All music by Ricky Graham. Music Box (DJ Elemental Remix) By Colin Cathcart. Vocals by Robbie Reid and Louise Sands on “Beautiful Beginning.” Trumpet by Andrew Kitchen on “Beautiful Beginning.” Mastered by Bernard Flanagan. Original Artwork by Ryan Locke. This release is dedicated to the memory of Patrick McGreevy.
The proceeds of this release will be donated to the Motor Neurones Disease Association of Northern Ireland. Due to the few cases of MND every year in the U.K, the research is underfunded and the care services are understaffed. To date, there is no known cure. By giving generously, you are helping researchers and carers for MND throughout the UK. There is more information on the organisation at www.mndani.com.You can make your own donations here! Thanks to everyone who have been involved in these releases over the last few years. Please share this blog entry via email, facebook, twitter, myspace, etc. and help spread awareness of MND.
My track, “Refraction”, is being considered for the new Rock Band Network. I wrote “Refraction” back in 2005, and performed an arrangement of it with Irish metal band, Shiro from 2007 to 2008. You can hear a sample of the track below.
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And here is a video of me playing a few extracts about 3 years ago. Fun times.
Friend and fellow Musician, Jay Dickson, performed “Refraction” at a recent drum clinic with drum kit legend, Thomas Lang. Check out the clinic video on Jay’s website.
9 Jul 2007 20:00
Kaetsu University Seminar, Tokyo
Big thanks to Simon “Sensei” Clay at Kaetsu University for the invitation to perform at such a receptive University.
9 Jul 2007 21:00
Rock Factory, Tokyo (Roppongi)
Performance time - Approx 15 minutes
Music - “1314″ & Improv
Audience - 20+, very receptive. Local music moguls were thoroughly impressed. Jammed with Tokyo based Hip-hop artist, Dave Whitaker.
10 Jul 2007 19:00
The Pink Cow, Tokyo (Shibuya) - Workshop
Performance time - Approx 50 minutes
Music - “1314,” Improv, & “Decadence”
Audience - Very receptive. I networked with some very enthusiastic Musicians from Tokyo and Fuji. Traded music and contact information etc.
10 Jul 2007 20:45
Cosmo’s, Tokyo (Shibuya)
Performance time - Approx 60 minutes
Music - “1314,” Improv, “Absolution,” “Music Box,” “The Sky Above,” & “Decadence”
Audience - Mainly those who followed on from the previous workshop. An intimate atmosphere and a very receptive crowd.
10 Jul 2007 22:00 *
Ruby Room, Tokyo (Shibuya)
Performance time - Approx 15 minutes
Music - “1314,” & Improv
Audience - 50+, very receptive crowd and a very intimate setting. Perhaps the best performance of the tour.
11 Jul 2007 21:00
Ruby Room, Tokyo (Shibuya)
Performance time - Approx 20 minutes
Music - “Absolution,” “1314,” & Improv
Audience - 30+, mainly Japanese & American. Networked with A&R at KR-International, CD Lunch, and other Tokyo based music representatives with ties at Sony BMG, Tokyo.
I fell asleep around 5am in a Punk bar, during which time Ross and Duncan covered me in ice cubes. Cheers lads. I believe my name is also written on the wall of the bar along with some other visiting Musicians. Ross had also written his name underneath in what would appear to be morse code. Thanks to the bar staff for playing old school Metallica all night. A nostalgic night was had.
12th Jul 2007 21:00
Cosmo’s, Tokyo (Shibuya)
Performance time - Approx 30 minutes
Music - “Absolution”, “1314,” & Improv feat. Dave Whitaker.
Audience - 20+, intimate crowd, very receptive, & thoroughly enjoyable.
I later got up to jam with three Jazz musicians, two of which were from Tokyo (Guitar & bass) and the other from London (Saxophone.) We jammed for about an hour or so. This gig was a great way to end a successful tour.
Thanks to Dave and Meg at KR-International for organising a great induction tour of Japan. I’m looking forward to working with you both and the label in 2008. Thanks to Ross (as always) for being himself and his amazing host family, Koido, for looking after us. Thanks to everyone who I met at Wakeijuku. Thanks to all those who I met up with while I was in Japan, especially Duncan, Dave Whitaker, Hide, Megumi, Claire, Nosomi (Mimi), Anna, Maria, Simon, and Toma and the lads.
2 May 2009 21:00
Ottorisha - “Con Tempo” - Kita-Senjyu, Tokyo
Set List: 3 Pieces for Polyphonic Guitar: I (E Major), II (E Major), & III (Ab Minor)
Tonight was the first show of the tour upon invitation from recent acquaintance, Wataru Shoji. The venue was an old Japanese house that had been converted into a performance space by Shoji and his colleagues from the Tokyo National University of the Fine Arts and Music. It reminded me of my time at STEIM in April, which is where I made Shoji’s acquaintance. It had a lot of character.
Regardless of how bad my jet lag had been since my arrival in Tokyo, I had been anticipating this performance with a great deal of enthusiasm. I had put together a short set in a more experimental vein that I hoped would be more appropriate for the venue.
