Jun 2010

2010 Newsletter
Back at the beginning of May I found myself on stage at the Dome in Brighton performing Brian Eno's atmospheric music that accompanies the film shot while American astronauts were engaged in the 'Apollo' manned spaceflights to the Moon in the late 1960's. Behind me were the contemporary music ensemble 'Icebreaker', and sitting right next to me was the benign presence of Brian himself, making an unannounced visit to the vocal microphone to perform four of his own songs.

It's at times like these that I have to pinch myself and consider that I am very lucky to be playing Pedal Steel Guitar for a living, and that the attendant insecurities are worthwhile after all.

During the next few months I have quite a few opportunities to pinch myself some more, as I have a variety of gigs, musical collaborations and projects to look forward to.

On Sunday June 6th I will be pursuing my ongoing association with Mr Hank Wangford and his Lost Cowboys at a very fine little venue by the name of The Golden Lion in Royal College St, Camden. This a funky little pub untouched by trendy designers or revisionist thinking, and the better for it. We will be playing at 6.00PM and it's FREE.

After a hiatus of several years, my ongoing collaboration with virtuoso 'cellist EMILY BURRIDGE is back! At 8.00 PM Sunday 20th June we will be playing together at the Pump House, Aldeburgh, Suffolk as part of the Aldeburgh Festival Fringe. We have recently re recorded the entire cycle of five Erik Satie Gnossiennes as part of a forthcoming release; so you can expect these plus other favourites such as Clair De Lune and 'Dido's Lament etc.

Big News! LUSH LIFE to perform London gig! Roger, Simon and myself are doing a concert at Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate on Thursday 24th June at 8.30 PM. We are playing two 50 minute sets, so expect loads of new tunes as well as album favourites.

Put a note in your diary for another London date for LUSH LIFE. Sunday 12th September at The Vortex Jazz Club, Dalston.

Another old favourite strikes again in the Thames Estuary. Messrs Valentino, Belmont, Russell, Foster & Cole; aka LOS PISTOLEROS play at the Horsebridge Arts & Community Centre Whitstable on Saturday 26th June.

Believe it or not, Los Pistoleros have been purveying their unique blend of western swing, Honky Tonk, R&B and Cajun since they were formed out of the ashes of the old Hank Wangford band in 1987.

There are very few Pedal Steel players who play 'outside the box'; probably about a dozen to my knowledge. So to be able to hear two of them at the same venue on the same night, and in London is likely to be an unmissable and unrepeated treat. I have known Susan Alcorn for a few years, and in that time she has become a close friend. She is probably the best avant garde Pedal Steel soloist in the world. So I was hugely flattered when the booker at the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston suggested we do a show together.

Susan and I will both perform solo sets, and probably then come together for a combined finale. The show is at the Vortex, Dalston on Monday 28th June. One not to be missed.

I have played at the annual Maverick Festival in Suffolk on two previous occasions, and have found it delightful. A great weekend out for all the family, and featuring a lot of great well known and up and coming Americana artists, both from the UK and America. Hank Wangford & The Lost Cowboys (including myself) are performing there at 7.30 PM on Friday 2nd July. I will also be joining Thomas Dolby on a short set on Saturday the 3rd.
You can find out more at www.maverickfestival.co.uk

Back in Suffolk again on Friday the 9th July to perform with LOS PISTOLEROS at the Ipswich Arts Festival, The Manor Ballroom, Ipswich. We're on stage at 9.00PM. For info, check out www.ip-art.com

We began by talking about my involvement with the 'Apollo' project. Well, there are many gigs planned for 'Apollo' during the course of this year, and the first of these will occur on Friday 30th July at CampBestival, Lulworth Castle, Dorset (www.campbestival.co.uk)

As I have said before, the 'Apollo project is particularly close to my heart, as on it's release it helped to open my ears to the wider possibilities of the Pedal Steel in music. Also, the chance to work with Brian Eno and the Icebreaker Ensemble is a special privilege.

