Flying Out from Luton to Milan!

Since returning home from Italy my feet have barely touched the ground. I have so much to tell you all about our Graffignana tour I hardly know where to begin.  This week I’ve also been working on the final film edits with Judson for “My Fair Lady” and on Thursday I will be back in the recording studio with Richard picking up my new Disney arrangement for Christmas which is all very exiting!

Firstly I would like to start by thanking every-one for my birthday cards and pres

Judson Editing My Fair Lady!

Rehearsing with Saxophonist Pier Arensi!

ents. It’s very kind of you all to remember me especially as I try to play my birthday down. This year I was busy getting ready for Italy I completely forgot all about it. It wasn’t until tea time when Paul arrived I had my first opportunity to open my cards and presents.

Thank-you every-one for all your good wishes and especially to Gordon for making such a beautiful card. It’s great to know you follow my blogs and thank-you to Brian and Viv for the lovely DVDs. My mother and I really enjoyed watching them and of-course not forgetting my dear friend Fay for the charming cat purse and scarf. I shall treasure them always.

Just to keep you up to date – This weekend Paul and I will be performing in Newark at the Air Museum’s 1940s event and we hope very much you can all make it along to see us. In past years the event has been held in the summer but we hope with an Autumn date it will attract a lot of new visitors. For 2019 the museum have hired in a marque with a dance floor and we will be working along side DJ Dave Dawes from 1940sradio.com

Paul and I have been booked to perform 3 x 45

Rehearsing Ave Maria before Sundays Mass!

minute shows daily plus we will be singing at the Saturday night dance too. I’m including a lot more dance music in my sets this year along with a few of the old sing-along favorites. So we look forward to seeing you all there. These are my show plans for the weekend so far although depending on demand I may make a change to Sundays finale.

Sat 26th Oct = 11.30am “Those Megnificent Men” WAAF Show, 1.30pm “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” Glamour Show, 3.30pm  “GI Jive” WAC Show

Sight seeing in Lodi with Guiseppe!

Sun 27th Oct = 11.30am “We’ll Meet Again” ATS Show, 1.30pm “Hollywood Swing”, 3.30pm “Anchors Aweigh” US WAVES

It’s always exciting to fly off to exotic locatio

Visiting the Roman Lavs Pompeia Museum

ns and this was my fourth tour to Italy. Paul and I had the privilege of performing in Lodi Vecchio back in April and we were delighted to be invited back to perform for Graffignana’s October festival. Graffignana is not far from Milan and we always receive a warm welcome and wonderful hospitality from our Italian hosts. On this occasion we were able to stay a few extra days which allowed Paul and I to see a little more of Milan and to visit Certosa di Pavia, but I shall be telling you more about that in my next part two blog.

My brief was simple to perform the music of the 1950s, 60s and 70s in Graffignana’s town square on Sunday which is located just out-side the church. On the Saturday night our host Guiseppe held a party in Paul’s and my honor to celebrate our birthdays. We all had a fantastic night. Paul and I sang with saxophonist Pier Arensi  and we performed a selection of songs from Swing to the Hollywood movies and more.

On Stage Saturday Night with Pier!

As soon as I stepped off the plane I was straight into rehearsals with Pier and also with the church organist at Parrocchia dei Santi Pietro and Paolo Apostoli. I had been booked to sing “Ave Maria” at Sundays Mass and later that day Paul and I performed in the square our main show songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Fortunately I can sing in Latin and the Italians love their Opera. Much as I had planned to finish my show with Rock and Roll  I had so many requests to sing Nessun Dorma this aria became my grand finally.

Paul had learnt a couple of some new Sinatra numbers for the occasion which included “Have you met Miss Jones” and on Saturday night he joined forces with Pier to perform “Volare” which was very entertaining. I also included  Abba and my Grease medley which went down extremely well with the Italian audience along with the Cilia Black number “You’ve My World”. Italian audiences will often applaud mid song if they are impressed with the way a singer holds a note or sings a

Paul on Stage Singing Sinatra in Graffignana!

particular phrase which is very rewarding.

It’s very thrilling to be invited to perform in other countries and to see new and exiting places. On Saturday our host Guiseppe took us to Lodi for lunch so we could explore the old town and visit the Roman museum at Pompeia. I find Italian history and architecture fascinating and Lodi if packed full of interesting churches and buildings which go back centuries.

In my next blog I will tell you about our visit to La Scala, The Leonardo Da Vinci Museum, Louis Vuitton  and the monastery in Pavia. In the meantime

On Stage Singing the 50s, 60s & 70s

enjoy the photos.

Keep Following and Toodle Pip! 😉

Enjoying Graffignana’s Festival after Mass!