Anthony Strong

Interviews :: Europe :: Vinyl Edition

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:06:00 -0400

So - last week - I was the one doing the interviewing! Was a nice change!

I’m very excited, and can’t say too much right now, but we’re producing a series for YouTube with some very special and talented people! You can expect some chat/banter and of course some music…

I’m gonna keep this post short and sweet as I need to go and practice my interview technique (!) but it’s going to be out some time in the next couple of months, and will be on my YouTube page here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AnthonyStrongMusic?feature=mhee

In other news, I had a fantastic couple of gigs recently with my band. We played Terni Auditorium in Italy and Hannover Jazz Club in Germany. I really love playing European dates, and the crowds are ALWAYS amazing! They really embrace the music with passion. Thanks if you came down, both shows were packed!

As always can see some shots from these two gigs on my Instagram here: http://instagram.com/ajsmusic - here’s a nice crowd shot I took on stage in Terni:

I also had the amazing news that my new album, “Stepping Out” is going to have a vinyl edition! I’m a big fan of vinyl and think my music is really suited to it… If you want to hear the difference between CD and vinyl, check out this highly scientific YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5dCMz4gKLI

It’s nice to listen to real records, but bringing a turntable on a bus is most inconvenient! So the label have also done a high quality mp3 version for ‘Mastering for iTunes’…

I didn’t even know about this till we started mixing the record, check it out: http://www.apple.com/itunes/mastered-for-itunes/

Until next time friends…A

2012 is SO last year :: Naive Records :: Swiss Mountains :: Sexy Suits

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 11:37:00 -0500

2012 was a blast for me and, I hope I’m not jinxing things, but 2013 is looking like it’s going to be an even better year…!

So, as some of you may know, back in December I announced I’d signed a recording contract with Paris based record label Naïve (they put out Adele’s records in France and signed Katie Melua, amongst other great artists - they even scooped the award for ‘Best Label’ at the Gramophone Awards 2012). ANYWAY - recording contracts can take a while to sort and so whilst the I’s were being dotted and such, I actually made a bit of a head start and have been in the studio recording, pretty much every day since last week of November! I’m very happy to tell you, the album is now finished! And it sounds cool! You can expect lots of standards, a few originals, and line-up-wise, everything from solo piano to full band and strings! I’m very excited.

Apart from Christmas, the only other time off I had from recording in December was a short trip to Dubai to play at The Harvey Nichols Afterparty at The Dubai International Film Festival: http://instagram.com/p/TNlVMjORRz/ , a photo shoot for Without Prejudice (they’re the guys that provide my most excellent suits) - and I got to meet Adrian Lester! - and lastly, an overnight stay at The St James in Paris, for the album cover photo shoot (album out Spring 2013!).

So December was very exciting. And I’ve just had a few days off - a little present to myself for finishing the album. We leave for Switzerland tomorrow, I’m kicking off the jazz season up in the mountains in St. Moritz. Love the mountains - hate the scary drive up them tho! I will have my eyes closed.

I shall post / link to any photos of the album cover shoot and the Without Prejudice shoot as soon as I can…

For now here’s me and Adrian Lester in our WP suits:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48000996@N02/8364028301/in/photostream/

To be continued….

Me and band at Le Grand Rex supporting BB King. Amazing night!...

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:15:00 -0400

Me and band at Le Grand Rex supporting BB King. Amazing night! (Taken with Instagram at Le Grand Rex, Paris)

Me outside #DucDesLombards - awesome fun! (Taken with Instagram...

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:21:00 -0400

Me outside #DucDesLombards - awesome fun! (Taken with Instagram at Duc des Lombards)

Paris!

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:14:00 -0400

I’ve never been more motivated to write a post! Just got back from France - what can I say?! It was a blast!! Thank you Paris! We played six shows over three days, to six amazing audiences! … It really was a special trip for me.

I left on Wednesday night, so that I’d be fresh for my TSF Jazz Radio interview on Thursday. If you ever get to take the Eurostar then DO IT! It’s calm and smooth and comfortable - everything flying isn’t! After my TSF interview with the wonderful Bob Garcia, I then went off to a quick meeting followed by soundcheck at the club and first of our shows.

Thanks so much to everyone at Duc De Lombards. The staff/crew were simply amazing. Thanks to the band, and of course, everyone who came down, it was a pleasure meeting some of you! Me and the band hung out after the gigs on the last two nights - two awesome jam sessions led by Parisian musicians. They killed it! So swingin! Those cats sure can play! I swear, one tune was at around 500bpm!!! Lol!

I better hit the hay, as it’s pretty late and I gotta full day of NOTHING to do tomorrow! Ha! … Some practice - maybe some writing - I don’t know… Anyway, au revoire, see you soon!

C’etait chaud!

Me and Paloma Faith. We duetted for a live BBC 2 gig from The...

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:15:23 -0400

Me and Paloma Faith. We duetted for a live BBC 2 gig from The Savoy Hotel, NYE 2011. Great fun!

For Once In My Life - my new music video x

Thu, 17 May 2012 08:35:32 -0400

For Once In My Life - my new music video x

Filming me filming! #musicvideo (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:03:21 -0400

Filming me filming! #musicvideo (Taken with instagram)

November Update

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:46:45 -0400

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!

Cheek to Cheek, by me!

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:07:45 -0400

Cheek to Cheek, by me!

LATE NIGHT POST

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:24:29 -0400

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

tumblr.

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:24:42 -0400

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

London Jazz Festival

Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:45:13 -0500

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

New material

Fri, 14 May 2010 10:54:39 -0400

For the last month or so I’ve been writing at home (on my brand new pimped out iMac!) and finally, pre-production has finished and I’m going into the studio in the next two weeks with my band. Very excited, and the new songs sounded great on our Herts Uni gig at The Forum last night.

Don’t think the songs will be for download-able (unlike my first album) but we shall see - definitely be up on Myspace in the next month or so…

www.Myspace.com/AnthonyStrongMusic

Watch this space…!

…here’s ‘The Taster Track’ from my...

Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00:50 -0400

…here’s ‘The Taster Track’ from my recent album ‘Guaranteed!’

MYSPACE

Mon, 10 May 2010 11:54:15 -0400

MYSPACE

Woohoo! We’re playing the opening night of London Jazz Festival at The Forge in Camden!...

Mon, 10 May 2010 03:08:57 -0400

Woohoo! We’re playing the opening night of London Jazz Festival at The Forge in Camden! Grrrrreat!

Oh hello [suprised]

Sun, 09 May 2010 21:58:36 -0400

(Oh hello there! What’s this we have here? Tumblr? Is that like Flickr..? Erm… sort of… well they’re certainly spelt quite similarly… Well well well….!)

SO this is my first Tumblr post!! Hurrah! Keeping it short and sweet because it’s late - but more importantly I’ve been writing and rehearsing ALL day and I still wanna check out Tumblr’s html editing features before bed. [Geeky and proud!]

So long for now blog

-A

courtesy of Tom Bradley

Sun, 09 May 2010 21:11:49 -0400

courtesy of Tom Bradley