Live On The Wireless

A previous visit to the studio

Playing live on the radio can be daunting. But I have to admit that I love it. It’s quite intimate once you’re locked in with the headphones on. This week (Friday 20th 6pm) the programme is “The Ticket’ on Radio Ulster. The sound guys at the BBC are the best at what they do, they really are. The presenter Kathy Clugston is so professional at what she does, making everyone feel at home and really it feels like a chat in your living room; actually the chat can be more daunting than the actual playing because, as a musician, I’m well used to doing a ‘wee turn’ in front of folks. Talking? - not so much!

I’m there to play a song off my new album ‘Film Noir’ which comes out next week. I’ll be playing a song called ‘Miami’ which I wrote a dozen or so years ago, but which I have re-recorded with my band The Mono Trio. Some very fine musicians gave new life to it including: on trumpet, Dr Linley Hamilton MBE (he’s an actual doctor of jazz would you believe); drums - Graeme Arthur; Double Bass - John Covery; Guitars - David McCann and Backing vocals - The Lazy Flies.