Anthony Strong

Hello hello! All going well here! Wales won the Six Nations today and so I’m very happy boy!

2012 has been a very exciting year so far and have lots coming up… I’ve already had a great few gigs with the trio, including a charity bash at The Old Vic Theatre and a brilliant club date in Catania, Sicily (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onmblP1FYLc&feature=youtube_gdata_player). Lots more public gigs coming up in the summer - I’m very excited.

I’ve been in the studio lots with my band, putting down demos and even a little bit of recording for some TV work. [Watch this space…] I’m also preparing my new record, coming out towards the end of the year. I’ve written lots of new songs and it’ll feature quite a few standards too. I’ve just been looking at studios and it’s definitely gonna be my best record yet. Can’t wait to start recording…rehearsals sounding very promising!

As well as the music, we’ve been planning my second music video (my first one is here if you haven’t seen it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uITP4TtEi2o&feature=youtube_gdata_player ) I’m not saying which song we’re doing just yet… But just you wait, it’s gonna be amazing! I get to drive a VERY.SEXY.CAR. Will Instagram/tweet (@AJSMusic).

More details to follow bout the new video and record, but for now here’s a list of my tour dates: http://airartistagency.com/web/dates.256.html - see you at a gig sometime soon!

Mucho love X

Well, a lot’s been happening recently. It was my birthday in October (I was 27) and I got myself a freaking iPod as a present! It’s awesome. This means I’ll be posting a lot more content on YouTube and Twitter from now on. Just try and stop me…

It’s also made me lazy. I’m actually talking this, as opposed to typing - how ridiculous is that?! I love dictation software, it’s practically my new hobby.

Music-wise, a lot has been happening too. I’m currently on tour with my band - we’ve played to some great crowds in some great venues all over the UK, I also got to meet some awesome people. Signing CD’s is never a chore, I’m so happy when people ask : ) The tour’s been amazing so far, I feel very blessed to be doing this as a ‘job’. Birmingham Symphony Hall Foyer was a personal favourite as was Milton Keynes. Thanks to all who came to the shows so far… Been an amazing response.

So amazing actually, that we’re back due to popular demand, (I’ve always wanted to say that!). I am doing an additional London date with full band, on top of the dates which were originally on the tour. The date is the 14th of November, at The Forge, Camden. For details, have a look on the Facebook page. Here is the link: www.Facebook.com/AnthonyStrongMusic. 

It’s another very late night here, so I’m going to call it a day. I’ll be back soon Tumblr, dictating on my sexy new iPad… If you’re not jealous, you should be. Ha ha ha …

For now, I bid you a good night internet, adieu!

Ax

I’ve just been updating my website… no wait that sounds rubbish. and it’s not really true.

Start again.

My website (www.AnthonyStrong.com) has just been giving a massive facelift by genius designer Dan Howard (of www.fuzztherapy.com) and on checking the last update I was drawn to the ‘T’ logo on the home page. “What’s that?” i thought, and as I clicked my memories of Tumblr came flooding back. This sounds romantic - and at first it was; the easy uploader thingys, lush graphics, nice looking fonts etc… But then - I tried to log in.

I’ve heard the joke about “completing the internet” (as if it were a video game) lots of times. But if that joke were real, logging into Tumblr would be the final boss of level 7- maybe even 8.

WHO’S WITH ME?! It is difficult isn’t it?? Maybe it’s just me! Maybe I’m just an idiot. Hope not. Hope not!

ANYWAY!!!!

Lots been happening recently.

I’ve just uploaded (tonight) my first proper music video. The song: Cheek to Cheek. From my new record. It looks awesome (I’m allowed to say that, I’m the client, not the director), very slick and some very cool shots. Massive thanks to Jack Patterson and Grace Chatto of www.cleanfilm.co - no, it’s not a mistake! - www.cleanfilm.co

Check out the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uITP4TtEi2o&feature=colike

Back in March I got a call from a couple of people who’d said they recommended me to audition in a musical. Now - I haven’t seen or wished to be in a musical since I was about 12, so I was a little dubious. I did really enjoy acting when I was a kid though, and the more I heard about it, the better it sounded. The role was understudy of the part of Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet (@MDQLondon) and as a singer/pianist (and for someone who’s relatively lazy) this was right up my street!

After a few call backs, I got the role and then had to try and make it work around my solo commitments. It’s been going REALLY well, I’ve been on about 5 times now, it’s a great show/cast/crew AND I’ve been able to spend lots of time at home mixing my new EP!

Speaking of which, the launch of “Delovely” - my new EP - is on Sept 27th at Pizza Express Dean Street, London. (https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=263588446994501).

From September 27th it will be available from Amazon /  iTunes / etc. on download, or I’ll have hard copies at gigs / ordered from my website: www.AnthonyStrong.com which I’ve just been updatin…wait…. no, wait … I meant.

Oh just check it out won’t you!! : )

xAx

Oh tumblr. how I’ve missed your sleek look and colourful pages!

I promise to write more often.

Lots of exciting things happening for me in London, I was the special guest with my trio on ‘FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT’ on BBC Radio 2 (huge fan and long time listener to the show, so was VERY pleased), we played an awesome little show (to a big audience nonetheless) at Ray’s Jazz, at Foyles, AND to top it all off, Sir Michael Parkinson has been singing my praises on his BBC Radio 2 show! I’m gobsmacked he played me - I did some of that album in my bedroom! Crazy.

Anyway, enough for now, I’ll post again soon. I’m late for a rehearsal in town…

-A

Yesterday I opened London Jazz Festival @ The Forge in Camden. If you haven’t heard of this venue - you need to! One of the best pianos (and I play a fair few…) and the acoustics/room is awesome. Playing with me last night was: Darren Williams, Billy Adamson, Tom Farmer, Graeme Flowers, George Philips, Tom White… and MAN did they sound good! Tom Farmer’s just won a MOBO - did I mention that?!

Anyway, massive thanks to all that came down and to the band / the forge - what a night! It was packed out and the lovely Forge people told me “it was the perfect start to the festival”… I feel very honored to have been asked to open the festival and the next gig (26th Nov @ QEH) should be just as special! : )

See you all on facebook