Another honour for me is the chance to work with the great folk guitarist Martin Simpson. Since I worked on Martin's award winning album 'True Stories' last year, I have joined his 'big band' lineup for a number of gigs, including last year's Cambridge Folk Festival. On Tuesday 3rd of August I will be performing with Martin and his band (featuring Andy Cutting and Andy Seward) at the Sidmouth Folk Festival, Dorset. (www.sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk)

On the project front I have a few bits of exciting news. Not only am I working with Emily Burridge on new recordings of Erik Satie's Gnossienne's for future release, but I have also been discussing with my long time collaborator Guy Jackson the idea of doing a follow up to my groundbreaking 1989 album 'Transparent Music'. Already we have begun recording material, and other possible tracks will feature contributions by Davy Spillane, Andy Cutting, Michael Messer and Roger Beaujolais.

So .. hope you have a great summer !

All the best .. BJ

Jan 2010

2009 Retrospective
2009 has been the most fantastically busy year for me in all areas in which I work, whether it be gigging, TV and radio appearances, recording sessions and more specifically in the demand for my new 'Online Overdub' service.
The year could not have had a more promising start - A trip to LA to record with my old friend JAMES HOOD. He asked me to come to his home studio in the Hollywood hills to work on his new 'Moodswings' album. Like previous trips to LA, the cultural mix of my visit was rather exotic, as James wanted me to work on arrangements of music by Elgar and Massanet. I ended up staying for a week and working on most of the tracks of the album, which should find a worldwide release sometime in 2010.



2009 has not only been busy for me, but it has also given me the opportunity to work with artists in a wide variety of musical genres.
One of my proudest moments of the year occurred when the eminent Folk singer and guitarist MARTIN SIMPSON asked me to work on tracks for his new album 'True Stories'. I had first met Martin 25 years ago, and while we were working on his album, he told me that ever since our first meeting he had been waiting for the right time for us to work together. 'True Stories' has been extremely well received by the British Folk scene, and has led to me working with him on live shows at this year's Cambridge Folk Festival and The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. The album has been nominated for a BBC Folk award which will be presented early in 2010.
My activity on the British Folk scene has been further enhanced with contributions to the new album by a very old friend of mine, RORY MCLEOD - one of the nicest people on the British music scene. I am pleased to report that Rory's new album may prove to be the best of his career, and maybe another contender for a BBC Folk award. Add to this my ongoing performances with the young American singer/ songwriter DEVON SPROULE one could conclude that I have been more involved with the Folk scene than any other musical genre.
Other artists I have recorded with during the year tend to bear this out. Pop folk artists such as 'NOAH AND THE WHALE', 'THE BOY WITH THE SUN IN HIS EYES', BOBBY LONG and KETE BOWERS, as well as artists with a more straight ahead pop sensibility such as RHYS WILLIAMS and The PIERCES. The latter being two glamorous and talented young ladies from the USA who's new album is being co produced by GUY BERRYMAN of COLDPLAY at the group's studio in London.
The year ended for me with the chance to work with an even more illustrious young singer/songwriter: KATIE MELUA. Working with Katie was a real joy. We worked on four songs for her new album, and producer WILLIAM ORBIT got some great performances out of me. This is where I am happiest. Working with a great artist and a great producer in a great studio, and being pushed hard to come up with performances that are completely in sympathy with the music. This is when I feel so lucky that I do what I do.
Katie's album will be released sometime early in 2010.


An increasingly large part of my recording activities are taken up with my 'Online Overdub' service. Further details of this can be found in the appropriate section of this website. During 2009 this way of working really started to take off, and as it is a whole lot easier for me to work at home, this is fine with me. The 'Online Overdub' service really suits those artists who have a small recording budget and are working at home on a computer based digital recording system. So by it's very nature, the sort of artists I get to work with are not necessarily established names or artists with a record company behind them. So it is always worth contacting me, it could be cheaper than you think.
Some of the more interesting people I have provided this service for this year include cellist and composer Barney Morse Brown, the excellent young British songwriter Dan Whitehouse, Canadian all girl vocal group 'Aliqua', the remarkably authentic Scottish HonkyTonk singer John Miller and an extensive period working with an unusual French composer by the name of Damien Lecointe. I have provided this service for many other artists during the year but it would take too long to list them all here. I must say I love working this way. I feel proud that I provide my 'Online Overdub' customers with the very best Pedal Steel and / or Dobro sound and performance at the most economical price.