Shoji and Odawara commenced proceedings with a laptop set that utilised a series of customised controllers. It was an interesting sound world that I very much enjoyed. The next performance was given by a Japanese Irish Traditional trio whose standard would challenge traditional musicians from home.
After what had been a relatively successful sound check, I began to prepare for my set. To my dismay my break out box for my polyphonic guitar had become inoperable. Some ‘off the cuff’ live soldering was required. Once rectified, I began my set.
Samples of the sounds prepared for this set can be heard below.
Polyphonic Guitar Sample 1
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Polyphonic Guitar Sample 2
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Set List: Improvisation I, Without, Music Box, 1314, Rain Down Fire, Pilate, & Improvisation II
I played the Pink Cow the last time I was in Tokyo and had enjoyed it thoroughly. It is a very relaxed affair. The performance started off a little slow, but by the second track momentum built and the crowd engaged. My execution of each track was good overall, although some moments could have been a little more together. This event was a concept that had been put together by the owner to serve as an opportunity for indie musicians to network with one another.
The Pink Cow streamed this performance via UStream
5 May 2009 20:00 Ruby Room - Shibuya, Tokyo
Set List: 1314, Music Box, Pilate, & Improvisation II
I went cycling around Tokyo today before a meeting with Dave and Ross from the label. It was a good experience, regardless of nearly falling off the bike a few times. We made our way to the Ruby Room around 6pm. The Ruby Room is a small club located in Shibuya that I had played twice before in 2007. I enjoyed it then, and tonight was no exception. It was great to hear my set through a bigger sound system. All was well received by the audience and management. There were some interesting performances from punk right through to a man with a didgeridoo. I love this venue. It has great character. After the gig, I gave a workshop on my equipment to a few local musicians. This was a good opportunity to network contact information and music.
6 May 2009 22:00
Daisy Bar - Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
Set List: Improvisation I, 1314, Without, Music Box, Rain Down Fire, Pilate, & Improvisation II
A brilliant gig tonight. The Daisy Bar is a highly established venue in the artist district of Tokyo. I was accompanied by two other acts by the name of Miracle Works and This Is A Pen. The latter are an impressive female electronic duo from Tokyo. Do give them a minute of your time.
I received a recording of the gig on MD, a popular but obsolete format still in circulation in Japan. They still use VHS at this particular venue, which I find interesting. The recording will be available shortly, once I find an MD player.
The gig was listed in Tokyo’s Juice magazine, a magazine similar to NME
7 May 2009 22:30
Seco Lounge (EP Launch) - Shibuya, Tokyo
Set List: Improvisation I, 1314, Without, Music Box, Rain Down Fire, Pilate, & Improvisation II
Despite extremely poor weather, the turn out was O.K. and the performances went very well. I received a recording of the event in full, and on listening back I am very happy with my live mix. The label intends to book Seco Lounge again on my return as it is an established venue with an unusually large venue capacity for Tokyo. My thanks to those who attended the show and to Noe, Odawara, and Shoji for providing their support.
You can listen to the recordings below. Thanks to Taro for the recordings.
Pilate (Live at Seco Lounge, Tokyo)
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Rain Down Fire (Live at Seco Lounge, Tokyo)
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1314 (Live at Seco Lounge, Tokyo)
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Encore served as an opportunity to perform a shorter set in a relaxed club environment as part of their ‘Platinum Live’ event. Encore has an interesting concept allowing customers to select live concerts via a touch screen that are then displayed on a screen on stage. The tables in the venue seated one person per table. It was if I was performing in front of a classroom of school pupils. It was an interesting but unfamiliar concept.
A DVD recording was made by the staff, which is available here. My thanks to the Encore staff for their welcome, professionalism, and accommodation.
9 May 2009 17:00
Koido House (Workshop) - Warabi, Tokyo
Materials: Technical Exercises, Major Modes, & CAGED System
The workshop was organised by the Koido family in the Warabi area of Tokyo. The workshop covered rudimentary guitar techniques, CAGED system, modes of the major scale, relative minor theory, and other soloing concepts. The workshop lasted 2 hours in total.
My extended thanks to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and to Dave and Ross at KR-International and CD Lunch for all your hard work in booking and promoting this tour. My thanks to the Koido household and to the students at Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music. Thank you to all who attended the shows and to Laura, my family, and friends for your continued support. Mata ne.
Tour dates for Japan during May 2009 are now available. Thanks again to Dave & Ross at CD Lunch and KR-International, and to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for making this possible.
Tour Dates
2 May 2009 20:00
Ottorisha Tokyo 3 May 2009 20:00
Pink Cow Tokyo 5 May 2009 20:00
Ruby Room Tokyo 6 May 2009 20:00
Daisy bar Tokyo 7 May 2009 20:00
Seco Lounge (EP Launch) Tokyo 8 May 2009 13:00
Encore Tokyo 9 May 2009 20:00
Koido House (Workshop) Tokyo
“Rain Down Fire” has been released on Japanese Record Label, CD Lunch. It includes 4 studio tracks and 1 live track courtesy of Steven McCauley at BBC Radio Foyle, Northern Ireland.
Artwork by David Wilson. David is currently a London based designer working for BBC Audio & Music Interactive. Recently, David has been working on the new blog design for Adam and Joe show on 6music. David is also my cousin.
