIS APOSTLES to keep it moving and grooving… it’s for the good of the world man!  – musically sound and daaayummmm Concorde sound system still bangssssss tho

song of the day – stepping into OG winter sonics

not all the way dark but on the way darls….

Help me Smash the Fear

Hey yo

My stage fright has come back…. My fright to sing at all in front of anyone actually, is back with a vengeance.

Last friday, I was hanging out with my friend and her boyfriend and his mates. She is from Canada, He is from Barbados as are his friends and one of the guy’s girlfriend’s is Greek.

The only reason their nationalities are important is because I was inspired and a tiny bit jealous at how free they all are. I mean free as in confident, & not fucked up, not particularly self conscious and incredibly cool & light to chat with. Some of them are pretty musical and play guitar and sing etc etc…

My friend pulls out the guitar and starts to sing, in fact, SHE asked US if we would mind if she played for us. WHOAH, GO GIRL. She is super flipping cool and it really is true that Canadians are safe as fucccckkk. ANYWAY

She does her thing and is great, she has a great musical ear and her playing was just perfect. Then one of the guys does the same thing! In my mind I was freaking out in case they asked me to sing and I couldn’t even join in when I knew one of the songs, I was frozen stiff scared.

what the helllllll man, what is wrong with me! (don’t answer that)

Then the greek goddess puts on Solange…. there was no stopping me! I did not care anymore and we were dancing and singing at the top of our voices trying to lure the others to join us but they would not haha… too busy shooting shit in the kitchen to dance around with these 2 pumped up on girl power girls. She then puts on more rnb bangers and all 3 of us girls were singing at the top of our voices and pretending we were a girlband. (although I think we would smash it in a girlband IRL)

If the music is loud, I WILL sing loud but if I think people are actually listening to me…. I freeze and the anxiety that cripples a lot of my daily life comes along with it’s mate ‘stage fright’

I love my british friends, obviously, but the subtle (or not so in some cases) cynicism and  uptightness is pretty damaging to artistic types….the ones who maybe don’t have the gene that is the ‘self big up’ thing. i.e me

I am guilty of it myself! People with guitars at parties back in the day used to grate on my snobbery and would encourage a certain dickishness to come out in my head. Others who felt the same would conjoin together in some sort of dick off circle, judging & sending bad vibes.

In reality, this person (regardless of their skill or playing ability or even in some cases ability to hear that the guitar is OUT OF TUNE) is sharing something in that moment that is pure and unashamed and pretty beautiful actually.

This all may sound super obvious to you nice people out there, but I have a proper music snob in my head.

Luckily, over the last few years it has started to soften and I now just think people are beautiful and sweet for wanting to share whatever they are feeling at that moment in time whether it is through music or poetry or drawing or art or whatevs.

You wana share with me your weird and wonderful thoughts then please send them over to me!

So in light of all this waffling on

Here is a video i have been sitting on for a while of my first open mic I ever did with original material

Both of the original pieces in this vid have moved along to different versions so are a bit null in void BUT it doesn’t matter. This is what they were then and hopefully when I get some up to date confidence in me right here right now you can hear where they travelled to!

Phone note memoirs – 24/Jun/2016 – Days after arriving in NYC

What was I so worried about?

Within 48 hours of being back I have seen my favourite pals.

Greeted by the Love.

Absolute.

 

Lucky living ruled by Jupiter

Smiles bigger than the diameter

Of the rings of Saturn.

 

New York blesses me every time I

arrive

Almost like I never fly

Across the Pond

Back to the Island.

 

So why so anxious

Of little old Manhatten?

or Beautiful Vivrant Brooklyn?

 

Never could be scared of Harlem

I find hype on 125th street

And truth on the corner of Madison. 

Sunset of the day (yesterday’s)

I think it makes sense, along with song of the day to have sunset of the day too!

6/7 days of the week I would say I take photos of the sky in one way or another, and I always think i should share them as I have a ton…. so here goes!

 

Day 1

p.s yes the little specs you can see is a fly… this time of year along the cliff top it is like a disgusting plague of flies! I have no idea why – nature wise it is obviously meant to happen – It is just not the nicest thing to walk about in!

 

Anyone have any idea as to why this happens? Random question I know!

Song of the Day (Monday FUNK edition & one bonus RnB joint & Random story from summer in BK )

 

 

This is the ultimate funk discovery of this year for me.

 

I love Slave and I bloody love Maze.

 

One evening after I first moved in Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn sometime in July I was walking around the hood after a recording session with a good friend’s band ( See sneak footage of the sesh here –  The Saturators – Check out their stuff too – My good friend Misha is the head Saturator and is THE guy for knowing what’s up in the city ), seeing what food was about and what drinks were flowing and what a saturday night looked like in my new area.

I stumbled upon an amphitheatre that was hosting one of the free outdoor parties…

 

This is where I was first introduced to the legendary Maze song above, and since then I haven’t stopped playing it!

 

I finally saw it… AMY. 10ish thoughts/learnings from watching the Doc.

I have no idea where to start. An experience of extreme dualities that’s for sure.

1.a Great and moving to see some old school footage of Amy, family days, youth orchestra days, being goofy with friends etc etc

b. Not so sure about the clips. seeing as she had no say in what the clips were used for.

2. a. Warmed my heart to hear interviews with her nearest and dearest i.e her 2 best friends from way back exclaiming their love and admiration for Amy and her endeavours. 

b. The blame that was subtly laid on a few’s backs through these interviews wasn’t so nice to see.

3.a Super inspiring to me as a singer and songwriter her confidence and love in the craft. 

b. how quickly the music industry and culture can turn a bright spark into an addict of unsavoury substances.

4a. Love is beautiful, powerful, inspiring and far reaching. 

b. Love can be manipulated into accompanying misery in the name of solidarity.

5.a All families have a past. 

b. People that live in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones i.e if anyone’s family past get’s into the hands of filmmakers there is always blame to lay, just depends on which way the slant leans.

6.a Crack is wack 

b. Crack is still wack… Stop with the comeback y’all, in the past month I have heard it mentioned way too lightly way too often. Brighton needs some TLC on the whole. Cocaine will get boring eventually everyone!

7a. Heartbreak can be a beautiful thing that can benefit mankind.

b. If something has such a positive impact broken, why try to put it all back together again? Amy cut herself too deep trying to mend herself and Blake back together.

8a. The media are OUT OF CONTROL. 

b. They must be stopped. Where are the privacy laws?! Where are the people fighting to keep safety first! Who are these rats who can stand by and mock the mentally unwell into a ‘money shot’ for the disgusting Murchocian media.

I love her all the more after getting an insight into her personality and surroundings. I know she was a drug addict, and I know she was an alcoholic, I know she smoked weed and I know she was reckless with her commitments and time. I do believe everyone around her tried to save her as best they could, and I do believe that both of her parents wanted the best for her. From the documentary it seemed like she had suffered too much damage in a short space of time that she was always going to be a young departure, but I do believe that there is more to this particular story. Too much money flying around the place for it to be mess-free I’m afraid!

I remember where I was when I heard, it was my mum’s birthday and we are both massive fans. I cried and still cry about the sadness of her passing, and believe she had a ton more to give if only she would have pulled through her twenties. 

Grateful is not the word, I am honoured to have existed at the same time as her. Everything I have learned from her fall I will take forward with me and keep keeping an eye on my nearest and dearest as best I can. 

p.s Thankyou Amy Winehouse for your truth, beauty, perspective, heart and art!