Gigging and live work is always a big part of my year and 2009 was no exception. Probably the only time I get to play Country Music is when I am playing with my old mates in LOS PISTOLEROS and HANK WANGFORD's Lost Cowboys. Since rejoining Hank's band a year or so ago I have been working with him regularly, and playing a lot more Dobro as well as Pedal Steel, which Hank seems to enjoy as much as I do. In December we played a venue called 'The Shed' near Helmsley in Yorkshire. Basically just a Village hall but the audience were especially enthusiastic and devoted to Hank and his music Former associations were re established and continued: a few dates with DEVON SPROULE during the year, but the two most notable of those were at the Shepherd's Bush Empire and the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. I also worked with the great PETE MOLINARI again, this time at the Bush Hall in London. He is such a great singer and writer, he really deserves to make it big.
Following my involvement with JAN BANG'S PUNKT FESTIVAL at King's Place, London in late 2008, Jan invited me to participate in 2009's Punkt Festival proper in Kristiansand, Norway in September. As it would take too long to rave on about the delights of the Punkt Festival in detail, I suggest you get on line and check out this amazing Festival for yourself.
I came back with a profound respect for Norwegian musicians and their music scene.
Perhaps the crowning glory of my live music work in 2009 was my involvement in two performances of BRIAN ENO'S 'APOLLO' music at London's Science Museum to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon landings. I was particularly proud to be involved in this event as this music opened my ears to new musical possibilities for the Pedal Steel back in 1983 when Brian Eno's 'Apollo' album was released. For these performances I got to reproduce Daniel Lanois' original Steel Guitar part alongside the Icebreaker Ensemble, who did a first rate job of translating a purely record based project into live performance.

Working for great recording artists is my lifeblood and something I feel singularly lucky to be doing, but if asked what gives me most satisfaction, I would have to answer that it is working on my own projects. 2009 has seen the completion and release of an album that is particularly close to my heart; the CD 'LUSH LIFE'. The album is a collaboration with two great friends and colleagues of mine, bassist SIMON THORPE and Vibraphonist ROGER BEAUJOLAIS, and is my first real outing into the world of jazz.
I produced the album at my home studio and the music was played live and mixed with the help of my long time colleague Guy Jackson. I am particularly proud of the sonic quality of this CD, and have had many compliments about it from sound engineers and producers that I respect.
The October release of the 'LUSHLIFE' CD was celebrated with a sold out launch gig at the Forge venue in Camden, London. As the intention is for 'LUSHLIFE' to be a working band, we are planning dates for 2010 onward, so if there are any promoters or agents out there who like the sound of 'LUSHLIFE' please make contact through my website. The album is available from my website, and can be purchased as a CD or download from 'UNTIED ARTISTS'.

I would especially like to thank Kenny and Selina of Untied Artists for all the help and hard work they have put in on this project. I would also like to thank Graeme Laurenson of Actevate for designing and maintaining my fantastic website, and of course Mark Vernon of Firebrand Management for putting up with me for so many years.

So what is in store for me in 2010? It is hard for me to imagine that things will be quite as continually frantic as they have been during 2009, but already there are signs of interesting possibilities on the horizon. There will inevitably be more gigs with Los Pistoleros and Hank Wangford, and there are dates in the book with Martin Simpson and the 'Apollo' project. I also hope to continue my association with Devon Sproule and Pete Molinari.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep the diary on my website up to date (unlike in previous years), so that will be the best way to keep up to date with all my activities.

In closing I would like to wish all of you a very happy New Year, and hope to meet you all in person at one of my shows during 2010!

BJ COLE
Jan 8th 2010

June 2008

NEW WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING
It has a completely new look, a brand new music player and is much easier to navigate. My thanks go to my good friend Kenny Laurenson and his brother Graeme of Actevate website design who put the whole thing together. You will find most of the familiar stuff plus more photos, and I will be continually adding to the ‘session reminiscences’ in the session credits section. I would also like to say a special thankyou to my daughter Peggy Cole, who designed, assembled and administered the old website from it’s inception. It took a lot to convince me that the new website could surpass what she had already achieved.
Please have a look around and remember to add your name to the mailing list !


SUCCESS OF ONLINE DUB SERVICE
One of the new things you will find in the ‘working with BJ’ section of the new website is called ‘the online overdub service’ This new way of working with songwriters and recording artists has already taken off. Over the past six months I have been working hard to fulfil the demand from people who want me to add my Pedal Steel to their new recording projects. The whole idea of this recording approach is to make my services more affordable and accessible to young artists and performers who don’t have the benefit of large record company budgets.
Artists I have been working with in this way include Angie Palmer, Isadora & Clay, Michael Proudfoot, Pete Molinari, Nick Holywell and French artists Sylvain Vanot and Blandine Robin.

June 2008

NEW WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING
It has a completely new look, a brand new music player and is much easier to navigate. My thanks go to my good friend Kenny Laurenson and his brother Graeme of Actevate website design who put the whole thing together. You will find most of the familiar stuff plus more photos, and I will be continually adding to the ‘session reminiscences’ in the session credits section. I would also like to say a special thankyou to my daughter Peggy Cole, who designed, assembled and administered the old website from it’s inception. It took a lot to convince me that the new website could surpass what she had already achieved.
Please have a look around and remember to add your name to the mailing list !


SUCCESS OF ONLINE DUB SERVICE
One of the new things you will find in the ‘working with BJ’ section of the new website is called ‘the online overdub service’ This new way of working with songwriters and recording artists has already taken off. Over the past six months I have been working hard to fulfil the demand from people who want me to add my Pedal Steel to their new recording projects. The whole idea of this recording approach is to make my services more affordable and accessible to young artists and performers who don’t have the benefit of large record company budgets.
Artists I have been working with in this way include Angie Palmer, Isadora & Clay, Michael Proudfoot, Pete Molinari, Nick Holywell and French artists Sylvain Vanot and Blandine Robin.

March 2008

BJ COLE & EMILY BURRIDGE ON MYSPACE
New Myspace page! To get up to the minute info on BJ and Emily's activities and to hear their music, go to www.myspace.com/bjcoleemilyburridge. Log on and sign up as their friend! BJ & Emily are currently recording with producer Jon Baker to finish tracks for a forthcoming album.

BJ COLE CURATES THREE CONCERTS AT NORTH LONDON'S MILLFIELD HOUSE
BJ has been asked to organise three concerts that will feature prominent musicians that live and work in the London Borough of Enfield. Alongside his own concert with cellist Emily Burridge on Sunday 8th June, the series will feature concerts by the Rhodri Davies/Richard Chapman group and Paul Clarvis’s Orkestra Mahatma. BJ will be participating in each of these concerts as a featured soloist. Please consult my diary of events for full details

ANOTHER NEW PROJECT
Jazz is one of the few musical areas that BJ Cole has not yet explored. This will soon be corrected, as BJ is embarking on a collaboration with foremost British vibraphone player ROGER BEAUJOLAIS (www.rogerbeaujolais.com) and double bassist SIMON THORPE. BJ is very excited about the sonic pairing of the Pedal Steel Guitar and the Vibraphone; an instrument he has long admired. The trio are currently rehearsing and recording a repertoire that combines the best of original jazz with BJ's ambient compositions.

February 2008

HANK WANGFORD
This is the first newsletter from me since May, and that’s because the last six months have been the busiest for some years. I’ve not even had much time to pursue my own musical projects, such has been the demand on my services as an interpretive musician. Many of the artists who I have been working with are familiar names with whom I have re established a working relationship such as HANK WANGFORD; and some, like French DJ PHILIPPE COHEN SOLAL are new alliances that offer exciting possibilities for the future.

DEVON SPROULE
Firstly, my ongoing working relationship with the young American songwriter DEVON SPROULE was consolidated with two further tours of the UK in August and November with more promised for next year (I will post details of all these gigs as they become available, or you can check Devon’s site at www.devonsproule com). Following the extremely positive article on Devon in the July issue of fRoots magazine, the word is out on this talented singer from Charlottesville, Virginia.

NEW WEBSITE
The big news for the New Year is a new look for this website. Kenny and Graeme Laurenson are currently hard at work revamping the surprisingly huge amount of information we’ve accumulated. It’s going to look great. and be much easier to use. We will be keeping you informed of progress on this and let you all know the date of the change over.